سُوْرَةُ الْحَجِّ
Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 45
فَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَبِئْرٍ مُّعَطَّلَةٍ وَقَصْرٍ مَّشِيدٍ ﴿45﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And many a township did We destroy while it was given to wrong-doing, so that it lies in ruins (up to this day), and (many) a deserted well and lofty castle!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَكَأَيِّن
faka-ayyin
And how many
مِّن
min
of
قَرْيَةٍ
qaryatin
a township
أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَا
ahlaknāhā
We have destroyed it
وَهِىَ
wahiya
while it
ظَالِمَةٌۭ
ẓālimatun
was doing wrong
فَهِىَ
fahiya
so it
خَاوِيَةٌ
khāwiyatun
fell
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
عُرُوشِهَا
ʿurūshihā
its roofs
وَبِئْرٍۢ
wabi'rin
and well
مُّعَطَّلَةٍۢ
muʿaṭṭalatin
abandoned
وَقَصْرٍۢ
waqaṣrin
and castle
مَّشِيدٍ
mashīdin
lofty
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 45) ➊ {فَكَاَيِّنْ مِّنْ قَرْيَةٍ اَهْلَكْنٰهَا وَ هِيَ … :} For its details, see the commentary of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:259). {’’ بِئْرٍ ‘‘} is a feminine noun by hearing, so its adjective {’’ مُعَطَّلَةٍ ‘‘} has come. {’’ مَشِيْدٍ ‘‘ ’’شَادَ يَشِيْدُ شَيْدًا‘‘} is a passive participle from (ض), strengthened with lime. This is from the simple triliteral, whereas in Surah An-Nisa, verse (78): «{ وَ لَوْ كُنْتُمْ فِيْ بُرُوْجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ }», the taf'īl form, i.e., triliteral with addition, is used, which has an intensified meaning, because there the mention is of death, that even if you are in the most fortified castles built with lime, death will not leave you there either. To express the reach of death, {’’ مُشَيَّدَةٍ ‘‘} (form of tafeel) is used, whereas old palaces, no matter how strong, eventually lose their strength, so only {’’ مَشِيْدٍ ‘‘} (simple triliteral) is sufficed with. One meaning of {’’ مَشِيْدٍ ‘‘} is also "high."
➋ These seven nations that have been mentioned were greater than all other nations in number and strength. Besides them, in their era and after, Allah knows best how many such nations have passed? Regarding all of them, Allah has stated His way that first they are given respite, then if they benefit from it and believe, then good; otherwise, they are destroyed. Although according to sequence, respite should have been mentioned first and then seizing, but Allah, to warn of the evil end of denial, first mentioned the abundance of such nations, their strength and glory, and the ancient ruins that remind of their destruction and devastation, and in verse (46) again mentioned seizing after giving them respite. So it is stated that how many towns are there which We destroyed and brought to ruin due to their oppression and disbelief in blessings. Now their condition is such that after their roofs decayed and fell, their walls too have collapsed upon them, and how many wells are there that were once centers of population and people used to come and go for water, now they are deserted and desolate. Due to the scarcity of water among the Arabs, wells are especially mentioned. Similarly, how many lofty and magnificent palaces and mansions, built strong with lime, in which there was always hustle and bustle and for whose protection thousands of soldiers used to guard day and night, now crows, kites, and owls rule over them.
➋ These seven nations that have been mentioned were greater than all other nations in number and strength. Besides them, in their era and after, Allah knows best how many such nations have passed? Regarding all of them, Allah has stated His way that first they are given respite, then if they benefit from it and believe, then good; otherwise, they are destroyed. Although according to sequence, respite should have been mentioned first and then seizing, but Allah, to warn of the evil end of denial, first mentioned the abundance of such nations, their strength and glory, and the ancient ruins that remind of their destruction and devastation, and in verse (46) again mentioned seizing after giving them respite. So it is stated that how many towns are there which We destroyed and brought to ruin due to their oppression and disbelief in blessings. Now their condition is such that after their roofs decayed and fell, their walls too have collapsed upon them, and how many wells are there that were once centers of population and people used to come and go for water, now they are deserted and desolate. Due to the scarcity of water among the Arabs, wells are especially mentioned. Similarly, how many lofty and magnificent palaces and mansions, built strong with lime, in which there was always hustle and bustle and for whose protection thousands of soldiers used to guard day and night, now crows, kites, and owls rule over them.
