"As for Thamud, We guided them," meaning: We made clear to them the path of guidance and the path of misguidance. "But they preferred blindness over guidance," meaning: they chose misguidance over guidance. "So the thunderbolt of the humiliating punishment seized them," meaning: from disgrace (al-hawan).
﴿وَأما ثَمُود فهديناهم﴾ أَي: بيَّنا لَهُم سَبِيل الْهدى وسبيل الضلال ﴿فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهدى﴾ أَي: اخْتَارُوا الضَّلَالَة عَلَى الْهدى ﴿فَأَخَذتهم صَاعِقَة الْعَذَاب الْهون﴾ من: الهوان
