وَحَرَٰمٌ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَآ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ 95
Translations
And it is prohibited to [the people of] a city which We have destroyed that they will [ever] return
Transliteration
Wa harāmun 'alā qaryatin ahlaknāhā annnahum lā yarji'ūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes a divine decree that any city which Allah has destroyed will never return to its former state or inhabitants will never be restored to it in this world. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as Allah's immutable law regarding the destruction of disbelieving nations—once a civilization is destroyed for rejecting the message, its restoration is forbidden by divine decree. This affirms both Allah's justice in punishment and the finality of His judgment upon those who persistently reject His signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Anbiya, which predominantly discusses the stories of prophets and their nations. The verse fits the thematic context of discussing the consequences faced by past communities that rejected their prophets' messages, serving as a reminder to the Meccan disbelievers about the irreversible nature of divine punishment for those who reject guidance.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly quotes this ayah, Surah Al-Anbiya's broader theme of prophetic history and divine punishment relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ warned about the consequences of rejecting Allah's messengers and turning away from His signs.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that divine punishment for those who reject truth is final and irreversible, serving as a sobering reminder of accountability before Allah. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of heeding divine guidance while it is available, as rejection of truth carries serious, eternal consequences.