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ʾa-hum khayrun ʾam qawmu tubbaʿin wa-lladhīna min qablihim ʾahlaknāhum ʾinnahum kānū mujrimīna
Are they better, or the people of Tubba‘, and those who were before them? We destroyed them; indeed, they were guilty.
— Ali Quli Qarai
44Ad-DukhānالدخانVerse 37 of 59
The Smoke44. Ad-Dukhānالدخان
al-Dukhān
The Smoke
MeccanVerse 37 of 59
Surah al-Dukhan - Verse 37
37. Are they better [in terms of opportunities] or the people of Tubba’ and those before them? We destroyed them because they were indeed criminals. [Why do you not take a lesson?]
History provides man with the best lessons. The prosperous land of the Yemen, located in the South of the Arabian Peninsula, was the cradle of a great civilization ruled by kings called Tubba’ (the plural form is Tababi’a). The term literally indicates “those whose orders are followed by people” or “those succeeding each other to rule.” The people enjoyed a very powerful state wielding a vast sway. The blessed Verse, preceded by making mention of Meccan polytheists and their animosity toward the Prophet (S) and their denial of Resurrection, makes a reference to the fate of the sinful and criminal people of Tubba’ warns Meccan polytheists against Divine torment in store for them on the Day of Resurrection.
The blessed Verse asks:
The people of Hijaz were to some extent aware of the fate of the people of Tubba’ as a consequence of which no further details are provided in the following Verses concerning them, but It merely suffices to warn Meccan polytheists against a fate in store for them similar to that of other peoples inhabiting the regions in Sham [viz. Syria, Palestine, East Jordan, Lebanon, and the northwestern parts of the Fertile Crescent] and Egypt. Put the case that you deny Resurrection, how could you deny Divine torments sent down on these criminal and disobedient peoples?
alludes to the peoples of Nuh, ‘Ad, Thamud, and the like. Some exegets maintain that Tubba’ was a believer and a truth seeking man and the
mentioned in the two Qur’anic Verses bear testimony to the same since not the ruler but his people are censured. According to a prophetic tradition:
“Do not slander Tubba’ since he submitted to Divine Will.” 1
A tradition is narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) saying:
“Tubba’ verily said unto [the tribes of] Aws and Khazraj:
‘Stay here until this Prophet proclaims his Call. Had I enjoyed the opportunity to be his contemporary, I would have been at his disposal in his Prophetic Call.’” 2
Footnotes