وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيهِم مُّنذِرِينَ 72
Translations
And We had already sent among them warners.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad arsalnā fīhim mundhirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah sent warners (prophets and messengers) among the disbelieving peoples to convey His message and warn them of the consequences of rejection. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this demonstrates Allah's justice in sending clear guidance before punishment, ensuring that no nation has an excuse for disbelief. The plural 'mundhirīn' (warners) emphasizes that Allah continuously sent messengers throughout history to guide humanity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah As-Saffat's discussion of the fate of disbelieving nations. It reinforces the Quranic theme that Allah's punishment only comes after clear warning through His messengers, establishing divine justice and the accountability of those who reject the message despite being warned.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'No people shall be punished until they have been sent a messenger' (Sunan Ibn Majah and Musnad Ahmad). This directly supports the principle mentioned in this ayah that warnings precede punishment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that Allah's mercy precedes His wrath—He sends clear warnings and guidance before holding people accountable. For believers today, it reinforces the importance of conveying the message of Islam to others, as we are part of the tradition of warners established throughout history.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ
But those who deny Our verses - the punishment will touch them for their defiant disobedience.
وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فِى جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدُونَ
But those whose scales are light - those are the ones who have lost their souls, [being] in Hell, abiding eternally.
إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَىٰ هُدَىٰهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ ۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ
[Even] if you should strive for their guidance, [O Muḥammad], indeed, Allāh does not guide those He sends astray, and they will have no helpers.
هَلْ ثُوِّبَ ٱلْكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ
Have the disbelievers [not] been rewarded [this Day] for what they used to do?