Surah Ghafir Tafseer

The Severe Punishment for the Disbelievers

Allah says,

أَوَ لَمْ يَسِيرُوا

Have they not traveled,

`these people who disbelieve in your Message, O Muhammad,'

فِي الاَْرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مِن قَبْلِهِمْ

in the land and seen what was the end of those who were before them,

means, the nations of the past who disbelieved in their Prophets (peace be upon them), for which the punishment came upon them even though they were stronger than Quraysh.

كَانُوا هُمْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً

They were superior to them in strength,

وَاثَارًا فِي الاْاَرْضِ

and in the traces in the land.

means, they left behind traces in the earth, such as structures, buildings and dwellings which these people (i.e., the Quraysh) cannot match. This is like the Ayat:

وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَـهُمْ فِيمَأ إِن مَّكَّنَّـكُمْ فِيهِ

And indeed We had firmly established them with that wherewith We have not established you! (46:26)

وَأَثَارُواْ الاٌّرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَأ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا

and they tilled the earth and populated it in greater numbers than these have done. (30:9)

فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ

But Allah seized them with punishment for their sins.

Yet despite this great strength, Allah punished them for their sin, which was their disbelief in their Messengers.

وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ

And none had they to protect them from Allah.

means, they had no one who could protect them or ward off the punishment from them.

Then Allah mentions the reason why He punished them, and the sins which they committed.

Allah says