"And indeed they have come," meaning: the polytheists of the Arabs, "upon the town which was rained upon with a rain of evil," meaning: the town of the people of Lot. The rain of evil was the stones which were cast upon those who were outside the city from the sky, and those of them who were travelers. He said, "But have they not seen it?" so that they might reflect and beware that what befell them might befall them; meaning: yes, they have indeed come upon it and seen it. "Nay, but they do not expect," meaning: they do not fear, "resurrection," meaning: a rising or a reckoning.
﴿وَلَقَد أَتَوا﴾ يَعْنِي: مُشْرِكِي الْعَرَبِ ﴿عَلَى الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي أمْطرت مطر السوء﴾ يَعْنِي: قَرْيَةَ قَوْمِ لُوطٍ، وَمَطَرُ السَّوْءِ: الْحِجَارَةُ الَّتِي رُمِيَ بِهَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَنْ كَانَ خَارِجًا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَأَهْلُ السَّفَرِ مِنْهُمْ قَالَ: ﴿أفلم يَكُونُوا يرونها﴾ فَيَتَفَكَّرُوا وَيَحْذَرُوا أَنْ يَنْزِلَ بِهِمْ مَا نَزَلَ بِهِمْ؛ أَيْ: بَلَى قَدْ أَتَوْا عَلَيْهَا وَرَأَوْهَا. ﴿بَلْ كَانُوا لَا يرجون﴾ لَا يخَافُونَ ﴿نشورا﴾ بعثا وَلَا حسابا.
