Watarakna feeha ayatan lillatheena yakhafoona alAAathaba al-aleem (surah zariyat: 37)

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

(51:37) and We left therein a Sign for those who fear the grievous chastisement.  *35

Wa taraknaa feehaaa aayatal lillazeena yakhaafoonal `azaabal aleem

*35) One sign": the Dead Sea, southern part of which still presents the signs of a great disaster. The archaeologists have expressed the opinion that the principal cities of the people of Lot were probably sunk underground and the waters of the Dead Sea spread over them. For that part of this sea which is situated to the south of the small peninsula called "AI-Lisan" clearly seems to be a later development, and the signs of the ruins of the Dead Sea found to the north of this peninsula are very different from those found in the south. From this it is concluded that the southern part was once higher than the sea level. At some later time it sank and went under water. The period of its sinking also seems to be about 2000 B.C. and the same precisely is the time of the Prophets Abraham and Lot historically. In 1965 an American archaeological research party discovered a large grave-yard at Al-Lisan which contains more than twenty thousand graves. From this one is led to think that nearby it there must have existed a large city. But no nuns of any such city arc found in the adjoining area, which might have given rise to such a big grave-yard. This fact also strengthens the doubt that the city whose grave-yard it was has sunk under the sea. The area to the south of the sea still abounds in the ruins and the underground stocks of sulphur, resin, tar and natural gas found in this area lead one to believe that hell must have been let loose at this place at Borne time by the eruption of lava and the play of lightning. (For further explanation, see E.N. 114 of Ash-Shu'ara').