Surah Al Haqqah Tafseer

فَعَصَوْا رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمْ

And they disobeyed their Lord's Messenger,

meaning they were all of the same type, they all denied the Messenger of Allah who was sent to them.

As Allah says, (38:14)

كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ

Everyone of them denied the Messengers, so My threat took effect.

So whoever denies a Messenger, then verily, he denies all of the Messengers.

This is as Allah says,

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

The people of Nuh belied the Messengers,

كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

`Ad belied the Messengers.

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

Thamud belied the Messengers.

However, only one Messenger came to every nation. Thus, Allah says here,

فَعَصَوْا رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمْ

فَأَخَذَهُمْ أَخْذَةً رَّابِيَةً

And they disobeyed their Lord's Messenger, so He seized them with a punishment that was Rabiyah.

Rabiyah means, great, severe and painful.

Mujahid said, "Rabiyah means severe."

As-Suddi said, "It means destructive."

A Reminder about the Blessing of the Ship

Then, Allah says