سُوْرَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ
Surah Muhammad (47) — Ayah 10
۞ أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ دَمَّرَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ وَلِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ أَمْثَـٰلُهَا ﴿10﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have they not travelled through the earth, and seen what was the end of those before them? Allâh destroyed them completely, and a similar (fate awaits) the disbelievers.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ أَفَلَمْ
afalam
Do not
يَسِيرُوا۟
yasīrū
they travel
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
فَيَنظُرُوا۟
fayanẓurū
and see
كَيْفَ
kayfa
how
كَانَ
kāna
was
عَـٰقِبَةُ
ʿāqibatu
(the) end
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those
مِن
min
before them
قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ
qablihim
before them
دَمَّرَ
dammara
Allah destroyed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah destroyed
عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ
ʿalayhim
[over] them
وَلِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
walil'kāfirīna
and for the disbelievers
أَمْثَـٰلُهَا
amthāluhā
its likeness
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 10) ➊ {اَفَلَمْ يَسِيْرُوْا فِي الْاَرْضِ … :} This is the explanation of {’’ فَتَعْسًا لَّهُمْ ‘‘} that have these people not traveled through the land and seen with their own eyes the destructive end of the destroyed nations before them? At the time of the revelation of the Quran, many of these remnants were present and some still remain. For the explanation of {’’ اَفَلَمْ يَسِيْرُوْا ‘‘}, see Surah Ar-Rum (9) and Surah Al-Mu’min (21).
➋ {دَمَّرَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِمْ: ’’ دَمَّرَ ‘‘} destroyed. {’’اَلدَّمَارُ‘‘} destruction. {’’ دَمَّرَ ‘‘} is also transitive; originally it was {’’دَمَّرَهُمُ اللّٰهُ‘‘} that Allah Almighty destroyed them. But by bringing {’’ عَلَيْهِمْ ‘‘}, the intention is to express emphasis in the act of destruction: {’’ أَيْ أَلْقٰي عَلَيْهِمُ الدَّمَارَ ‘‘} meaning Allah Almighty cast destruction and ruin upon them.
➌ In {وَ لِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ اَمْثَالُهَا:’’ اَمْثَالُهَا ‘‘}, the pronoun refers back to {’’هَا‘‘ ’’ عَاقِبَةُ ‘‘}. {’’أَمْثَالٌ‘‘} is brought in the plural because Allah Almighty has countless such punishments. {’’ اَفَلَمْ يَسِيْرُوْا ‘‘} can have two meanings: one is that the previous nations denied the messengers and adopted the path of rebellion, so Allah Almighty sent various kinds of punishments and destroyed them, and for these present disbelievers, if they adopt rebellion, countless such punishments are prepared. The second meaning is that Allah Almighty sent destruction and ruin upon the previous nations in this world as a result of their disobedience to the messengers, which was due to their disbelief, and for these disbelievers, besides this world, many such punishments are also prepared in the Hereafter.
➋ {دَمَّرَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِمْ: ’’ دَمَّرَ ‘‘} destroyed. {’’اَلدَّمَارُ‘‘} destruction. {’’ دَمَّرَ ‘‘} is also transitive; originally it was {’’دَمَّرَهُمُ اللّٰهُ‘‘} that Allah Almighty destroyed them. But by bringing {’’ عَلَيْهِمْ ‘‘}, the intention is to express emphasis in the act of destruction: {’’ أَيْ أَلْقٰي عَلَيْهِمُ الدَّمَارَ ‘‘} meaning Allah Almighty cast destruction and ruin upon them.
➌ In {وَ لِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ اَمْثَالُهَا:’’ اَمْثَالُهَا ‘‘}, the pronoun refers back to {’’هَا‘‘ ’’ عَاقِبَةُ ‘‘}. {’’أَمْثَالٌ‘‘} is brought in the plural because Allah Almighty has countless such punishments. {’’ اَفَلَمْ يَسِيْرُوْا ‘‘} can have two meanings: one is that the previous nations denied the messengers and adopted the path of rebellion, so Allah Almighty sent various kinds of punishments and destroyed them, and for these present disbelievers, if they adopt rebellion, countless such punishments are prepared. The second meaning is that Allah Almighty sent destruction and ruin upon the previous nations in this world as a result of their disobedience to the messengers, which was due to their disbelief, and for these disbelievers, besides this world, many such punishments are also prepared in the Hereafter.
