[34:17] وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي...
[34:17] وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا السَّيْرَ ۖ سِيرُوا فِيهَا لَيَالِيَ وَأَيَّامًا آمِنِينَ {18} And We Made between them and the towns which We had Blessed therein, apparent towns, and We Apportioned the travelling therein: “Travel in these during nights and days in security” [34:18] فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا بَاعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا وَظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ وَمَزَّقْنَاهُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ {19} But they said, ‘Our Lord!
Lengthen the distance between our journeys! And they were unjust to themselves, so We Made them as subject of discourse and Scattered them with every scattering.
Surely, there are Signs in that for every patient, grateful one [34:19] Apparent explanation – The people of Saba مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ سَدِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقالُوا رَبَّنا باعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفارِنا وَ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Jameel Bin Salih, from Sadeyr who said: ‘A man asked Abu Ja’far -asws about the Words of Allah -azwj Mighty and Majestic: But they said, ‘Our Lord!
Lengthen the distance between our journeys! And they were unjust to themselves [34:19] . فَقَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ كَانَ لَهُمْ قُرًى مُتَّصِلَةٌ يَنْظُرُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ وَ أَنْهَارٌ جَارِيَةٌ وَ أَمْوَالٌ ظَاهِرَةٌ فَكَفَرُوا بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ وَ غَيَّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ فَأَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِ فَغَرَّقَ قُرَاهُمْ وَ أَخْرَبَ دِيَارَهُمْ وَ أَذْهَبَ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَ أَبْدَلَهُمْ مَكَانَ جَنَّاتِهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَيْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَ أَثْلٍ وَ شَيْءٍ مِنْ سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ He -asws said: ‘They were a people who lived in two inter-connected villages and were able to see each other, and rivers which flowed, and had phenomenal wealth.
They denied the Favours of Allah -azwj and changed what was in themselves, so Allah -azwj Mighty and Majestic Sent the flood of Al-Aram against them. Their two villages were submerged, and their houses were spoilt, and their wealth was gone. It changed their plantations into two plantations to be only with the edible plants of bitter tamarisk (a troublesome weed) and a few Lotus trees.
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