سُوْرَةُ صٓ
Surah Saad (38) — Ayah 3
كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ فَنَادَوا۟ وَّلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ ﴿3﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
How many a generation have We destroyed before them! And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
كَمْ
kam
How many
أَهْلَكْنَا
ahlaknā
We destroyed
مِن
min
before them
قَبْلِهِم
qablihim
before them
مِّن
min
of
قَرْنٍۢ
qarnin
a generation
فَنَادَوا۟
fanādaw
then they called out
وَّلَاتَ
walāta
when there (was) no longer
حِينَ
ḥīna
time
مَنَاصٍۢ
manāṣin
(for) escape
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 3) ➊ {كَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِّنْ قَرْنٍ :} In this verse, the Quraysh and all the disbelievers of this Ummah are warned by the evil end of the arrogance and denial of the previous nations. {’’ اَهْلَكْنَا ‘‘} The plural of the first person is used here to express majesty. {’’ قَرْنٍ ‘‘} The period of time in which a generation that meets another generation comes to an end. According to the preferred opinion, this period is one hundred years; it refers to the people of an era. {’’ كَمْ ‘‘} This is informative, meaning that We destroyed many generations and nations before them.
➋ { فَنَادَوْا وَّ لَاتَ حِيْنَ مَنَاصٍ : ’’ لَاتَ ‘‘ ’’لَا‘‘} This is a negative particle, to which the "taa" is added for emphasis. It always comes with the word {’’ حِيْنَ ‘‘} or words that denote time. Its subject is omitted and {’’ حِيْنَ مَنَاصٍ ‘‘} is its predicate. As if the phrase is: {’’وَلَاتَ الْحِيْنُ حِيْنَ مَنَاصٍ۔‘‘ ’’ مَنَاصٍ ‘‘ ’’نَاصَ يَنُوْصُ نَوْصًا‘‘} is a verbal noun of the form "mim". Its meaning is {”فَرَّ مِنْ فُلَانٍ“} (to flee from someone), and {’’نَجَا وَ فَاتَ‘‘} (to escape safely). The meaning is that when these nations saw the signs of destruction and punishment coming from Us, they cried out, that is, they called for help and for deliverance from destruction, and they professed faith, but that was not the time to flee or escape from Our punishment, because Our rule is that when Our punishment comes, then professing faith or repenting is of no benefit. For verses of similar meaning, see Surah Al-Mu’minun (64, 65), Al-Mu’min (84, 85), and Al-Anbiya (11 to 13).
➋ { فَنَادَوْا وَّ لَاتَ حِيْنَ مَنَاصٍ : ’’ لَاتَ ‘‘ ’’لَا‘‘} This is a negative particle, to which the "taa" is added for emphasis. It always comes with the word {’’ حِيْنَ ‘‘} or words that denote time. Its subject is omitted and {’’ حِيْنَ مَنَاصٍ ‘‘} is its predicate. As if the phrase is: {’’وَلَاتَ الْحِيْنُ حِيْنَ مَنَاصٍ۔‘‘ ’’ مَنَاصٍ ‘‘ ’’نَاصَ يَنُوْصُ نَوْصًا‘‘} is a verbal noun of the form "mim". Its meaning is {”فَرَّ مِنْ فُلَانٍ“} (to flee from someone), and {’’نَجَا وَ فَاتَ‘‘} (to escape safely). The meaning is that when these nations saw the signs of destruction and punishment coming from Us, they cried out, that is, they called for help and for deliverance from destruction, and they professed faith, but that was not the time to flee or escape from Our punishment, because Our rule is that when Our punishment comes, then professing faith or repenting is of no benefit. For verses of similar meaning, see Surah Al-Mu’minun (64, 65), Al-Mu’min (84, 85), and Al-Anbiya (11 to 13).
