Transliteration:( Ahum khayrun am qawmu Tubba'inw wallazeena min qablihim; ahlaknaahum innahum kaanoo mujrimeen )
38. The title of the king of Yemen would be Tubba. Thus, Tubba was Harith bin Hammal Humairi who himself was a believer, but his people were extremely rebellious and powerful infidels who were destroyed due to their infidelity. This tubba established the city of Madina Munawwarah
He had in absentia written a letter to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم handiover to people saying when the advent of the Holy prophet will take صلى الله عليه واله وسلم place, the letter should be presented to him.
Thus, when the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم stopped at the house of Hazrat Abu Ayub Ansan, Ha Abu Ya'la presented this letter to him.
The tafsir of Surah Ad-Dukhan verse 37 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Dukhan ayat 34 which provides the complete commentary from verse 34 through 37.
32. Tubba was the title of the kings of the Himyarites, like the titles of Khosroes, Caesar, Pharaoh etc. which have been associated with the kings of different countries. They were a branch of the Sabaeans, who attained domination over Saba in 115 B.C. and ruled it until 300 A.D. They have been a well known people of Arabia for centuries. For details, see (Surah Saba, ayat 21) note 37.
33. This is the first answer to the disbelievers’ objection; it means: Any individual group or nation which denies the Hereafter becomes criminal. Perversion of the morals is its inevitable result, and human history bears evidence that whichever nation adopted this view of life ultimately perished. As for the question: Are they better or the people of Tubba or the people before them? It means this: The disbelievers of Makkah have not been able to attain to the prosperity and splendor that became the lot of the people of Tubba and of the people of Saba and of the people of Pharaoh and others before them. But this material prosperity and worldly splendor could not save them from the consequences of their moral degeneration. How will then the chiefs of the Quraish be saved from destruction on the strength of their puny resources and wealth? For details, see (Surah Saba, ayat 15-21) note 25-36.
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