Tafsir Al-Jalalayn: Ar-Room, Ayah 9
Common Words
Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
(Have they not travelled) i.e. the disbelievers of Mecca (in the land and seen) and reflect upon (the nature of the consequence for) the requital of (those who were before them) when they disbelieved in their messengers? (They were stronger than these in power) in physical strength, (and they dug the earth) for agriculture more than the people of Mecca did; it is also said that this means: they travelled more for their trade (and built upon it) and lived in their buildings (more than these have built) more than the period in which the people of Mecca lived in their buildings. (Messengers of their own came unto them with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty)) with commands, prohibitions and signs but they disbelieved and Allah, Exalted is He, destroyed them because of their disbelief. (Surely Allah wronged them not) when He destroyed them, (but they did wrong themselves) through their disbelief, idolatry and denial of the messengers.
Al-Jalalayn Commentary
Have they not travelled in the land and beheld how was the consequence for those before them? of past communities which was that they were destroyed for denying their messengers. They were more powerful than them — such were ‘Ād and Thamūd — and they effected the land they tilled it and churned it up to sow crops and cultivate trees and developed it more than these the Meccan disbelievers have developed it; and their messengers brought them clear signs manifest proofs for God would never wrong them by destroying them without being guilty but they used to wrong themselves by denying their messengers.