أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ 31
Translations
Have they not considered how many generations We destroyed before them - that they to them will not return?
Transliteration
Alam yaraw kaym ahlaknaa qablahum minal quruni annahum ilayihim laa yarji'un
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah asks the disbelievers of Makkah whether they have not observed how Allah destroyed the nations that came before them, and those destroyed peoples will never return to life. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this is a rhetorical question meant to awaken the conscience of the Quraysh by reminding them of the fate of previous nations who rejected Allah's messengers. The ayah serves as a warning that rejection of the Message leads to inevitable destruction and that the cycle of nations rising and falling is a established pattern (Sunnah) of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the middle section of Surah Ya-Sin, a Meccan surah primarily concerned with refuting polytheism and affirming resurrection and Divine judgment. The broader context addresses the disbelievers' denial of the Hereafter and the Message of the Prophet (peace be upon him), using historical precedent as evidence of Allah's justice and power.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those of my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them' (Sahih Bukhari 3650), which relates to the theme of successive generations. Additionally, Quran 40:82 contains a related theme: 'Do they not travel through the land and see what was the end of those before them?'
Themes
Key Lesson
The ayah teaches that observing the consequences faced by past civilizations should serve as a sobering reminder to each generation that rejecting Allah's guidance carries inevitable consequences. For believers today, it reinforces the importance of heeding Divine warnings and reflecting upon history as a source of wisdom.