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Towards Understanding the Quran
With kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
Introduction to Tafheem | Glossary | Verbs
Tafsirs: Maarif | Dawat | Ishraq | Clear

 Surah Al-Anbya 21:11-18 [2/7] ↕
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
وَكَمْAnd how many
قَصَمْنَاWe (have) shattered
مِنof
قَرْيَةٍa town
كَانَتْ(that) was
ظَالِمَةًunjust,
وَأَنشَأْنَاand We produced
بَعْدَهَاafter them
قَوْمًا ءَاخَرِينَanother people.
﴿١١﴾
فَلَمَّآThen when
أَحَسُّواْthey perceived
بَأْسَنَآOur torment,
إِذَاbehold,
هُمthey
مِّنْهَاfrom it
يَرْكُضُونَwere fleeing.
﴿١٢﴾
لَا تَرْكُضُواْFlee not,
وَٱرْجِعُوٓاْbut return
إِلَىٰto
مَآwhat
أُتْرِفْتُمْyou were given luxury
فِيهِin it
وَمَسَـٰكِنِكُمْand to your homes,
لَعَلَّكُمْso that you may
تُسْــَٔلُونَbe questioned.
﴿١٣﴾
قَالُواْThey said,
يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ"O woe to us!
إِنَّاIndeed, [we]
كُنَّاwe were
ظَـٰلِمِينَwrongdoers."
﴿١٤﴾
فَمَاThen not
زَالَتceased
تِّلْكَ[this]
دَعْوَٮٰهُمْtheir cry
حَتَّىٰuntil
جَعَلْنَـٰهُمْWe made them
حَصِيدًاreaped
خَـٰمِدِينَextinct.
﴿١٥﴾
وَمَاAnd not
خَلَقْنَاWe created
ٱلسَّمَآءَthe heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضَand the earth
وَمَاand what
بَيْنَهُمَا(is) between them
لَـٰعِبِينَ(for) playing.
﴿١٦﴾
لَوْIf
أَرَدْنَآWe intended
أَنthat
نَّتَّخِذَWe take
لَهْوًاa pastime,
لَّٱتَّخَذْنَـٰهُsurely We (could have) taken it
مِنfrom
لَّدُنَّآUs,
إِنif
كُنَّاWe were
فَـٰعِلِينَdoers.
﴿١٧﴾
بَلْNay,
نَقْذِفُWe hurl
بِٱلْحَقِّthe truth
عَلَىagainst
ٱلْبَـٰطِلِ[the] falsehood,
فَيَدْمَغُهُۥand it breaks its head,
فَإِذَاbehold,
هُوَit (is)
زَاهِقٌ‌ۚvanishing.
وَلَكُمُAnd for you
ٱلْوَيْلُ(is) destruction
مِمَّاfor what
تَصِفُونَyou ascribe.
﴿١٨﴾

وَكَمۡ قَصَمۡنَا مِنۡ قَرۡيَةٍ كَانَتۡ ظَالِمَةً وَّاَنۡشَاۡنَا بَعۡدَهَا قَوۡمًا اٰخَرِيۡنَ‏  فَلَمَّاۤ اَحَسُّوۡا بَاۡسَنَاۤ اِذَا هُمۡ مِّنۡهَا يَرۡكُضُوۡنَؕ‏  لَا تَرۡكُضُوۡا وَ ارۡجِعُوۡۤا اِلٰى مَاۤ اُتۡرِفۡتُمۡ فِيۡهِ وَمَسٰكِنِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُسۡـئَلُوۡنَ‏  قَالُوۡا يٰوَيۡلَنَاۤ اِنَّا كُنَّا ظٰلِمِيۡنَ‏  فَمَا زَالَتۡ تِّلۡكَ دَعۡوٰٮهُمۡ حَتّٰى جَعَلۡنٰهُمۡ حَصِيۡدًا خٰمِدِيۡنَ‏   وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا السَّمَآءَ وَالۡاَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا لٰعِبِيۡنَ‏  لَوۡ اَرَدۡنَاۤ اَنۡ نَّـتَّخِذَ لَهۡوًا لَّا تَّخَذۡنٰهُ مِنۡ لَّدُنَّاۤ  ۖ  اِنۡ كُنَّا فٰعِلِيۡنَ‏  بَلۡ نَـقۡذِفُ بِالۡحَـقِّ عَلَى الۡبَاطِلِ فَيَدۡمَغُهٗ فَاِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ​ ؕ وَلَـكُمُ الۡوَيۡلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُوۡنَ‏ 
Translation
(21:11) How many a wrong-doing town did We shatter and then raise up another people. (21:12) Then, when they perceived Our chastisement13 they took to their heels and fled. (21:13) (They were told): "Flee not, but return to your comforts and to your dwellings. You are likely to be questioned."14 (21:14) They said: "Woe to us; surely we were wrong-doers." (21:15) They did not cease to cry this until We reduced them to stubble, still and silent. (21:16) We did not create in sport the heavens and the earth and all that lies between the two.15 (21:17) Had it been Our will to find a pastime, We would have found one near at hand; if at all We were inclined to do so.16 (21:18) Nay, We hurl the Truth at falsehood so that the Truth crushes falsehood, and lo! it vanishes. Woe to you for what you utter!17
Commentary

13. That is, when they realized that Allah’s scourge was actually coming.

14. This is a very meaningful sentence. It may mean:

(1) Examine this scourge minutely so that if someone asks you about it, you may be able to give an accurate account of it.

(2) Hold your grand meetings as usual. Perhaps your servants may come with folded hands before you to receive orders.

(3) Hold your councils as before, perhaps people may still come to ask for your wise counsels.

15. This was to refute their entire conception of life which was based on the assumption that man was free to do whatever he liked, and there was none to call him to account or take him to task: that there was no life in the Hereafter where one’s good deeds would be rewarded and evil deeds punished. In other words, this meant that the whole universe had been created without any serious purpose and therefore there was no need to pay any heed to the message of the Prophet.

16. That is, this world has been created with a definite purpose and not as a plaything. For, if We had wanted to enjoy a sport, We would have done so without creating a sentient, rational and responsible creature like you. Far be it from Us to put man to trial and conflict for the sake of mere fun.

17. That is, the object for which this world has been created is to stage a conflict between the truth and falsehood. And you yourselves know that in this conflict falsehood has always been defeated and destroyed. You should, therefore, consider this reality seriously. For, if you build the system of your life on the false presumption that it is mere fun, you will meet with the same consequences as the former people did, who presumed that the world was a mere show and pastime. Therefore you should reconsider your whole attitude towards the message which has come to you. Instead of making fun of it and scoffing at the Messenger, you should take a warning from the fate of the former peoples.