Book Name:Ibrat Ke Namonay
Dear Islamic brothers! The second strange thing Prophet Ibrāhīm عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم witnessed was the corpse of Shaddād. But who was Shaddād? He was a non-Muslim king of great outward awe and grandeur. For our admonition, he is mentioned in the noble Quran. It is stated:
اَلَمْ تَرَ کَیْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّکَ بِعَادٍ ۪ۙ(۶) اِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ ۪ۙ(۷) الَّتِیْ لَمْ یُخْلَقْ مِثْلُہَا فِی الْبِلَادِ ۪ۙ(۸)
Did you not see what your Lord did to ʿĀd? ˹The people of˺ Iram, towering like pillars, the like of whom were never created in the lands.[1]
In Tafsīr Ṣirāṭ al-Jinān, it is stated:
Shaddād had heard mention of Paradise, so, in defiance, he intended to build a “paradise” in this world. So, he constructed a magnificent city, whose palaces were built with bricks of gold and silver. Pillars of emerald and ruby were erected, and beautiful pearls were laid instead of pebbles. Jewels were spread around each palace, canals were made to flow above them, and various types of trees were planted.[2]
In short, such a magnificent city was built that its like was never built again in the world. When this city was completed, what happened? Allah Almighty states:
فَصَبَّ عَلَیْہِمْ رَبُّکَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ (ۚ۱۳) اِنَّ رَبَّکَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ (ؕ۱۴)
So your Lord unleashed a scourge of punishment upon them. Certainly, your Lord is watching.[3]