Page 109 - The Truth of the Life of This World

The People of Saba

The story of the people of Saba (Sheba in the Bible) is recounted in the
Qur'an as follows:
There was, for Saba, aforetime, a sign in their homeland – two Gardens to
the right and to the left. "Eat of the Sustenance (provided) by your Lord, and
be grateful to Him: a territory fair and happy, and a Lord Oft-Forgiving!"But
they turned away (from Allah), and We sent against them the Flood
(released) from the dams, and We converted their two garden (rows) into
"gardens" producing bitter fruit, and tamarisks, and some few (stunted) Lote-
trees. That was the requital We gave them because they ungratefully rejected
faith: and never do We give (such) requital except to such as are ungrateful
rejecters. (Surah Saba: 15-17)
As related in the verses above, the people of Saba lived in a region
noted for its arrestingly beautiful and fruitful vineyards and gardens. In
such a country, where living standards and circumstances were so high,
what they should have done was be grateful to Allah. Yet, as stated in the
verse, they "turned away from Allah". Because they laid claim to all their
prosperity, they lost it all. As we are informed by the verse, the Arim flood
laid waste the whole country.

The Ma'rib Dam was a work of a very advanced technology. Yet the dam collapsed
and the "Arim flood" laid waste to the people of Saba and their land.

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