Surah Sad Tafseer

كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ

How many a generation have We destroyed before them!

meaning, disbelieving nations.

فَنَادَوْا

And they cried out,

means, when the punishment came to them, they called for help and cried out to Allah, but that did not save them at all.

This is like the Ayat:

فَلَمَّأ أَحَسُّواْ بَأْسَنَأ إِذَا هُمْ مِّنْهَا يَرْكُضُونَ

لَا تَرْكُضُواْ وَارْجِعُواْ إِلَى مَأ أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ وَمَسَـكِنِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ

Then, when they perceived (saw) Our torment, behold, they (tried to) flee from it. Flee not, but return to that wherein you lived a luxurious life, and to your homes, in order that you may be questioned. (21:12-13)

Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that At-Tamimi said,

"I asked Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, about the Ayah:

(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape),

He said that it was not the time for them to call or flee or escape.

Muhammad bin Ka`b said, concerning the Ayah:

(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape).

"They called for Tawhid when their lives were over, and they resorted to repentance when their lives were over."

Qatadah said,

"When they saw the punishment, they wanted to repent when there was no longer time to call out."

Mujahid said:

(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape).

"It was not the time to flee or escape."

Allah says:

وَلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ

when there was no longer time for escape.

meaning, there was no time to escape or run away; and Allah knows best