مِثْلَ دَأْبِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ ۚ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ظُلْمًا لِّلْعِبَادِ 31
Translations
Like the custom of the people of Noah and of ʿAad and Thamūd and those after them. And Allāh wants no injustice for [His] servants.
Transliteration
Mithla da'bi qawmi Noohin wa 'Adin wa Thamooda walladhina min ba'dihim. Wa mal-Laahu yuridu zulman lil-'ibad.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah references the pattern of destruction that befell previous nations—the people of Noah, 'Ad, Thamud, and those who came after them—as a warning to those who reject Allah's signs. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that Allah is emphasizing that the destruction of disbelieving communities follows a consistent divine pattern, not out of injustice, but because they persistently rejected the truth. The final clause 'Allah does not will injustice for the servants' clarifies that these destructions are acts of divine justice against those who transgressed, not arbitrary punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ghafir, which addresses the Quraysh's rejection of the Message during the Meccan period. The ayah serves as a historical reminder to the disbelievers of Mecca that their arrogance mirrors that of previous nations who were destroyed for rejecting their prophets. It is part of a broader warning narrative in the surah about the consequences of denying Allah's signs.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The likeness of guidance and knowledge which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth...' (Sahih Bukhari 79). This relates thematically to how nations either accept or reject divine guidance. Additionally, the hadith about the destruction of previous nations is referenced in the context of divine justice in various compilations.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that rejection of divine truth has consistent, inevitable consequences across human history, and that we should learn from the fate of previous nations rather than repeating their mistakes. It also reminds us that Allah's justice is perfect—He does not punish unjustly, but only those who knowingly and persistently turn away from His guidance.
Related Ayahs
وَسِيقَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ رَبَّهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْجَنَّةِ زُمَرًا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوهَا وَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَٰبُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ فَٱدْخُلُوهَا خَـٰلِدِينَ
But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say, "Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein," [they will enter].
عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
About what they used to do.
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِىَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِىَ بَعْضُ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكَ ۗ يَوْمَ يَأْتِى بَعْضُ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَـٰنُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ ءَامَنَتْ مِن قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِىٓ إِيمَـٰنِهَا خَيْرًا ۗ قُلِ ٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ
Do they [then] wait for anything except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there come some of the signs of your Lord? The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."
فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۖ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ
So We saved him and those with him by mercy from Us. And We eliminated those who denied Our signs, and they were not [at all] believers.