وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا مَا حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْقُرَىٰ وَصَرَّفْنَا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ 27
Translations
And We have already destroyed what surrounds you of [those] cities, and We have diversified the signs [or verses] that perhaps they might return [from disbelief].
Transliteration
Wa-laqad ahlaknā mā hawlakum min al-qurā wa-sarraffnā al-āyāt la'allahum yarji'ūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah declares that He destroyed the towns and cities surrounding the people of Mecca as signs and warnings, yet they did not return to Him or believe. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that these destroyed civilizations (such as 'Ad, Thamud, and others) served as manifest proofs of Allah's power and consequences of rejecting His messengers, intended to motivate the Meccans toward repentance and faith. Al-Tabari notes that 'tarraffnā al-āyāt' (We have diversified the signs) refers to the repeated and varied manifestations of divine punishment across different nations, making the lesson unmistakably clear.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ahqaf, a Meccan chapter that addresses the polytheists of Mecca directly, reminding them of the fate of previous nations who rejected Allah's messengers. The ayah comes in a section emphasizing how the Qur'an itself and the historical examples of destroyed peoples serve as clear evidence for the truth of Muhammad's message, urging the contemporary audience to reflect and repent before facing similar destruction.
Related Hadiths
The theme is supported by various hadiths on the punishment of nations. For example, in Surah Al-Anfal (8:55), the principle of divine punishment for rejection is established: 'Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are those who have disbelieved, so they will not believe.' While not a specific hadith, this reflects consistent Qur'anic teaching found in numerous authentic collections regarding the consequences of rejecting divine signs.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's warnings come through multiple channels—both through the Qur'an and through observable historical consequences—and invites sincere reflection rather than stubborn denial. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to learn from others' mistakes and not to persist in heedlessness when clear signs of Allah's guidance and power are evident.
Related Ayahs
وَلِكُلٍّ دَرَجَـٰتٌ مِّمَّا عَمِلُوا۟ ۖ وَلِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And for all there are degrees [of reward and punishment] for what they have done, and [it is] so that He may fully compensate them for their deeds, and they will not be wronged.
حمٓ
Ḥā, Meem.
وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّـٰهُمْ فِيمَآ إِن مَّكَّنَّـٰكُمْ فِيهِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعًا وَأَبْصَـٰرًا وَأَفْـِٔدَةً فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلَآ أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ وَلَآ أَفْـِٔدَتُهُم مِّن شَىْءٍ إِذْ كَانُوا۟ يَجْحَدُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And We had certainly established them in such as We have not established you, and We made for them hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect]. But their hearing and vision and hearts availed them not from anything [of the punishment] when they were [continually] rejecting the signs of Allāh; and they were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
۞ وَٱذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُۥ بِٱلْأَحْقَافِ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ ٱلنُّذُرُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦٓ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
And mention, [O Muḥammad], the brother of ʿAad, when he warned his people in [the region of] al-Aḥqāf - and warners had already passed on before him and after him - [saying], "Do not worship except Allāh. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a terrible day."