Juz 22: Al-Aḥzāb 31 to Yā Sīn 27
Section 12 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
12. The People of Saba and Their Punishment
In contrast to the grateful prophets Dawud and Sulayman (peace be upon them), Allah presents the cautionary tale of the people of Saba, who responded to divine blessings with ingratitude and heedlessness. This account forms the basis for the surah's name and serves as a powerful warning about the consequences of rejecting Allah's favors.
لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِي مَسْكَنِهِمْ آيَةٌ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ كُلُوا مِن رِّزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ
“There was indeed a sign for (the community of) Saba in their homeland: two gardens, (one) on the right and (one) on the left. (It was said to them,) 'Eat from the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him—(You have) an excellent city, and a Most-Forgiving Lord.'" (34:15)”
The people of Saba resided in what is now Yemen, in a region blessed with extraordinary fertility and abundance. Their lands featured magnificent orchards and gardens that stretched as far as the eye could see, creating a paradise-like environment. Allah had commanded them to eat from His provision while maintaining gratitude to Him. Their city was described as tayyibah (excellent), and they had a Lord who was Most-Forgiving.
The prosperity of Saba was built upon sophisticated engineering, particularly the Ma'arib Dam (Sadd Ma'arib), which provided irrigation throughout their lands and enabled their remarkable agricultural success. This dam represented the pinnacle of their technological achievement and was the foundation of their economic prosperity.
Despite the clear signs of Allah's favor and the repeated warnings from prophets sent to them, the people of Saba turned away in arrogance:
فَأَعْرَضُوا فَأَرْسَل