Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 95

(Ayah 95){وَ حَرٰمٌ عَلٰى قَرْيَةٍ اَهْلَكْنٰهَاۤ … : } This verse can have three meanings and all three are correct; this is the miracle of Allah’s speech that a single verse accommodates multiple meanings. In the first meaning, {’’ حَرٰمٌ ‘‘} means “prohibited” and “impossible,” and in {’’ لَا يَرْجِعُوْنَ ‘‘} the letter {’’ لَا ‘‘} is extra, not giving the meaning of negation, but it is not useless; rather, it is to emphasize the negation found in the meaning of { ’’ حَرٰمٌ ‘‘ }, as Allah Almighty said in one place: « مَا مَنَعَكَ اَنْ تَسْجُدَ » [ صٓ : ۷۵ ] “What prevented you from prostrating?” In another place He said: «{ مَا مَنَعَكَ اَلَّا تَسْجُدَ }» [ الأعراف : ۱۲ ] “What prevented you that you do not prostrate?” This shows that in {’’ اَلَّا تَسْجُدَ ‘‘} the {’’ لاَ ‘‘} is extra and is to emphasize the meaning of {’’ مَنَعَكَ ‘‘}. According to this meaning, the translation of the verse will be: It is impossible for any town that We destroy to return (to the world), as He said: «{ اَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّنَ الْقُرُوْنِ اَنَّهُمْ اِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُوْنَ }» [ یٰسٓ : ۳۱ ] “Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them, that they do not return to them?” In the second meaning, {’’ حَرٰمٌ ‘‘ } also means “prohibited” and “impossible,” but in {’’ لَا يَرْجِعُوْنَ ‘‘} the {’’ لَا ‘‘} will be in the meaning of negation, which is its original meaning. In this case, the meaning of the verse will be: For any town that We destroy, it is impossible that they do not return (to Us on the Day of Resurrection); rather, they will surely return to Us. The third meaning is that here the word {’’ حَرٰمٌ ‘‘} is in the sense of obligatory and necessary, as Ibn Kathir has narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them). See also Fath al-Bari (11/503). In this case, the meaning is: For any town that We destroy, it is necessary that they do not return (to the world). Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has preferred this meaning. Shah Rafi’uddin and Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on them) have also adopted this meaning. If considered, the result of all three meanings is the same, except for those people whom Allah has mentioned as being brought back to life after death, such as the murdered man from Bani Israel who was revived by striking him with a part of the cow, etc.