Fanadaw sahibahum fataAAata faAAaqar (surah Al Qamar: 29)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(54:29) Eventually, they summoned their companion, and he undertook the (outrageous) task and hamstrung the she-camel. *20

Fanaadaw saahibahum fata`aataa fa`aqar

*20) These words by themselves indicate that the she-camel roamed at will in their settlements for along period of time. No one could dare approach a source of water on the day of her turn. At last, they called out to a haughty chief of theirs who was well known for his courage and boldness, and urged him to put an end to her Emboldened by the false encouragement he took up the responsibility and killed the she-camel. This clearly means that the people were very frightened. They felt that she had extraordinary power, and so they dared not touch her with .m evil intention. That is why the killing of a mere she-camel especially when the Prophet who had presented her, did not possess any army that could be a deterrent for them. amounted to undertaking a dangerous and difficult task. (For further details. see E.N 58 of Surah AI-A'raf and E.N.'s 104. 105 of Surah AshShua'ra' ).