Transliteration:( Wa izaaa aradnaaa an nuhlika qaryatan amarnaa mutrafeehaa fafasaqoo feehaa fahaqqa 'alaihal qawlu fadammarnaahaa tadmeeraa )
43. By this is meant either specific laws to which the poor are not bound, such as Zakaat, Sadaqat, or common laws like Salaah, Fasting, especially that from the wealthy. It is for this reason mention is made that the poor and destitute are under them, if they carry these out then the poor should do likewise.
44. And because of them the poor under them too become sinful and debauched. Thus, there is no objection to be raised against the verse.Â
45. From this we learn that the leaders of the community should exercise greater caution, because others are with them as well.
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16. And when We decide to destroy a town (population), Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction.
The commentators differed over the meaning of this word. It was said that the phrase translated here as “Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein†means, “We send Our decree upon them†as Allah says elsewhere:
(Our decree reaches it by night or by day) For ï´¿Amarna cannot mean “Our commandâ€ï´¾ because Allah does not command or enjoin immorality. Or, they said it means that Allah subjugated them to commit immoral deeds, so they deserved the punishment. Or it was said that it means: “We commanded them to obey Us, but they committed immoral sins, so they deserved punishment.†This was reported from Ibn Jurayj from Ibn `Abbas, and it is also the view of Sa`id bin Jubayr.
(Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein,) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said: ﴿this means﴾ “We gave power to the evil people, so they committed sin therein (in the town), and because they did that, Allah destroyed them with the punishment.†This is similar to the Ayah:
(And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people) ﴿6:133﴾ This was also the view of Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid and Ar-Rabi’ bin Anas.
(And when We decide to distroy a town (populaton), Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein,) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, (it means) “We increase their numbers. This was also the view of `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah, and it was reported from Malik and Az-Zuhri.
18. Here a definite form of divine procedure for the destruction of a people has been stated. When the affluent people of a habitation become disobedient, it is a portent that it is doomed to destruction. After their persistent and continuous transgression, the affluent people become so obdurate in their disobedience that they begin to discard the instinctive dictates of their conscience. The same thing has been stated in this Ayat: And when We intend to destroy a town, We give commands to its affluent people and they show disobedience. This is because Allah has created conscience for the guidance of man. Therefore, the dictates of conscience are really the commands of Allah. Thus it has become quite obvious that by “And when We intend to destroy a town†is not meant that Allah intends to destroy it without any reason. It is destroyed because after their disobedience that habitation incurs Our just wrath and We totally exterminate it. The habitation deserves such a punishment because its common people follow the affluent people who are the factual leaders of a community and are mainly responsible for the corruption of the community. At first the affluent people commit acts of disobedience, wickedness, mischief, cruelty and tyranny and then the common people follow them and incur the torment of Allah. Incidentally, this is a warning for every community that it should be very discreet and prudent in choosing and electing its leaders and rulers, for if the latter are mean and wicked, they will inevitably lead the community to destruction.
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