Q-9                                                                      

                                       Ramzan Quiz

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاتة

بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِٱلرَّحِيمِ

9. They turned away [refusing], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam (34:16).  Which people were afflicted with this punishmentst?

Answer: People of Saba

Saba' refers to the kings and people of the Yemen in the past.Their ancient kings are called as Tubbah. They built a huge, strong dam and the water reached a high level between the two mountains.

Allah says about them: Indeed, there was for Saba’ (Sheba) a sign in their dwelling place, – two gardens on the right hand and on the left (and it was said to them) “Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him, a fair land and an Oft-Forgiving Lord. (34:15)

They lived in luxury with plentiful provisions, crops and fruits. In their land there were no flies, mosquitoes or fleas, or any kind of vermin. This was because the weather was good and the people were healthy, and Allah took care of them. Allah sent them messengers telling them to eat and give thanks to Him by worshipping Him alone, and they followed that for as long as Allah willed. They started to worship the sun instead of Allah.

But they turned away (from the obedience of Allah), so We sent against them Sail Al-‘Arim (flood released from the dam), and We converted their two gardens into gardens producing bitter bad fruit, and tamarisks, and some few lote-trees. (34:16).

Allahuthala sent beasts from the earth to the dam, large rats. They brought cats to control them. But rats overgrow and destroyed the dam by producing holes and the dam collapsed causing great flood. The waters rushed through the bottom of the valley and destroyed everything in their path. As the water drained from the trees on the mountains, to the right and the left, those trees dried up and were destroyed. Those beautiful, fruit-bearing trees were replaced with something altogether different, and We converted their two gardens into gardens producing bitter bad fruit.

Hoopie (bird) of Sulaiman (AS) said to him, "I found a woman ruling over them, she has been given all things, and she has a great throne. I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah, and Shaytan has made their deeds fair seeming to them, and has barred them from the way, so they have no guidance.'' (27:22-24) 

Like this We requited them because they were ungrateful. And never do We requite in such a way except those who are ungrateful (34:17)

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.” (34:18)

But they said: “Our Lord! Make the stages between our journey longer,” and they wronged themselves, so We made them as tales (in the land), and We dispersed them all, totally. (34:19) Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast grateful (person).

And indeed Iblis did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers and he (Iblis) had no authority over them, except that We might test him, who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt about it. And your Lord is a Hafiz over everything.  (34:20 & 21)

So they were punished with a flood which scattered them throughout the lands around Saba' in all directions.

الحمدلله