ثُمَّ صَدَقْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْوَعْدَ فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُمْ وَمَن نَّشَآءُ وَأَهْلَكْنَا ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ 9
Translations
Then We fulfilled for them the promise, and We saved them and whom We willed and destroyed the transgressors.
Transliteration
Thumma saddaqnahumu al-wa'd fa-anjayna-hum wa-man nasha'u wa-ahlakna al-musrifin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's faithfulness to His promise—He fulfilled His word to the prophets by saving them and the believers, while destroying those who transgressed and committed excess (al-musrifun). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse demonstrates the divine pattern of supporting the righteous and punishing the arrogant, establishing that Allah's promises are never broken and that He alone determines who is saved and who is destroyed.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Anbiya's broader narrative of prophetic history, where Allah recounts how He sent messengers to warn their nations. The verse follows discussions of various prophets (Nuh, Ibrahim, Lut, Yunus, etc.) and exemplifies the consistent divine pattern throughout history: fulfillment of promises to the faithful and destruction of those who reject and transgress.
Related Hadiths
Tirmidhi narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, 'Verily, Allah has made it haram upon the fire to touch the bodies of the prophets.' This relates to the protection (inja') promised to Allah's messengers. Additionally, the principle of destruction of the transgressors (musrifun) echoes in the hadith about the destruction of nations that rejected their prophets.
Themes
Key Lesson
This verse reassures believers that Allah's promises are certain and His justice is absolute—those who follow His prophets will be saved, while those who transgress boundaries will face destruction. For modern readers, it emphasizes unwavering trust in Allah's divine plan and the importance of adhering to prophetic guidance to secure salvation.
Related Ayahs
وَأَوْرَثْنَا ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُوا۟ يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَـٰرِقَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَغَـٰرِبَهَا ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا ۖ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا۟ ۖ وَدَمَّرْنَا مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِرْعَوْنُ وَقَوْمُهُۥ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْرِشُونَ
And We caused the people who had been oppressed to inherit the eastern regions of the land and the western ones, which We had blessed. And the good word [i.e., decree] of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured. And We destroyed [all] that Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building.
لَّقَدْ صَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ ٱلرُّءْيَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ لَتَدْخُلُنَّ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ ٱلْحَرَامَ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ءَامِنِينَ مُحَلِّقِينَ رُءُوسَكُمْ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ لَا تَخَافُونَ ۖ فَعَلِمَ مَا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا۟ فَجَعَلَ مِن دُونِ ذَٰلِكَ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا
Certainly has Allāh showed to His Messenger the vision [i.e., dream] in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, if Allāh wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing [anyone]. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand].
وَعَدَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَغَانِمَ كَثِيرَةً تَأْخُذُونَهَا فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمْ هَـٰذِهِۦ وَكَفَّ أَيْدِىَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنكُمْ وَلِتَكُونَ ءَايَةً لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ صِرَٰطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا
Allāh has promised you much booty that you will take [in the future] and has hastened for you this [victory] and withheld the hands of people from you - that it may be a sign for the believers and [that] He may guide you to a straight path.
قَالُوا۟ لَا تَوْجَلْ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَـٰمٍ عَلِيمٍ
[The angels] said, "Fear not. Indeed, we give you good tidings of a learned boy."