سُوْرَةُ الدُّخَانِ
Surah Ad-Dukhaan (44) — Ayah 37
أَهُمْ خَيْرٌ أَمْ قَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ ﴿37﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Are they better or the people of Tubba‘ and those before them? We destroyed them because they were indeed Mujrimûn (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَهُمْ
ahum
Are they
خَيْرٌ
khayrun
better
أَمْ
am
or
قَوْمُ
qawmu
(the) people
تُبَّعٍۢ
tubbaʿin
(of) Tubba
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
and those
مِن
min
before them
قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ
qablihim
before them
أَهْلَكْنَـٰهُمْ ۖ
ahlaknāhum
We destroyed them
إِنَّهُمْ
innahum
indeed, they
كَانُوا۟
kānū
were
مُجْرِمِينَ
muj'rimīna
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.
37. Are they better, or the people of Tubba‘ [27], and those before them [28]? We destroyed them all, for they were criminals.
[27]
Mention of the People of Tubba':
Tubba‘ was the title of the kings of Yemen, who belonged to the Himyar tribe. Just as the title of the kings of Iran was Kisra, the title of the kings of Rome was Caesar, and the title of the kings of Abyssinia was Najashi. Tubba‘ was the name of the ancestor of the people of Tubba‘. He himself was a faithful man and was renowned in his time. He had also conquered many regions. But the people who came after him fell into disbelief and polytheism and adopted the path of rebellion against Allah. The era of these kings is from 115 BCE to 300 CE. For centuries in Arabia, tales of their greatness were on everyone’s lips.
[28]
The First Answer to the Disbelievers’ Objection Relates to History:
By the people of old are meant the people of ‘Ad, the people of Thamud, the people of Ibrahim, as well as Nimrod, Shaddad, and the Pharaohs of Egypt, etc. In their respective times, all these nations were renowned for their greatness. And all these people were disobedient to Allah and deniers of the Hereafter, and it is a solid fact that whichever nation denied the Hereafter fell into moral decline, turmoil, corruption, and oppression, and was ultimately destroyed. The disbelievers of Makkah are being asked: when these nations denied the Hereafter and adopted the path of rebellion, they were destroyed, even though they were better than you in every respect. So then, who are you that you will escape your fate? This is, in fact, the first answer to the stubborn argument of the disbelievers of Makkah—“If you are truthful, then bring back our forefathers”—and this answer relates to history.
[27]
Mention of the People of Tubba':
Tubba‘ was the title of the kings of Yemen, who belonged to the Himyar tribe. Just as the title of the kings of Iran was Kisra, the title of the kings of Rome was Caesar, and the title of the kings of Abyssinia was Najashi. Tubba‘ was the name of the ancestor of the people of Tubba‘. He himself was a faithful man and was renowned in his time. He had also conquered many regions. But the people who came after him fell into disbelief and polytheism and adopted the path of rebellion against Allah. The era of these kings is from 115 BCE to 300 CE. For centuries in Arabia, tales of their greatness were on everyone’s lips.
[28]
The First Answer to the Disbelievers’ Objection Relates to History:
By the people of old are meant the people of ‘Ad, the people of Thamud, the people of Ibrahim, as well as Nimrod, Shaddad, and the Pharaohs of Egypt, etc. In their respective times, all these nations were renowned for their greatness. And all these people were disobedient to Allah and deniers of the Hereafter, and it is a solid fact that whichever nation denied the Hereafter fell into moral decline, turmoil, corruption, and oppression, and was ultimately destroyed. The disbelievers of Makkah are being asked: when these nations denied the Hereafter and adopted the path of rebellion, they were destroyed, even though they were better than you in every respect. So then, who are you that you will escape your fate? This is, in fact, the first answer to the stubborn argument of the disbelievers of Makkah—“If you are truthful, then bring back our forefathers”—and this answer relates to history.
