78وَإِن كَانَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ لَظَـٰلِمِينَ
79فَٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ
[78-79] As the people of Al Aikah43 were unjust, We took vengeance on them. And the ruined habitations of these two Communities lie upon the open highway.44
43The people of Al-Aikah were the community of Prophet Shu`aib and were called Midianites after the name of their capital city and their territory. As regards Al-Aikah, it was the ancient name of Tabuk and literally means a “thick forest.”
44Midian lay on the route from Hijaz to Palestine and Syria.