Allah says:
[وَكَمْ قَصَمْنَا
مِن قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَـلِمَةً]
(How many a town given to wrongdoing, have We destroyed,) meaning, they were
very many. This is like the Ayah:
[وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا
مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن بَعْدِ نُوحٍ]
(And how many generations have We destroyed after Nuh!) [17:17]
[فَكَأَيِّن مِّن
قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَى
عُرُوشِهَا]
(And many a township did We destroy while they were given to wrongdoing, so
that it lie in ruins) [22:45].
[وَأَنشَأْنَا
بَعْدَهَا قَوْماً ءَاخَرِينَ]
(and raised up after them another people!) means, another nation which came
after them.
[فَلَمَّآ أَحَسُّواْ
بَأْسَنَآ]
(Then, when they sensed Our torment,) when they realized that the torment
would undoubtedly come upon them, just as their Prophet had warned them,
[إِذَا هُمْ مِّنْهَا
يَرْكُضُونَ]
(behold, they (tried to) flee from it.) they tried to run away.
[لاَ تَرْكُضُواْ
وَارْجِعُواْ إِلَى مَآ أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ وَمَسَـكِنِكُمْ]
(Flee not, but return to that wherein you lived a luxurious life, and to your
homes,) This is a way of ridiculing them. It will be said to them by way of
ridicule: "Do not run away from the coming torment; go back to the delights and
luxuries and fine homes in which you were living.'' Qatadah said, "Mocking
them.''
[لَعَلَّكُمْ
تُسْأَلُونَ]
(in order that you may be questioned) about whether you gave thanks for what
you had.
[قَالُواْ يوَيْلَنَآ
إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـلِمِينَ ]
(They cried: "Woe to us! Certainly we have been wrong- doers.'') They will
confess their sins when it will be of no benefit to them.
[فَمَا زَالَت تِلْكَ
دَعْوَاهُمْ حَتَّى جَعَلْنَـهُمْ حَصِيداً خَـمِدِينَ ]
(And that cry of theirs ceased not, till We made them as a field that is
reaped, extinct.) meaning, "they will keep on saying that, admitting their
wrong- doing, until We harvest them as it were, and their movements and voices
come to a stop.''
[وَمَا خَلَقْنَا
السَّمَآءَ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لاَعِبِينَ - لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن
نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْواً لاَّتَّخَذْنَـهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـعِلِينَ - بَلْ
نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَـطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ وَلَكُمُ
الْوَيْلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ - وَلَهُ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَنْ
عِنْدَهُ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلاَ يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ -
يُسَبِّحُونَ الْلَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لاَ يَفْتُرُونَ ]
(16. We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them
for play.) (17. Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it
from Us, if We were going to do (that).) (18. Nay, We fling the truth against
the falsehood, so it destroys it, and behold, it disappears. And woe to you for
that which you ascribe.) (19. To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on
earth. And those who are near Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor are they
weary.) (20. They glorify His praises night and day, they never slacken.)
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