Surah Saba ayat 18 Tafsir Quran 34:18

﴿وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا السَّيْرَ ۖ سِيرُوا فِيهَا لَيَالِيَ وَأَيَّامًا آمِنِينَ﴾
[ سبأ: 18]

34:18 And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [many] visible cities. And We determined between them the [distances of] journey, [saying], "Travel between them by night or day in safety."

And We set between them between Sheba who were in Yemen and the towns which We had blessed with abundance of water and trees — these being the towns of Syria to which they used to travel for commerce — prominent towns continuous along the route from Yemen to Syria and We facilitated for travellers the journeying through them such that they would rest for the afternoon in one and spend the night in the next and so on until the end of their travel having no need of any supplies or water along the way; and We said ‘Travel through them night and day safely’ having no fear by night or by day.

Yet We did not tear them apart but We kept the villages which stood conspicuous between their towns and the towns We blessed.* And We made these villages - serve as stations or stopping-places on their journeys and their commercial travels, And We determined the distances and the units of time to a scale inducing the feeling of comfort and safety and We said to them: You may travel by night or by day, you will be safe and secure

The Trade of Saba' and Their Destruction Allah tells us about the blessings which the people of Saba' enjoyed, and the luxuries and plentiful provision which was theirs in their land, with its secure dwellings and towns which were joined to one another, with many trees, crops and fruits.
When they traveled, they had no need to carry provisions or water with them; wherever they stopped, they would find water and fruits, so they could take their noontime rest in one town, and stay overnight in another, according to their needs on their journey.
Allah says: وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِى بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا ( And We placed, between them and the towns which We had blessed, ) Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Malik, who narrated it from Zayd bin Aslam, and Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and others -- all said that this means the towns of Syria.
It means they used to travel from Yemen to Syria via towns easy to be seen and connected to one another.
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "`The towns which We had blessed by putting Jerusalem among them." قُرًى ظَـهِرَةً towns easy to be seen, meaning, clear and visible, known to travelers, so they could take their noontime rest in one town and stay overnight in another.
Allah says: وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا السَّيْرَ ( and We made the stages (of journey ) between them easy) meaning, `We made it in a way that met the needs of the travelers.' سِيرُواْ فِيهَا لَيَالِىَ وَأَيَّاماً ءَامِنِينَ ( Travel in them safely both by night and day. ) means, those who travel in them will be safe both by night and by day. فَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا بَـعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا وَظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ ( But they said: "Our Lord! Make the stages between our journey longer," and they wronged themselves; ) They failed to appreciate this blessing, as Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Al-Hasan and others said: "They wanted to travel long distances through empty wilderness where they would need to carry provisions with them and would have to travel through intense heat in a state of fear." فَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ وَمَزَّقْنَـهُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ ( so We made them as tales (in the land ), and We dispersed them all totally.) means, `We made them something for people to talk about when they converse in the evening, how Allah plotted against them and dispersed them after they had been together living a life of luxury, and they were scattered here and there throughout the land.' So, the Arabs say of a people when they are dispersed, "They have been scattered like Saba'," in all directions. إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لآيَـتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ ( Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast, grateful. ) In the punishment which these people suffered, the way in which their blessings and good health were turned into vengeance for their disbelief and sins, is a lesson and an indication for every person who is steadfast in the face of adversity and grateful for blessings.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«عَجِبْتُ مِنْ قَضَاءِ اللهِ تَعَالَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَهُ خَيْرٌ حَمِدَ رَبَّهُ وَشَكَرَ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ مُصِيبَةٌ حَمِدَ رَبَّهُ وَصَبَرَ، يُؤْجَرُ الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتْى فِي اللُّقْمَةِ يَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِه»
( I am amazed at what Allah has decreed for the believer; if something good befalls him, He praises his Lord and gives thanks, and if something bad befalls him, he praises his Lord and has patience.
The believer will be rewarded for everything, even the morsel of food which he lifts to his wife's mouth. )" This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah.
There is a corroborating report in the Two Sahihs, where a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, says:
«عَجَبًا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ تَعَالَى لَهُ قَضَاءً إِلَّا كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِن»
( How amazing is the affair of the believer! Allah does not decree anything for him but it is good for him.
If something good happens to him, he gives thanks, and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him.
This is not for anyone except the believer. )" It was reported that Qatadah said: إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لآيَـتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ g( Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast, grateful. ) It was Mutarrif who used to say: "How blessed is the grateful, patient servant.
If he is given something, he gives thanks, and if he is tested, he bears it with patience."

(34:18) We placed other prominent towns between them, the towns that We had blessed and had set well-measured stages between them. *31 Move back and forth between them, night and day, in perfect security.

