Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)

128. “Do you build a landmark on every height for vain delight?”

129. “And you get strong buildings in the hope of living therein for ever.”

130. “When you assault, you assault like tyrants!”

131. “Then be in awe of Allah and obey me.”

The things which are attractive in the eye of the lovers of the world, are insignificant in viewpoint of the friends of Allah, and they rebuke people concerning them.

The criticism of the Qur’an is about the thought of revelry and dwellers of castles and, not the building of castle itself. Unfortunately, wealth, capital, and high glorious buildings are usually in possession of the deviated people and are used for satisfying lusts and low desires, while industry, invention, art, potentialities and human power must be used along the path of real needs. Concerning the life of Hud and the People of ‘Ad, the Qur’an has referred to four parts of it.

At first, it points to the content of the call of Hud which is monotheism and piety, the subject that was explained through former verses, thea it refers to their faults and their wrong deeds, and reminds them three subjects.

In the form of a positive interrogation with a negative sense, the Qur’an addresses them and says:

“Do you build a landmark on every height for vain delight?”

The Arabic word /ri‘/ originally means ‘a height’.

The Qur’anic word /ta‘baun/ is derived from /‘aba/ which means an action in which no correct aim is pursued, and with regard to the word /’ayah/ which means ‘sign’, it makes clear that this rich tribe, for gaudiness and in order to boast to others, used to build some buildings (like fortress and the like) upon high mountains and heights that had got no correct aim but attracting others’ attention to them and show their own power and authority to other people.

These buildings were probably the site of diversion and play and lusts, as at our time it is customary among tyrannical ones.

Then, in the next verse, the holy Qur’an criticizes them for another fault of theirs.

It says:

“And you get strong buildings in the hope of living therein for ever.”

The Arabic word /masani‘/ is the plural form of the word /masna‘/ which means: ‘a place and a beautiful strong building’.

Hud does not protest them why they had got some good and comfortable houses, but he says they have so engaged themselves with the world, and adorning themselves with building some useless strong castles and fortresses that they have neglected the Hereafter.

They have not considered the world as a sojourn but as a perpetual dwelling. Yes, such buildings which causes negligence and pride are certainly blameworthy. A tradition narrated from the Prophet (S) indicates that once he was passing a road when he saw a splendid building which was located on the way.

He asked:

“What is this?”

The companions said:

“It belongs to one of the Helpers (ansar).”

The Prophet (S) stopped for a while When its owner arrived and greeted, the Prophet (S) turned his face from him.

The man asked his friends about the matter and told them that, by Allah, he saw that the Prophet (S) was inconvenient with him and he did not know what had happened about him and what wrong he had done.

They answered him that the Prophet (S) had seen that splendid building of his and became inconvenient.

After that the man destroyed down that building. Later, one day when the Prophet (S) was passing there, he found no building over there. He questioned what happened to that building which was over there, and the companions explained the event for him.

The holy Prophet (S) said:

“Verily every building is a burden for its owner on the Hereafter Day, except that one that he has to have.”1

This tradition, and other traditions like it, all make the view of Islam quietly clear that Islam does not agree with aristocratic buildings built extravagantly and cause negligence. Islam does not let Muslims build such buildings, like those of the proud oppressors, in particular that they are built in the places where the deprived are in dire need of dwelling.

It is interesting that the Messenger of Islam (S) did not resort to any force to reach this aim, and he did not order to ruin that building, but by means of a gentle ethical reaction, which was heedlessness, he provided the content of his aim.

Then, in the next verse, the Qur’an refers to the cruelty of the people of ‘Ad in their quarrel and disputation.

It says:

“When you assault, you assault like tyrants!”

Someone may do something that deserves punishment, but no one must exceed the limits and he must not order a heavy penalty for a tiny crime, shed the blood of people when he is angry, and he must not treat like the tyrants and oppressors of the world.

The Arabic word /batš/, as Raqib says in Mufradat, means ‘to take something by force and superiority’.

In fact, Hud blamed these mammonists in three ways: First through the tokens they built proudly and gaudily on heights in order to boast of others.

Then he criticizes the strong buildings such as castles of the oppressors which are the sign of having long desires and negligence from this fact that the world is a sojourn, not a permanent dwelling.

At last, he criticizes their extravagance in punishments.

This shows that they were so engaged with the love of this world that they had gone out of the line of servitude, and had become so mammonish that they nearly demanded divinity. These things prove again this.fact that

“The love of the world is the top of all faults”.2

After stating these three critics, he invites them again to piety, when he says:

“Then be in awe of Allah and obey me.”