سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 11
وَكَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَالِمَةً وَأَنشَأْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْمًا ءَاخَرِينَ ﴿11﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
How many a town (community) given to wrong-doing, have We destroyed, and raised up after them another people!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَكَمْ
wakam
And how many
قَصَمْنَا
qaṣamnā
We (have) shattered
مِن
min
of
قَرْيَةٍۢ
qaryatin
a town
كَانَتْ
kānat
(that) was
ظَالِمَةًۭ
ẓālimatan
unjust
وَأَنشَأْنَا
wa-anshanā
and We produced
بَعْدَهَا
baʿdahā
after them
قَوْمًا
qawman
another people
ءَاخَرِينَ
ākharīna
another people
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 11) ➊ The meaning of {وَ كَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَالِمَةً : ’’قَصْمٌ‘‘} is to break something hard. It is said: {’’فُلاَنٌ قَصَمَ ظَهْرَ فُلاَنٍ ‘‘} that so-and-so broke so-and-so’s back. {’’اِنْقَصَمَتْ سِنُّهُ‘‘} so-and-so’s tooth was broken. {’’ كَمْ ‘‘} here is for abundance, “how many towns” means many towns, no specific town is meant by this. The narration attributed to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in which it is reported from him that it refers to the people of the cities of Yemen, is fabricated. [ الاستیعاب في بیان الأسباب ] According to the words of the verse as well, those towns are general and no specific area is meant.
➋ The meaning of {وَ اَنْشَاْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْمًا اٰخَرِيْنَ : ’’ اَلإْنْشَاءُ‘‘} is to make something new. {’’ بَعْدَهَا ‘‘} in some places is {’’ مِنْ بَعْدِهَا ‘‘}, in which a little delay is meant, here {’’ بَعْدَهَا ‘‘} means that after the destruction of those towns, We immediately brought new nations there. Allah Almighty has mentioned Himself in the plural form in this verse and the following verses. The purpose of this is to express His greatness.
➋ The meaning of {وَ اَنْشَاْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْمًا اٰخَرِيْنَ : ’’ اَلإْنْشَاءُ‘‘} is to make something new. {’’ بَعْدَهَا ‘‘} in some places is {’’ مِنْ بَعْدِهَا ‘‘}, in which a little delay is meant, here {’’ بَعْدَهَا ‘‘} means that after the destruction of those towns, We immediately brought new nations there. Allah Almighty has mentioned Himself in the plural form in this verse and the following verses. The purpose of this is to express His greatness.
