Amatul Rahmân Omer:
And certainly these (Makkan disbelievers) pass by the (ruined) township (of Sodom situated on the highway between Arabia and Syria) which suffered a painful rain (of stones). Have they not been seeing (the ruins of) this (township of the people of Lot). Why, they have been, (but the reason behind their refusal is) they do not (believe and) expect not to be resurrected (after death and to be called to account for their deeds).