وَكَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَالِمَةً وَأَنشَأْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْمًا ءَاخَرِينَ 11
Translations
And how many a city which was unjust have We shattered and produced after it another people.
Transliteration
Wa-kam qasamna min qaryatin kanat dhalimatan wa-ansha'na ba'daha qawman akharin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes Allah's divine justice by stating that He destroyed many unjust cities and replaced them with other peoples. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain this as evidence of Allah's power and His intolerance of persistent wrongdoing—the destruction of tyrannical communities serves as a historical warning to subsequent generations. The verse demonstrates that oppression and injustice inevitably lead to destruction, while obedience and righteousness ensure survival and prosperity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Anbiya, which reviews the stories of various prophets and their nations. The broader context emphasizes the recurring pattern throughout history: prophets warned their peoples, the wrongdoers rejected the message, and Allah destroyed the transgressors while preserving the believers. This particular verse encapsulates the cyclical nature of divine punishment for those who persist in injustice.
Related Hadiths
The destruction of nations is referenced in multiple contexts. A thematically related hadith from Sahih Muslim states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against oppression, saying 'Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah.' This relates to the inevitability of divine justice shown in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that oppression and injustice, no matter how powerful their perpetrators may seem, ultimately lead to destruction by Allah's decree—a timeless reminder for believers to uphold justice in their own lives and societies. It instills hope that tyranny is never eternal and encourages patience in the face of wrongdoing, knowing that accountability is inevitable.
Related Ayahs
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِمُ ٱلْمَثُلَـٰتُ ۗ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
They impatiently urge you to bring about evil before good, while there has already occurred before them similar punishments [to what they demand]. And indeed, your Lord is the possessor of forgiveness for the people despite their wrongdoing, and indeed, your Lord is severe in penalty.
فَأَخْرَجْنَا مَن كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
So We brought out whoever was in them [i.e., the cities] of the believers.
فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا ٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـٰهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all.
فَبِظُلْمٍ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ طَيِّبَـٰتٍ أُحِلَّتْ لَهُمْ وَبِصَدِّهِمْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ كَثِيرًا
For wrongdoing on the part of the Jews, We made unlawful for them [certain] good foods which had been lawful to them, and for their averting from the way of Allāh many [people],