Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Ar-Room, Ayah 9
أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوٓا۟ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةًۭ وَأَثَارُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَآ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ ۖ فَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
Have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? They were greater than them in power, and they plowed the earth and built it up more than they have built it up, and their messengers came to them with clear evidences. And Allah would not ever have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.
Common Words
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ٱلأرض2x
كان2x
كانوا2x
أولم1x
يسيروا1x
فى1x
فينظروا1x
كيف1x
عقبة1x
ٱلذين1x
من1x
قبلهم1x
أشد1x
منهم1x
قوة1x
وأثاروا1x
وعمروها1x
أكثر1x
مما1x
عمروها1x
Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
Scholars largely agree on this ayah
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.
Ibn Abbas Commentary
(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.