What does Quran 77:16 mean?

Quran 77:16 (Surah Al-Mursalaat, Ayah 16) translates to: "Did We not destroy the former peoples?"

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 77:16 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Mursalaat (The Emissaries), the 77th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 29.

Yes — there is 1 hadith related to this ayah from Sahih Muslim.

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Al-Jalalayn, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Human Origin, Divine Punishment, Creation, Divine Power, Day of Judgment.

أَلَمْ نُهْلِكِ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Alam nuhlikil awwaleen

Did We not destroy the former peoples?

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

5 other themes with weak connections

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Lessons from past peoples

77:16Ayah 150

This is the only ayah in Al-Mursalaat strongly about lessons from past peoples.

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

Did We not destroy the ancients for their denial in other words We certainly destroyed them

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