سُوْرَةُ يُوْنُسَ
Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 13
وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا ٱلْقُرُونَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا۟ ۙ وَجَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ لِيُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And indeed, We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong, while their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they were not such as to believe! Thus do We requite the people who are Mujrimûn (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And verily
أَهْلَكْنَا
ahlaknā
We destroyed
ٱلْقُرُونَ
l-qurūna
the generations
مِن
min
before you
قَبْلِكُمْ
qablikum
before you
لَمَّا
lammā
when
ظَلَمُوا۟ ۙ
ẓalamū
they wronged
وَجَآءَتْهُمْ
wajāathum
and came to them
رُسُلُهُم
rusuluhum
their Messengers
بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ
bil-bayināti
with clear proofs
وَمَا
wamā
but not
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they were
لِيُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ
liyu'minū
to believe
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
نَجْزِى
najzī
We recompense
ٱلْقَوْمَ
l-qawma
the people
ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
l-muj'rimīna
(who are) criminals
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
13. We destroyed many generations [19] before you when they did wrong [20]. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they would not believe. Thus do We recompense the guilty people.
[19] The meaning of "qarn" is the people of an era, and here "qurūn" refers to those nations who, in their respective times, attained prominence and were counted among the renowned peoples of the world. By destruction, it is not necessarily meant that some earthly or heavenly punishment was sent upon them to the extent that even their progeny was wiped out; rather, one form of destruction is that the extent to which a nation had risen, it declines to the same degree, so much so that it falls into the depths of humiliation and is no longer even worthy of being counted among the nations of the world—that is, as a consequence of their sins, they are gradually erased from the face of existence.
[20]
The Meaning of Zulm (Oppression):
The meaning of zulm is so broad that it can be applied to every sinful and excessive act. Thus, the greatest sin, shirk (associating partners with Allah), has been called "zulm-e-azeem" (the greatest oppression). In this verse, it is explained that when a nation raises its head or attains prominence, that is the time of its oppression and excesses. Considering others inferior to themselves, they regard it as their right to dominate them by every lawful and unlawful means, and, becoming heedless of the remembrance of Allah, they indulge in every sinful act. It is in such times that Allah sends His messengers to them, but those who are engrossed in luxury and immersed in sinful deeds—how can they accept the words of the messengers? Thus, generally, such nations with criminal consciences denied the messengers. In this way, when, even after the argument from Allah had been completed, they did not change their way of life, Allah destroyed them as a consequence of their crimes.
[19] The meaning of "qarn" is the people of an era, and here "qurūn" refers to those nations who, in their respective times, attained prominence and were counted among the renowned peoples of the world. By destruction, it is not necessarily meant that some earthly or heavenly punishment was sent upon them to the extent that even their progeny was wiped out; rather, one form of destruction is that the extent to which a nation had risen, it declines to the same degree, so much so that it falls into the depths of humiliation and is no longer even worthy of being counted among the nations of the world—that is, as a consequence of their sins, they are gradually erased from the face of existence.
[20]
The Meaning of Zulm (Oppression):
The meaning of zulm is so broad that it can be applied to every sinful and excessive act. Thus, the greatest sin, shirk (associating partners with Allah), has been called "zulm-e-azeem" (the greatest oppression). In this verse, it is explained that when a nation raises its head or attains prominence, that is the time of its oppression and excesses. Considering others inferior to themselves, they regard it as their right to dominate them by every lawful and unlawful means, and, becoming heedless of the remembrance of Allah, they indulge in every sinful act. It is in such times that Allah sends His messengers to them, but those who are engrossed in luxury and immersed in sinful deeds—how can they accept the words of the messengers? Thus, generally, such nations with criminal consciences denied the messengers. In this way, when, even after the argument from Allah had been completed, they did not change their way of life, Allah destroyed them as a consequence of their crimes.