And We placed between them and the meaning

*31) " Blessed habitations ": the lands of Syria and Palestine, which have been generally mentioned in the Qur'an by this title, as for instance, in AI-A'raf: 137, Bani Isra`il: 1, Al-Anbiya`: 71, 81.
" Conspicuous habitations ": habitations situated on the highway and not inside the country.
It may also mean that the habitations were not very far apart but contiguous so that as the outlying areas of one habitation came to an end those of the other started coming into view.

" Set...distances " implies that from the Yaman to the borders of Syria the whole journey passed through inhabited lands, and the distances between one station and another were known and determined.
That makes the distinction between the journey through inhabited land and the journey through uninhabited desert area.
In the desert the traveller continues to travel as long as he wills and halts when tired.
Contrary to this, in settled areas as the distance between one habitation and the other is well known, the traveller can plan beforehand when he would break his journey, where he would have his midday rest and when he would stay for the night.

 

The Trade of Saba' and Their Destruction Allah tells us about the blessings which the people of Saba' enjoyed, and the luxuries and plentiful provision which was theirs in their land, with its secure dwellings and towns which were joined to one another, with many trees, crops and fruits.
When they traveled, they had no need to carry provisions or water with them; wherever they stopped, they would find water and fruits, so they could take their noontime rest in one town, and stay overnight in another, according to their needs on their journey.
Allah says: وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِى بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا ( And We placed, between them and the towns which We had blessed, ) Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Malik, who narrated it from Zayd bin Aslam, and Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and others -- all said that this means the towns of Syria.
It means they used to travel from Yemen to Syria via towns easy to be seen and connected to one another.
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "`The towns which We had blessed by putting Jerusalem among them." قُرًى ظَـهِرَةً towns easy to be seen, meaning, clear and visible, known to travelers, so they could take their noontime rest in one town and stay overnight in another.
Allah says: وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا السَّيْرَ ( and We made the stages (of journey ) between them easy) meaning, `We made it in a way that met the needs of the travelers.' سِيرُواْ فِيهَا لَيَالِىَ وَأَيَّاماً ءَامِنِينَ ( Travel in them safely both by night and day. ) means, those who travel in them will be safe both by night and by day. فَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا بَـعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا وَظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ ( But they said: "Our Lord! Make the stages between our journey longer," and they wronged themselves; ) They failed to appreciate this blessing, as Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Al-Hasan and others said: "They wanted to travel long distances through empty wilderness where they would need to carry provisions with them and would have to travel through intense heat in a state of fear." فَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ وَمَزَّقْنَـهُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ ( so We made them as tales (in the land ), and We dispersed them all totally.) means, `We made them something for people to talk about when they converse in the evening, how Allah plotted against them and dispersed them after they had been together living a life of luxury, and they were scattered here and there throughout the land.' So, the Arabs say of a people when they are dispersed, "They have been scattered like Saba'," in all directions. إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لآيَـتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ ( Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast, grateful. ) In the punishment which these people suffered, the way in which their blessings and good health were turned into vengeance for their disbelief and sins, is a lesson and an indication for every person who is steadfast in the face of adversity and grateful for blessings.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «عَجِبْتُ مِنْ قَضَاءِ اللهِ تَعَالَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَهُ خَيْرٌ حَمِدَ رَبَّهُ وَشَكَرَ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ مُصِيبَةٌ حَمِدَ رَبَّهُ وَصَبَرَ، يُؤْجَرُ الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتْى فِي اللُّقْمَةِ يَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِه» ( I am amazed at what Allah has decreed for the believer; if something good befalls him, He praises his Lord and gives thanks, and if something bad befalls him, he praises his Lord and has patience.
The believer will be rewarded for everything, even the morsel of food which he lifts to his wife's mouth. )" This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah.
There is a corroborating report in the Two Sahihs, where a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, says: «عَجَبًا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ تَعَالَى لَهُ قَضَاءً إِلَّا كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِن» ( How amazing is the affair of the believer! Allah does not decree anything for him but it is good for him.
If something good happens to him, he gives thanks, and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him.
This is not for anyone except the believer. )" It was reported that Qatadah said: إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لآيَـتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ g( Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast, grateful. ) It was Mutarrif who used to say: "How blessed is the grateful, patient servant.
If he is given something, he gives thanks, and if he is tested, he bears it with patience."

( And We set, between them ) between the people of Sheba ( and the towns which We had blessed ) with water and trees, i.e. Jordan and Palestine, ( towns easy to be seen ) and close to each other, ( and We made the stage between them ) between these towns ( easy ) the march to them is a few hours or one night march, ( (saying ): Travel in them safely both by night and day) safe from hunger, thirst and thieves.

And We placed between them and the towns which We had blessed, towns easy to be seen, and We made the stages (of journey) between them easy (saying): "Travel in them safely both by night and day."

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