سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ
Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 6
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَا لَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّكُمْ وَأَرْسَلْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْهِم مِّدْرَارًا وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرَ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَـٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَنشَأْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا ءَاخَرِينَ ﴿6﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have they not seen how many a generation before them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth such as We have not established you? And We poured out on them rain from the sky in abundance, and made the rivers flow under them. Yet We destroyed them for their sins, and We created after them other generations.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَمْ
alam
Did not
يَرَوْا۟
yaraw
they see
كَمْ
kam
how many
أَهْلَكْنَا
ahlaknā
We destroyed
مِن
min
from
قَبْلِهِم
qablihim
before them
مِّن
min
of
قَرْنٍۢ
qarnin
generations
مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمْ
makkannāhum
We had established them
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
مَا
mā
what
لَمْ
lam
not
نُمَكِّن
numakkin
We (have) established
لَّكُمْ
lakum
for you
وَأَرْسَلْنَا
wa-arsalnā
And We sent
ٱلسَّمَآءَ
l-samāa
(rain from) the sky
عَلَيْهِم
ʿalayhim
upon them
مِّدْرَارًۭا
mid'rāran
showering abundantly
وَجَعَلْنَا
wajaʿalnā
and We made
ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرَ
l-anhāra
the rivers
تَجْرِى
tajrī
flow
مِن
min
from
تَحْتِهِمْ
taḥtihim
underneath them
فَأَهْلَكْنَـٰهُم
fa-ahlaknāhum
Then We destroyed them
بِذُنُوبِهِمْ
bidhunūbihim
for their sins
وَأَنشَأْنَا
wa-anshanā
and We raised
مِنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِهِمْ
baʿdihim
after them
قَرْنًا
qarnan
generations
ءَاخَرِينَ
ākharīna
other
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 6) {اَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا …:} The disbelievers are being warned: Do they not know that before them many nations, such as the people of Nuh, ‘Ad, Thamud, and the people of Fir‘awn, who were far greater than them in power and authority, and whose gardens and fields were lush and flourishing due to rains and rivers, and who enjoyed an era of luxury and prosperity—when they girded themselves for rebellion and arrogance, We wiped out every trace of them, and then We raised up other nations after them. When We destroyed nations more powerful than you because of their sins, then what significance do you have? See also Surah Al-Ahqaf (26, 27). From this verse, it is also understood that worldly progress is not a sign of Allah’s pleasure; rather, it can also be istidraj (letting the rope loose) to establish proof against them. The result of this test will be seen in the Hereafter.
