Qawm Tubba'

The People of Tubba' (Arabic: قوم تبع, Qawm Tubba) are a group of people mentioned in the Qur'an. They are only mentioned twice; first in the chapter Ad-Dukhan and next in Qaf. They are citizens of pre-Islamic Yemen, whom were given divine punishments for their misdeeds and rejection of the divine messengers sent by God.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Islamic literature

The word Tubba' was in fact a title which was used by the Himyarites to refer to their rulers.[1] The identity of the Tubba' here is unknown, however scholars including Ibn Kathir, Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Hisham, Ibn al-Kalbi and Tabari have identified him as the Himyarite king Abu Karib.[2][7][8] Ibn al-Jawzi also has a narration which cites the Tubba' as being Malikikarib Yuhamin, Abu Karib's father and predecessor.[9]

There is a Hadith of disputed authenticity, which affirms that Tubba' was a believer in a "correct" faith that preceded Islam.[3][10] However, another narration states that it was not known whether Tubba' was accursed or not.[4] Arab traditions cite that Tubba' converted to Judaism after he was warned by two rabbis at Medina to stay away from the city, as a Prophet would migrate there in future.[2][8]

Qur'anic references

The people of Tubba' are mentioned twice in the Qu'ran:

  • ۝ Are they better or the people of Tubba' and those who went before them? We destroyed them [for] indeed, they were a criminal people.[5]
    ۝ And the companions of the thicket and the people of Tubba'. All denied the messengers, so My threat was justly fulfilled.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Brannon M. Wheeler (2002). Prophets in the Quran: An Introduction to the Quran and Muslim Exegesis. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 166. ISBN 0-8264-4956-5.
  2. ^ a b c "Al-Quran Ibn Kathir Tafsir | Alim.org". www.alim.org. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  3. ^ a b "Surah Ad-Dukhan 44:30-42 - Qur'anic Translation with Commentary". islamicstudies.info. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  4. ^ a b "Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4674". sunnah.com. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  5. ^ a b "Surah Ad-Dukhan (44:37) - English Translation". quran.com. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  6. ^ a b "Surah Qaf (50:14) - English Translation". quran.com. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  7. ^ Al-Munabbih, Wahb bin (2009). The Book of Crowns on the Kings of Himyar (in Arabic). Gorgias Press, LLC. ISBN 978-1-59333-515-1.
  8. ^ a b Ṭabarī; Bosworth, Clifford Edmund; Ṭabarī (1999). The Sāsānids, the Byzantines, the Lakhmids, and Yemen. SUNY series in Near Eastern studies. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-4355-2.
  9. ^ Ibn al-Jawzi (2013). Za'ad al-Masir fi 'Ilm al-Tafsir (in Arabic). Turath For Solutions. ISBN 978-9957-65-590-7.
  10. ^ Zaheer, Syed Iqbat (2008-06-03). Tafsir Ishraq Al-Ma'an. Iqra Publication. ISBN 978-81-901332-0-3.