15:76

وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٖ مُّقِيمٍ

Wainnaha labisabeelin muqeemin

And indeed, those cities are [situated] on an established road.

Word by word
  1. وَإِنَّهَاAnd indeed,it
  2. لَبِسَبِيلٖ(is) on a road
  3. مُّقِيمٍestablished
Al-Hijr · 15:76Makkah

The ruins sit on a road people still travel.

The lesson was never hidden


Where it is
the ruined citiesSodom
on
an established roadtravelled to this day
How hidden is the lesson
far awayhard to find
on the highwaypassed every day

Ibn Kathir says Sodom is on a route that is easily accessible until the present day. The trade caravans of Makkah passed it. He cites 37:137-138: you pass by them morning and night; will you not reflect?

The same road you drive to work passes a cemetery. The same feed you scroll shows stories of people ruined by the same habits you have. The lessons are on your daily route.

If there were a lesson for me, I would have noticed it.

Lessons are placed on the roads I already travel; noticing them is up to me.

Try this

On your commute today, look for one sign along the way and reflect on it for a minute.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 15:73)

So the Sayhah overtook them at the time of sunrise (73)And We turned them upside down and rained stones of baked clay upon them (74)Surely, in this are signs for those who see (75)And verily, they were right on the highroad (76)Surely, there is indeed a sign in that for the believers (77)

The Destruction of the People of Lut

Allah said;

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ

(So the Sayhah overtook them) This is the piercing sound that came to them when the sun rose, which was accompanied by the city being flipped upside down, and stones of baked clay (As-Sijjil) raining down upon them. The discussion of As-Sijjil in Surah Hud is a sufficient explanation. Allah said:

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ

(Surely, in this are signs for those who see.) meaning that the traces of the destruction of that city are easily visible to any one who ponder about it, whether they look at it with physical eyesight or mental and spiritual insight, as Mujahid said concerning the phrase,

لِّلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ

(those who see) he said, "those who have insight and discernment." It was reported from Ibn 'Abbas and Ad-Dahhak that it referred to those who look. Qatadah said: "those who learn lessons".

The City of Sodom on the Highroad

وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُّقِيمٍ

(And verily, they were right on the highroad.) meaning that the city of Sodom, which was physically and spiritually turned upside down, and pelted with stones until it became a foul smelling lake (the Dead Sea), is on a route that is easily accessible until the present day. This is like the Ayah,

وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِم مُّصْبِحِينَ - وَبِاللَّيْلِ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

(Verily, you pass by them in the morning, and at night. Will you not then reflect?)(37:137-138).

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(Surely, there is indeed a sign in that for the believers.) meaning, 'All that We did to the people of Lut, from the destruction and the vengeance, to how We saved Lut and his family, these are clear signs to those who believe in Allah and His Messengers.'