وَما أَدراكَ مَا الحاقَّةُ
And what will make you realize what the Inevitable Reality is?
كَذَّبَت ثَمودُ وَعادٌ بِالقارِعَةِ
Thamud and Aad denied the Striking Calamity.
فَأَمّا ثَمودُ فَأُهلِكوا بِالطّاغِيَةِ
As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the Overwhelming.
وَأَمّا عادٌ فَأُهلِكوا بِريحٍ صَرصَرٍ عاتِيَةٍ
As for Aad, they were destroyed by a relentless, roaring wind.
سَخَّرَها عَلَيهِم سَبعَ لَيالٍ وَثَمانِيَةَ أَيّامٍ حُسومًا فَتَرَى القَومَ فيها صَرعىٰ كَأَنَّهُم أَعجازُ نَخلٍ خاوِيَةٍ
He imposed it upon them for seven nights and eight consecutive days. You would see the people lying overthrown, as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees.