Transliteration:( Qaaloo innaa tataiyarnaa bikum la'il-lam tantahoo lanar jumannakum wa la-yamassan nakum minnaa 'azaabun aleem )
"They replied: 'We surely augur evil [25] fortune from you. If you do not desist [26], we shall surely stone you, and a painful punishment shall surely fall on you [27], at our hands.'"
The disbelievers foolishly claimed that the arrival of the Messengers had brought bad luck—such as lack of rain. But in truth, the drought was due to their own disbelief and sins. Instead of self-reflection, they blamed Allah’s chosen servants, revealing their lack of wisdom and faith. As scholars say, when Allah takes away one’s faith, He also removes true intelligence.
Their demand was clear: the Messengers must either stop calling people to faith or leave their city. This shows how intolerant they were toward truth and guidance—they preferred their ignorance and arrogance over divine reform.
The warning wasn’t limited to stoning—they promised a painful and humiliating punishment beyond mere physical violence. Their threats reflected deep hostility and hatred towards anyone who challenged their falsehood.
This verse highlights how truth is often met with aggression, and how arrogant nations blame the righteous for the consequences of their own misdeeds.
18. They (people) said: “For us, we see an evil omen from you; if you cease not, we will surely stone you, and a painful torment will touch you from us.” 19. They (Messengers) said: “Your evil omens be with you! Because you are admonished Nay, but you are a people mischievous.”) Then the people of the city said to them,
(For us, we see an evil omen from you;) meaning, `we do not see in your faces any sign of good for our lives.’ Qatadah said, “They were saying, `if something bad befalls us, it will be because of you.”’ Mujahid said, “They were saying: People like you never enter a town, but its people are punished.”
(if you cease not, we will surely stone you,) Qatadah said, “By throwing stones at you.”
(and a painful torment will touch you from us.) means, a severe punishment. Their Messengers said to them:
(Your evil omens be with you!) meaning, `they are thrown back at you.’ This is like the Ayah where Allah describes the people of Fir`awn:
(But whenever good came to them, they said: “Ours is this.” And if evil afflicted them, they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Musa and those with him. Be informed! Verily, their evil omens are with Allah) (7:131). And the people of Salih said:
(“We augur ill omen from you and those with you.” He said: “Your ill omen is with Allah.”) (27:47) And Allah said:
(And if some good reaches them, they say, “This is from Allah,” but if some evil befalls them, they say, “This is from you.” Say: “All things are from Allah,” so what is wrong with these people that they fail to understand any word) (4:78)
((Do you call it ”evil omen”) because you are admonished Nay, but you are a people mischievous.) means, `because of us, because we admonished you and told you to worship Allah Alone and with all sincerity, and in return you said what you said and threatened us. Nay, but you are a mischievous people.’ Qatadah said, “This means, `Because we reminded you about Allah, you saw an evil omen in us. Nay, but you are a mischievous people’. ”
(36:18) The people of the town said: “We believe you are an evil omen for us. If you do not desist, we will stone you or you will receive a grievous chastisement from us.”[14]
14. What they meant was: You are an evil omen for us. Our gods have become angry with us on account of what you have been saying against them. Now whatever calamity is befalling us is only because of you. Precisely the same thing used to be said by the disbelievers and the hypocrites of Arabia concerning the Prophet (peace be upon him): If they suffer a loss, they say: this is because of you. (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 77). That is why at several places in the Quran these people have been told that in the ancient times people also used to say such things of ignorance in regard to their Prophets. The people of Thamud said to their Prophet: We regard you and your companions as a sign of bad omen. (Surah An-Naml, Ayat 47). And the same was the attitude of the people of Pharaoh: Whenever a good time came, they would say: This is but our due, and when there was a hard time, they would ascribe their calamities to Moses (peace be upon him) and his companions. (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 130).
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