سُوْرَةُ طٰهٰ
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 134
وَلَوْ أَنَّآ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهُم بِعَذَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِهِۦ لَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لَوْلَآ أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولًا فَنَتَّبِعَ ءَايَـٰتِكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن نَّذِلَّ وَنَخْزَىٰ ﴿134﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if We had destroyed them with a torment before this (i.e. Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Qur’ân), they would surely have said: "Our Lord! If only You had sent us a Messenger, we should certainly have followed Your Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), before we were humiliated and disgraced."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
أَنَّآ
annā
We
أَهْلَكْنَـٰهُم
ahlaknāhum
(had) destroyed them
بِعَذَابٍۢ
biʿadhābin
with a punishment
مِّن
min
before him
قَبْلِهِۦ
qablihi
before him
لَقَالُوا۟
laqālū
surely they (would) have said
رَبَّنَا
rabbanā
Our Lord
لَوْلَآ
lawlā
why not
أَرْسَلْتَ
arsalta
You sent
إِلَيْنَا
ilaynā
to us
رَسُولًۭا
rasūlan
a Messenger
فَنَتَّبِعَ
fanattabiʿa
so we (could) have followed
ءَايَـٰتِكَ
āyātika
Your signs
مِن
min
before
قَبْلِ
qabli
before
أَن
an
[that]
نَّذِلَّ
nadhilla
we were humiliated
وَنَخْزَىٰ
wanakhzā
and disgraced
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.
(Ayah 134){ وَ لَوْ اَنَّاۤ اَهْلَكْنٰهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ … :} In this verse, Allah Almighty has once again mentioned the wisdom behind sending prophets before punishing the disbelievers and granting them respite. The purpose of this is to remove their excuse and to establish proof against them, and this has always been the way of Allah Almighty. See Surah Al-Qasas (59) and Bani Isra'il (15).
