Surah 9. Al-Tawba, Ayah 70

I.e., Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities of Lot's people (see {7:80-84} and {11:69-83}). References to the chastisement meted out to Noah's people as well as to the 'Ad and Thamud and the folk of Madyan (the Biblical Midian) are found in several places in the Qur'an; see, in particular, {7:59-79} and {85-93}, and the corresponding notes. The reference to "Abraham's people" seems to point to the Babylonians, who rejected the monotheism preached by him, and to the overthrow of their first empire, at about 1100 B.C., by the Assyrians.

 The overturned cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The story of Noah is told in vii. 59-64: of 'Ad in vii. 65-72; and of Thamud in vii. 73-79; of Abraham in numerous places, but see specially vi. 74-82; of Midianites in vii. 85-93; and of Lot and the Cities of the Plain overthrown for their wickedness, in vii. 80-84.

The Cities of Plain, Sodom and Gomorrah, to whom Lot preached in vain to desist from their abominations: vii. 80-84.

In the case of Noah and Abraham, the word I have translated as "people of..." is qaum: these prophets were messengers each to his own people or nation, as was also Hud to the 'Ad people and Salih to the Thamud people. The word used for the Midianities is As-hab-i-Madyan, which I have translated "men of Midian" for want of a better word. The Midianites were for the greater part of their history nomads, with pasture grounds but no settled territory or town. The town of Madyan on the Gulf of 'Aqaba refers to much later times when the Midianites as a people had ceased to count. See n. 1053 to vii, 85.