وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ عَتَتْ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهَا وَرُسُلِهِۦ فَحَاسَبْنَـٰهَا حِسَابًا شَدِيدًا وَعَذَّبْنَـٰهَا عَذَابًا نُّكْرًا 8
Translations
And how many a city was insolent toward the command of its Lord and His messengers, so We took it to severe account and punished it with a terrible punishment.
Transliteration
Wa-ka-ayyin min qaryatin 'atat 'an amri rabbihā wa rusulih, fa-hāsabnāhā hisāban shadīdan wa-'ażżabnāhā 'ażāban nukrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns of the severe punishment that befalls communities which rebel against Allah's commands and reject His messengers. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that 'ata (rebellion/defiance) against divine guidance leads to strict accountability (hisāb shadīd) and a severe, disgraceful punishment (nukr). The verse serves as a historical reminder of past nations destroyed for their arrogance and rejection of divine truth.
Revelation Context
While no specific asbab al-nuzul is recorded for this particular ayah, it appears in the context of Surah At-Talaq (a Medinan surah dealing with divorce and social order) and reflects the broader Quranic theme of divine accountability for nations. It echoes warnings found throughout the Quran regarding communities that rejected prophetic missions, such as the people of 'Ad, Thamud, and Pharaoh's Egypt.
Related Hadiths
The theme of nations facing severe punishment for rejecting messengers is reinforced in authentic hadiths about past communities. See also the historical accounts in Surah Al-A'raf (7:72-78) and Surah Ash-Shu'ara (26:139-158) for detailed narratives of destroyed nations, which connect thematically to this warning.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that societies rejecting divine guidance and prophetic authority face inevitable consequences, serving as a warning to both individuals and communities to heed Allah's commands and His messengers. For modern believers, it emphasizes the importance of obedience, humility before God's law, and recognition that collective rejection of truth leads to collective accountability.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى يَئِسْنَ مِنَ ٱلْمَحِيضِ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ إِنِ ٱرْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى لَمْ يَحِضْنَ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰتُ ٱلْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَن يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ يُسْرًا
And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women - if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allāh - He will make for him of his matter ease.
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍ وَمِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ ٱلْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًۢا
It is Allāh who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them. [His] command descends among them so you may know that Allāh is over all things competent and that Allāh has encompassed all things in knowledge.
وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمْرِهِۦ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْرًا
And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allāh - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allāh will accomplish His purpose. Allāh has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.
فَذَاقَتْ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهَا وَكَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ أَمْرِهَا خُسْرًا
And it tasted the bad consequence of its affair [i.e., rebellion], and the outcome of its affair was loss.