تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۭ بِأَمْرِ رَبِّهَا فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ لَا يُرَىٰٓ إِلَّا مَسَـٰكِنُهُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ 25
Translations
Destroying everything by command of its Lord. And they became so that nothing was seen [of them] except their dwellings. Thus do We recompense the criminal people.
Transliteration
Tudammiru kulla shay'in bi-amri Rabbiha fa-asbahu la yura illa masakinuhum, kadhalika najzi al-qawma al-mujrimin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the devastating wind that destroyed the people of 'Ad, obliterating everything by Allah's command until only their dwellings remained visible. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a sign of Allah's punishment upon those who rejected the message of Prophet Hud—the wind destroyed their possessions, livestock, and people while leaving their houses as silent testimony to their arrogance. The ayah emphasizes that such destruction is the just recompense Allah grants to criminal nations who persist in disbelief and transgression.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the story of the people of 'Ad (mentioned in Surah Al-Ahqaf verses 21-26), a Meccan surah addressing the disbelievers of Makkah. The account warns the Quraysh of similar divine punishment if they reject Allah's signs, drawing a parallel between the 'Ad's rejection of Hud and the Meccan rejection of Muhammad (peace be upon him). The surah serves as a rhetorical warning about the consequences of arrogance and denial.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3156): The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned the people of 'Ad and their destruction by the wind as a sign of Allah's power. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet described how the wind lasted eight consecutive nights, destroying everything in its path.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that persistent rejection of divine guidance leads to inevitable destruction, and that material possessions and fortifications cannot protect us from Allah's decree. For modern readers, it serves as a humbling reminder that pride and arrogance—whether individual or collective—invite divine retribution, and that we must remain conscious of Allah's warnings throughout history.