Surah Ya-Sin / Verse 29

Nothing more than one cry was needed for the destruction of that people. A great sound arose and, in an instant, all their noise fell silent.

The word “khamidun” (khamidun) evokes a flame going out. Those who had threatened the messengers were suddenly still and lifeless, as though extinguished. Even a faint sound could no longer be heard from them.

The brief image highlights how little effort their destruction required in relation to God's power, without giving a physical or scientific account of the cry itself.

The Quran describes other communities destroyed through a powerful cry: the people of Thamud (Hud:67)وَأَخَذَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا الصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دِيَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَThe mighty cry seized the wrongdoers, and they lay lifeless in their homes. and (Al-Qamar:31)إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَكَانُوا كَهَشِيمِ الْمُحْتَظِرِWe sent a single mighty cry against them, and they became like dried, broken twigs gathered for an enclosure., the people of Shu'ayb (Hud:94)وَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا شُعَيْبًا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنَّا وَأَخَذَتِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا الصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دِيَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَWhen Our command came, We saved Shu'ayb and those who believed with him by Our mercy. The mighty cry seized the wrongdoers, and they lay lifeless in their homes., and the people of Lot (Al-Hijr:73)فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ مُشْرِقِينَThen the mighty cry seized them at sunrise.. The exact expression “one cry” is not used in every one of those passages.

In the present story, the Quran gives no names for the city or messengers. What stands out more than names is the warning contained in the fate of people who responded to a truthful invitation with rejection and hostility.