Episode 2
Episode 2: Turning Away from Gratitude, and the Great Flood
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Instead of giving thanks, the people of Sheba turned away from Allah and denied His blessing. So Allah withdrew that comfort in a way that turned a prosperous land into a barren one. Allah said, "But they turned away, so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced their two [fields of] gardens with gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisks, and something of sparse lote trees" (Qur'an 34:16). That great flood โ known as "sayl al-'arim," the bursting of the dam that had irrigated their gardens โ devastated the fertile land. Gardens of sweet fruit turned into plants of bitter fruit, useless tamarisk (asl) trees, and only a few lote trees. Allah made clear the cause of it all: "That is how We requited them for their disbelief. And do We [thus] requite except the ungrateful?" (Qur'an 34:17). Reflection: ingratitude for blessings โ enjoying Allah's gifts while turning away from Him โ can strip away their blessing. A blessing that is not met with thanks can turn into a cause of ruin. What saves is not the fertility of a garden, but a heart that is grateful and obedient. Source & Note: evidence from the Qur'an, 34:16-17. The term "sayl al-'arim" (the flood of the dam) is the Qur'an's own text. Historical details of the Ma'rib dam found in some reports/history are outside the text and are not asserted here.
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Episode 3: Scattered until They Became Mere Tales