Surah 40 Ghafir — Ayah 21
۞ أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوا۟ هُمْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةًۭ وَءَاثَارًۭا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍۢ
Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those who were before them? They were greater than them in strength and in impression on the land, but Allah seized them for their sins. And they had not from Allah any protector.
awalam yasīrū fī l-arḍi fayanẓurū kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu alladhīna kānū min qablihim kānū hum ashadda min'hum quwwatan waāthāran fī l-arḍi fa-akhadhahumu l-lahu bidhunūbihim wamā kāna lahum mina l-lahi min wāqin
Word by word
- ۞ أَوَلَمْ awalam Do not
- يَسِيرُوا۟ yasīrū they travel
- فِى fī in
- ٱلْأَرْضِ l-arḍi the earth
- فَيَنظُرُوا۟ fayanẓurū and see
- كَيْفَ kayfa how
- كَانَ kāna was
- عَـٰقِبَةُ ʿāqibatu (the) end
- ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna (of) those who
- كَانُوا۟ kānū were
- مِن min before them
- قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ qablihim before them
- كَانُوا۟ kānū They were
- هُمْ hum [they]
- أَشَدَّ ashadda superior
- مِنْهُمْ min'hum to them
- قُوَّةًۭ quwwatan (in) strength
- وَءَاثَارًۭا waāthāran and (in) impressions
- فِى fī in
- ٱلْأَرْضِ l-arḍi the land
- فَأَخَذَهُمُ fa-akhadhahumu but Allah seized them
- ٱللَّهُ l-lahu but Allah seized them
- بِذُنُوبِهِمْ bidhunūbihim for their sins
- وَمَا wamā and not
- كَانَ kāna was
- لَهُم lahum for them
- مِّنَ mina against
- ٱللَّهِ l-lahi Allah
- مِن min any
- وَاقٍۢ wāqin protector
Tafsir · Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
The Severe Punishment for the Disbelievers
(Have they not traveled), `these people who disbelieve in your Message, O Muhammad,'
(in the land and seen what was the end of those who were before them) means, the nations of the past who disbelieved in their Prophets (peace be upon them), for which the punishment came upon them even though they were stronger than Quraysh.
(and in the traces in the land.) means, they left behind traces in the earth, such as structures, buildings and dwellings which these people i.e., the Quraysh cannot match. This is like the Ayat:
(And indeed We had firmly established them with that wherewith We have not established you!) (46:26)
(and they tilled the earth and populated it in greater numbers than these have done) (30:9). Yet despite this great strength, Allah punished them for their sin, which was their disbelief in their Messengers.
(And none had they to protect them from Allah.) means, they had no one who could protect them or ward off the punishment from them. Then Allah mentions the reason why He punished them, and the sins which they committed. Allah says:
(That was because there came to them their Messengers with clear evidences) meaning with clear proof and definitive evidence.
(but they disbelieved.) means, despite all these signs, they disbelieved and rejected the Message.
(So Allah seized them.) means, He destroyed them utterly, and a similar fate awaits the disbelievers.
(Verily, He is All-Strong, Severe in punishment) means, He is possessed of great strength and might.
(Severe in punishment, ) means, His punishment is severe and agonizing; we seek refuge with Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, from that.