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
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوٓا۟ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةً وَءَاثَارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? They were more numerous than themselves and greater in strength and in impression on the land, but they were not availed by what they used to earn.
ٱلَّذِى يَصْلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
[He] who will [enter and] burn in the greatest Fire,
أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ
Then, did they feel secure from the plan of Allāh? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allāh except the losing people.
قُلْ هَلْ تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَآ إِلَّآ إِحْدَى ٱلْحُسْنَيَيْنِ ۖ وَنَحْنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمْ أَن يُصِيبَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِۦٓ أَوْ بِأَيْدِينَا ۖ فَتَرَبَّصُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُم مُّتَرَبِّصُونَ
Say, "Do you await for us except one of the two best things [i.e., martyrdom or victory] while we await for you that Allāh will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands? So wait; indeed we, along with you, are waiting."