سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 116
فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ أُو۟لُوا۟ بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْفَسَادِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَآ أُتْرِفُوا۟ فِيهِ وَكَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ ﴿116﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
If only there had been among the generations before you persons having wisdom, prohibiting (others) from Al-Fasâd (disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of crimes and sins) in the earth, (but there were none) - except a few of those whom We saved from among them! Those who did wrong pursued the enjoyment of good things of (this worldly) life, and were Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers in Allâh, polytheists, sinners).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَلَوْلَا
falawlā
So why not
كَانَ
kāna
had been
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْقُرُونِ
l-qurūni
the generations
مِن
min
before you
قَبْلِكُمْ
qablikum
before you
أُو۟لُوا۟
ulū
those possessing a remnant
بَقِيَّةٍۢ
baqiyyatin
those possessing a remnant
يَنْهَوْنَ
yanhawna
forbidding
عَنِ
ʿani
from
ٱلْفَسَادِ
l-fasādi
the corruption
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
إِلَّا
illā
except
قَلِيلًۭا
qalīlan
a few
مِّمَّنْ
mimman
of those
أَنجَيْنَا
anjaynā
We saved
مِنْهُمْ ۗ
min'hum
among them
وَٱتَّبَعَ
wa-ittabaʿa
But followed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ظَلَمُوا۟
ẓalamū
did wrong
مَآ
mā
what
أُتْرِفُوا۟
ut'rifū
luxury they were given
فِيهِ
fīhi
therein
وَكَانُوا۟
wakānū
and they were
مُجْرِمِينَ
muj'rimīna
criminals
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
There are two meanings of {فَلَوْ لَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُوْنِ …: ’’ لَوْ لَا ‘‘}: the first is “if this had not happened,” for example, {’’ لَوْ لَا عَلِيٌّ لَهَلَكَ عُمَرُ ‘‘} “If Ali had not been there, Umar would have perished.” The second meaning is {’’ هَلاَّ ‘‘}, that is, “why did this not happen?” This is used for encouragement, meaning it should have happened; here, this is the intended meaning. { ’’ قَرْنٌ ‘‘} means people of a generation. This word is generally used for a century. {’’ اُولُوْا بَقِيَّةٍ ‘‘} means people of good habits, qualities, and intellect. Originally, {’’ بَقِيَّةٍ ‘‘} refers to those precious and selected things that a person saves and keeps for his benefit, as it is said: {’’ بَقِيَّةُ السَّلَفِ ‘‘} meaning the best man among the earlier people.
After mentioning the incidents of all the previous nations, now a summary is being stated: why were there not among those before you such people of virtue who would prevent the evil-doers and corrupters from spreading corruption in the land? That is, the presence of such people was extremely necessary. Then it is said, there were such people, but they were very few, whose efforts did not prevail; thus, when punishment came upon the others, We saved those few people from the punishment. In this, Muslims are also warned that as long as there remain among them such people of virtue who enjoin good and forbid evil, and as long as such people of virtue are not extremely few and ineffective, punishment will not come. Then the reason for the destruction of the earlier people is stated: that they became so engrossed in blessings and prosperity that they followed their base desires and thus became criminals deserving of punishment.
After mentioning the incidents of all the previous nations, now a summary is being stated: why were there not among those before you such people of virtue who would prevent the evil-doers and corrupters from spreading corruption in the land? That is, the presence of such people was extremely necessary. Then it is said, there were such people, but they were very few, whose efforts did not prevail; thus, when punishment came upon the others, We saved those few people from the punishment. In this, Muslims are also warned that as long as there remain among them such people of virtue who enjoin good and forbid evil, and as long as such people of virtue are not extremely few and ineffective, punishment will not come. Then the reason for the destruction of the earlier people is stated: that they became so engrossed in blessings and prosperity that they followed their base desires and thus became criminals deserving of punishment.
