فَمَا زَالَت تِّلْكَ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ حَصِيدًا خَـٰمِدِينَ 15
Translations
And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them [as] a harvest [mowed down], extinguished [like a fire].
Transliteration
Fa-mā zālat tilka da'wāhum hattā ja'alnāhum hasīdan khāmidīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the people's continuous supplication and calls (to their idols or false deities) persisted until Allah made them like harvested grain that has been cut down and extinguished/silenced. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to the destruction of the disbelieving people—their cries and appeals were unceasing until Allah brought about their complete ruin and death. The imagery of 'hasīdan khāmidīn' (harvested grain, silent/extinct) powerfully conveys both the totality and finality of their destruction as divine punishment for their persistent disbelief and idolatry.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the context of Surah Al-Anbya (Meccan period), which recounts stories of the prophets and their peoples' rejection. This particular passage discusses a nation that continuously called upon their false gods until Allah destroyed them, serving as a warning to the Meccan disbelievers about the consequences of persistent rejection of Allah's message.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Surah Al-Anbya's themes relate to Hadith Qudsi where Allah mentions His patience with the disbelievers before punishment. The concept of divine punishment after repeated rejection is emphasized in numerous hadiths about the consequences of turning away from prophets (e.g., accounts in Sahih Bukhari regarding past nations).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that those who persistently reject Allah's guidance and call upon false objects of worship will ultimately face complete destruction and ruin. For the believer, it reinforces the importance of sincere devotion exclusively to Allah and serves as a sobering reminder of the ultimate fate awaiting those who turn away from truth despite repeated warnings.