Transliteration:( Wa sakantum fee masaakinil lazeena zalamooo anfusahum wa tabaiyana lakum kaifa fa'alnaa bihim wa darabnaa lakumul amsaal )
45. And you settled in the dwellings of those who wronged themselves [101], and it became clear to you how We dealt with them [102], and We gave you examples [103].
(Kanzul Imaan Translation)
The phrase "you settled in the dwellings" refers to temporary halts during travel, not permanent settlement.
The tribes of Arabia, especially the Quraysh, used to pass through the ruins of ʿĀd and Thamūd during their trade journeys.
These lands were permanently desolated by Divine punishment and never re-inhabited.
As mentioned in the Hadith Shareef, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ passed by the ruins of Thamūd, he said:
"Do not stop here, nor drink from their wells. A place punished by Allah should not be made a place of rest."
Exception: The flood of Hazrat Nūḥ (عليه السلام) was a punishment for disbelievers but a mercy for believers, hence resettlement of the earth afterward was allowed.
Two insights are derived here:
1. Publicity is sufficient proof for some realities:
Matters like lineage, marriage, or territory can be established by notoriety or well-known tradition.
The identities of the ruins of ʿĀd and Thamūd were accepted based on continuous recognition and not denied.
2. Historical reports must not be rejected without reason:
If a report contradicts a categorical Qur'anic statement, then it may be rejected.
Otherwise, documented historical incidents — such as those referenced in the Qur’an — remain valid sources of reflection.
The verse serves as an example and warning: just as previous nations were destroyed for their infidelity, so too are the Quraysh liable to the same fate.
This supports the principle of Qiyās (analogy) in Islamic jurisprudence:
If the cause (ʿillah) of punishment was infidelity for past nations, the same cause should lead to similar consequences for others.
The analogy drawn here is both spiritual and legal in essence: if the conditions are the same, the outcome should mirror precedent.
The tafsir of Surah Ibrahim verse 45 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Ibrahim ayat 44 which provides the complete commentary from verse 44 through 46.
(14:45) You said so even though you had lived in the dwellings of those who had wronged themselves (by sinning), and you were aware how We dealt with them, and We had even explained to you all this by giving examples.
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
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