Surah Al-Hijr 15:79

The Destruction of the Dwellers of Al-Aykah, the People of Shu`ayb

The Dwellers of Al-Aykah, were the people of Shu`ayb. Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and others said that Al-Aykah refers to intertwined trees. Their evildoing included associating partners with Allah (Shirk), banditry and cheating in weights and measures. Allah punished them with the Sayhah (the awful cry or torment), the earthquake, and the torment of the Day of Shadow. They lived near the people of Lut, but at a later time, and the people of Lut were known to them, which is why Allah says,

(They are both on an open route, plain to see.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and others said, "a visible route." This is why, when Shu`ayb warned his people, he said to them,

(And the people of Lut are not far off from you!) 11:89

Karena tindakan mereka yang melanggar larangan Allah dan meng-abaikan seruan rasul itu, mereka ditimpa azab berupa panas terik selama tujuh hari, tanpa sedikit pun awan yang menaungi. Allah kemudian mengirimkan awan, lalu mereka bernaung di bawahnya. Tiba-tiba dari dalam awan itu memancar nyala api yang menghanguskan mereka. Dalam Surah al-A'raf/7: 91, diterangkan bahwa mereka juga ditimpa gempa yang dahsyat.

Lalu datanglah gempa menimpa mereka, dan mereka pun mati bergelimpangan di dalam reruntuhan rumah mereka. (al-A'raf/7: 91)

Kemudian Allah swt menerangkan bahwa kota Sodom dan kota Aikah itu adalah dua kota yang berdekatan letaknya, sama-sama terletak di jalan yang biasa dilalui manusia. Bahkan, bekas peninggalan mereka masih dapat dilihat dan diteliti, agar dijadikan pelajaran oleh orang-orang yang mau menggunakan pikirannya.