Surah Anbiya ayat 11 Tafsir Quran 21:11

﴿وَكَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَالِمَةً وَأَنشَأْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْمًا آخَرِينَ﴾
[ الأنبياء: 11]

21:11 And how many a city which was unjust have We shattered and produced after it another people.

And how many did We destroy of towns — meaning its inhabitants — that had been wrongdoing disbelieving and brought forth another people after it!

And think but this: how many towns, whose inhabitants were wrongful of actions, did We destroy and replace by other people

The Virtue of the Qur'an Here Allah points out the noble status of the Qur'an and urges them to recognize its worth: لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَـباً فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ ( Indeed, We have sent down for you a Book in which there is Dhikrukum ).
Ibn `Abbas said: "Honor for you." أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ( Will you not then understand ) means, will you not understand this blessing, and accept it This is like the Ayah: وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْـَلُونَ ( And verily, this is indeed a Reminder for you and your people, and you will be questioned. ) 43:44 How the Evildoers were destroyed 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."

The Virtue of the Qur'an Here Allah points out the noble status of the Qur'an and urges them to recognize its worth: لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَـباً فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ ( Indeed, We have sent down for you a Book in which there is Dhikrukum ).
Ibn `Abbas said: "Honor for you." أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ( Will you not then understand ) means, will you not understand this blessing, and accept it This is like the Ayah: وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْـَلُونَ ( And verily, this is indeed a Reminder for you and your people, and you will be questioned. ) 43:44 How the Evildoers were destroyed 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."

( How many a community that dealt unjustly ) whose people were disbelievers and idolaters ( have We shattered ) have We destroyed, ( and raised up ) and created ( after them ) after their destruction ( another folk ) who lived in their habitations!

How many a town (community), that were wrong-doers, have We destroyed, and raised up after them another people!

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