Surah Shuara ayat 128 Tafsir Quran 26:128

﴿أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ آيَةً تَعْبَثُونَ﴾
[ الشعراء: 128]

26:128 Do you construct on every elevation a sign, amusing yourselves,

Do you build on every prominence every high place a monument an edifice as a signpost for passers-by so that you may hurl abuse? at those who pass by you and deride them ta‘bathūna is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of the verb tabnūna ‘you build’.

Do you erect buildings, he added, on the top of every mount and every height, mansions and stately buildings standing in the landscape, conspicuous to view as though they are landmarks (yet not as a guide nor a mark of an event) serving no useful purpose and of no avail

Hud's preaching to His People `Ad Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Hud, when he called his people `Ad.
His people used to live in the Ahqaf, curved sand-hills near Hadramawt, on the borders of Yemen.
They lived after the time of Nuh, as Allah says in Surat Al-A`raf: وَاذكُرُواْ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِن بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِى الْخَلْقِ بَسْطَةً ( And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh and increased you amply in stature ) ( 7:69 ).
This refers to the fact that they were physically strong and well-built, and very violent, and very tall; they had also been given a great deal of provisions, wealth, gardens, rivers, sons, crops and fruits.
Yet despite all of that, they worshipped others besides Allah.
So Allah sent Hud, one of their own, as a Messenger bringing them good news and delivering warnings.
He called them to worship Allah alone, and he warned them of Allah's wrath and punishment if they were to go against him and treating him harshly.
He said to them, as Nuh had said to his people: أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً تَعْبَثُونَ ( Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah for your amusement ) The scholars of Tafsir differed over the meaning of the word Ri`.
In brief, they said that it refers to an elevated location at a well-known crossroads, where they would build a huge, dazzling, sturdy structure, this is why he said: أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً ( Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah ) i.e., a well-known landmark, تَعْبَثُونَ ( for your amusement ) meaning, `you are only doing that for the purpose of frivolity, not because you need it, but for fun and to show off your strength.' So their Prophet, peace be upon him, denounced them for doing that, because it was a waste of time and exhausted people's bodies for no purpose, and kept them busy with something that was of no benefit in this world or the next.
He said: وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ ( And do you get for yourselves Masani` as if you will live therein forever ) Mujahid said, "This means fortresses built up strong and high and structures that are built to last." لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ ( as if you will live therein forever ) means, `so that you may stay there forever, but that is not going to happen, because they will eventually cease to be, just as happened in the case of those who came before you.' وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ ( And when you seize (somebody ), seize you ( him ) as tyrants) They are described as being strong, violent and tyrannical. فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ( So, have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me. ) `Worship your Lord and obey your Messenger.' Then Hud began reminding them of the blessings that Allah had bestowed upon them.
He said: وَاتَّقُواْ الَّذِى أَمَدَّكُمْ بِمَا تَعْلَمُونَ - أَمَدَّكُمْ بِأَنْعَـمٍ وَبَنِينَ - وَجَنَّـتٍ وَعُيُونٍ - إِنِّى أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ( And have Taqwa of Him, Who has aided you with all that you know.
He has aided you with cattle and children, and gardens and springs.
Verily, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day. ) meaning, `if you disbelieve and oppose ( your Prophet ).' So he called them to Allah with words of encouragement and words of warning, but it was to no avail. قَالُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْنَآ أَوَعَظْتَ أَمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ مِّنَ الْوَعِظِينَ - إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ خُلُقُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ - وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ

(26:128) What! you erect for mere pleasure, a monument on every high spot, *90

Do you construct on every elevation a meaning

*90) That is, " You build grand buildings merely to show off your wealth and power, whereas they have no use and purpose except that they stand as monuments to your grandeur and glory.
"
 

Hud's preaching to His People `Ad Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Hud, when he called his people `Ad.
His people used to live in the Ahqaf, curved sand-hills near Hadramawt, on the borders of Yemen.
They lived after the time of Nuh, as Allah says in Surat Al-A`raf: وَاذكُرُواْ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِن بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِى الْخَلْقِ بَسْطَةً ( And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh and increased you amply in stature ) ( 7:69 ).
This refers to the fact that they were physically strong and well-built, and very violent, and very tall; they had also been given a great deal of provisions, wealth, gardens, rivers, sons, crops and fruits.
Yet despite all of that, they worshipped others besides Allah.
So Allah sent Hud, one of their own, as a Messenger bringing them good news and delivering warnings.
He called them to worship Allah alone, and he warned them of Allah's wrath and punishment if they were to go against him and treating him harshly.
He said to them, as Nuh had said to his people: أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً تَعْبَثُونَ ( Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah for your amusement ) The scholars of Tafsir differed over the meaning of the word Ri`.
In brief, they said that it refers to an elevated location at a well-known crossroads, where they would build a huge, dazzling, sturdy structure, this is why he said: أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً ( Do you build on every Ri` an Ayah ) i.e., a well-known landmark, تَعْبَثُونَ ( for your amusement ) meaning, `you are only doing that for the purpose of frivolity, not because you need it, but for fun and to show off your strength.' So their Prophet, peace be upon him, denounced them for doing that, because it was a waste of time and exhausted people's bodies for no purpose, and kept them busy with something that was of no benefit in this world or the next.
He said: وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ ( And do you get for yourselves Masani` as if you will live therein forever ) Mujahid said, "This means fortresses built up strong and high and structures that are built to last." لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ ( as if you will live therein forever ) means, `so that you may stay there forever, but that is not going to happen, because they will eventually cease to be, just as happened in the case of those who came before you.' وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ ( And when you seize (somebody ), seize you ( him ) as tyrants) They are described as being strong, violent and tyrannical. فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ( So, have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me. ) `Worship your Lord and obey your Messenger.' Then Hud began reminding them of the blessings that Allah had bestowed upon them.
He said: وَاتَّقُواْ الَّذِى أَمَدَّكُمْ بِمَا تَعْلَمُونَ - أَمَدَّكُمْ بِأَنْعَـمٍ وَبَنِينَ - وَجَنَّـتٍ وَعُيُونٍ - إِنِّى أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ( And have Taqwa of Him, Who has aided you with all that you know.
He has aided you with cattle and children, and gardens and springs.
Verily, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day. ) meaning, `if you disbelieve and oppose ( your Prophet ).' So he called them to Allah with words of encouragement and words of warning, but it was to no avail. قَالُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْنَآ أَوَعَظْتَ أَمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ مِّنَ الْوَعِظِينَ - إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ خُلُقُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ - وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ

Build ye on every high place a monument for vain delight?) you beat up any stranger who passes by you and steal his clothes; this can also be understood in this manner: do you build in every marketplace a sign by means of which you scoff at whoever passes by you?

"Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in them?

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