Surah Shuara ayat 129 Tafsir Quran 26:129

﴿وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ﴾
[ الشعراء: 129]

26:129 And take for yourselves palaces and fortresses that you might abide eternally?

And you set up structures for extracting water underground that perhaps you might as though you will last forever therein and not die.

And you take for yourselves palatial structures as though they will protect you and exempt you from paying natures debt and help you live forever

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

(26:129) and build huge castles as if you were immortal; *91

And take for yourselves palaces and fortresses meaning

*91) That is, ," Though you have built other buildings also for dwelling purposes, in order to make them grand, beautiful and strong, you expend your wealth and mental and physical abilities in a manner as if you were going to live for ever, and there was no purpose of life except seeking of comfort and pleasure and nothing beyond this worldly life which might deserve your attention. "
In this connection, one should bear in mind the fact that extravagance in architecture is not a solitary vice in a people.
This happens as a result of a people's becoming affluent and then crazy for selfish gains and materialistic pursuits.
When a people reach such a stage, their whole social system becomes corrupted and polluted.
Prophet Hud's criticism of his people's extravagant and luxurious architecture was not simply aimed at the high castles and monuments, but he was actually criticising their corrupt civilization and social system, whose glaring symptoms could be seen everywhere in the land in the shape of castles and monuments.

 

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

( And seek ye out strongholds ) houses, palaces and pools, ( that haply ye may last for ever ) in this worldly life? Nay, you will not last for ever!

"And do you get for yourselves palaces (fine buildings) as if you will live therein for ever.

Page 372 English transliteration