The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: ((So they turned away, so We sent upon them a flood of scorching water and We replaced their two gardens with two gardens of bitter fruit, thorny trees, and a little date palm))
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Then Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said [Saba 34:16] to the end of it. Among the benefits of the noble verse is the clarification of the state of these people: they replaced the favor of Allah with disbelief. It was incumbent upon them, since Allah had bestowed these favors upon them, to be grateful and to carry out the obedience of Allah, but they turned away.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is the punishment of those who turn away, in accordance with the wisdom of Allah. And Allah the Exalted said in another verse: [Al-'Ankabut: 40]. So punishments are of the same kind as the deed. These people, when they became heedless of the favor of Allah and disbelieved in Him, the cause of these gardens was that they were replaced with bad gardens relative to what they had been favored with before.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is also the affirmation of causes. From where are they taken? So Allah the Exalted made their turning away the cause of the sending [of the flood].
Among its benefits is that sins are a cause for the removal of favors, as He said: while they were being favored. When they turned away, Allah sent upon them this destructive flood. This has many witnesses in the Qur'an, among them His saying: [An-Nahl: 112] and among them His saying: [Al-A'raf 98:99].
Among the benefits of the noble verse is that rain, which is a favor and mercy, can be a favor and a punishment. As He said here: For the flood, in its essence, which is the gathering of rain until it flows, its essence is good, as He said: [As-Sajdah: 27]. And this is good, is it not? Good. But sometimes it becomes a punishment.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is the clarification of the misguidance of those people who, when such calamities like floods and the like befall them, are not affected by them and say, "This is the nature of things." Indeed, these floods that destroy are a punishment from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), a punishment to test those who are punished, and a deterrent for those who are of their kind.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is the clarification of the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in sending these sweeping floods that drowned their fruits and crops, and after these fruits and crops, there grew[Saba 34:16]. What is the date palm? A little date palm. Yes. So those great gardens were replaced, and this took their place.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is the wisdom in Allah (Mighty and Majestic) making the replacement for the two gardens two other gardens, because obedience is light, righteousness, and success, so it is fitting that the reward be giving. And disobedience is darkness and corruption, so it is fitting that the replacement be bad relative to what came before it.
But they turned away [refusing], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam
فَأَعْرَضُوا فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِAmong the benefits of the noble verse is the punishment of those who turn away, in accordance with the wisdom of Allah. And Allah the Exalted said in another verse:
So each We seized for his sin
فَكُلًّا أَخَذْنَا بِذَنْبِهAmong the benefits of the noble verse is also the affirmation of causes. From where are they taken?
So they turned away, so We sent
فأعرضوا فأرسلناAmong its benefits is that sins are a cause for the removal of favors, as He said:
So they turned away, so We sent
فأعرضوا فأرسلناAnd Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ(96) And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning." (97) Then, did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them at night while they were asleep? (98) Or did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they were at play? (99) Then did they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people.
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ وَلَكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ * أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا بَيَاتًا وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ * أَوَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ * أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ فَلا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَAmong the benefits of the noble verse is that rain, which is a favor and mercy, can be a favor and a punishment. As He said here:
A flood of scorching water
سيل العرمHave they not seen that We drive the water [in clouds] to barren land and bring forth thereby crops from which their livestock eat and [they] themselves
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَسُوقُ الْمَاءَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ الْجُرُزِ فَنُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ أَنْعَامُهُمْ وَأَنفُسُهُمْAmong the benefits of the noble verse is the clarification of the misguidance of those people who, when such calamities like floods and the like befall them, are not affected by them and say, "This is the nature of things." Indeed, these floods that destroy are a punishment from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), a punishment to test those who are punished, and a deterrent for those who are of their kind.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is the clarification of the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in sending these sweeping floods that drowned their fruits and crops, and after these fruits and crops, there grew
bitter fruit, tamarisks and something of sparse lote trees.
خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَيْءٍ مِنْ سِدْرٍAmong the benefits of the noble verse is the wisdom in Allah (Mighty and Majestic) making the replacement for the two gardens two other gardens, because obedience is light, righteousness, and success, so it is fitting that the reward be giving. And disobedience is darkness and corruption, so it is fitting that the replacement be bad relative to what came before it.