The universe in general and our earth in particular was made by Allah for us to ponder over the why of such creation and also the fate of those who disbelieved in these creations to negate the presence of the Divine Being, the sole Creator and Administrator.
In Qur'an, a number of verses draw the attention of its readers the fate of those who were once the mightiest, towering in stature and considered them as so powerful that could not be subdued. If we travel around the world, we find man made structures that leave us in awe as these structures could not have been made by ordinary humans. Those who built these were given extraordinary powers and built to structure mighty columns cutting through rocky mountains. Yet their arrogance made them vanish as the Divine wrath fell on them for disbelieving their Creator.
In the Qur'an, it has been reminded to man a number of times to travel through land and see how arrogance of people of earlier times led them to destruction, leaving only traces of their giant structures as a warning for the people who would follow to learn a lesson and believe in their Creator. These were the people who denied the messengers sent to them and mocked them as was Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was mocked. One such verse is shared herein under:
اَوَلَمۡ يَسِيۡرُوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَيَنۡظُرُوۡا كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِيۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِهِمۡؕ كَانُوۡۤا اَشَدَّ مِنۡهُمۡ قُوَّةً وَّاَثَارُوا الۡاَرۡضَ وَعَمَرُوۡهَاۤ اَكۡثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوۡهَا وَجَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُمۡ بِالۡبَيِّنٰتِ ؕ فَمَا كَانَ اللّٰهُ لِيَظۡلِمَهُمۡ وَلٰـكِنۡ كَانُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ يَظۡلِمُوۡنَ ؕ
“Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? They were greater than them in strength, and they cultivated the earth and built it up more than they have built it up. And their messengers came to them with clear proofs. And Allah would not ever have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.” (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:9)
The verse is found in multiple places in the Qur'an, such as in Surah Yusuf (12:109), Surah Al-Hajj (22:46), and others, with slight variations.
"Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? " As per historians and scholars, this is a reference to the ‘Ād, the Thamūd, the people of Lot (sws) and Madyan who continued to persist on their denial even after the truth had been conclusively conveyed to them by God’s messengers and were ultimately destroyed. After directing attention to the arguments found within human beings and those outside them, the Qur’ān generally directs attention to the incidents of worldly reward and punishment which were faced by ancient nations of Arabia.
This verse serves as a reminder to reflect upon history and the fate of past nations who disobeyed Allah's commands, rejected His messengers, and lived in arrogance. Through this reflection, the Qur'an calls people to recognize the consequences of disbelief, arrogance, and heedlessness.
Key Points of Reflection
- Travel and Observation: The Qur'an encourages people to travel and observe the remnants of past civilizations, such as the ruins of Aad, Thamud, and Pharaoh’s empire. These civilizations were advanced, powerful, and prosperous, but their arrogance and disobedience to Allah led to their downfall.
- Arrogance and Disobedience: The verse emphasizes that the destruction of these nations was due to their own actions—arrogance, corruption, and rejection of divine guidance. Despite being more powerful and resourceful, their might could not save them from Allah's punishment.
- Role of Messengers: The messengers were sent with clear signs and warnings, but these nations chose to ignore them, leading to their ultimate ruin. This is a warning to contemporary and future generations to heed the message of the Qur'an and follow its guidance.
- Allah’s Justice: The verse stresses that Allah does not wrong anyone. Instead, people bring about their own ruin through their actions and choices. “And your Lord is not unjust to His servants.” (Surah Fussilat, 41:46)
Relevance and Lessons
- Learning from History: History is filled with examples of civilizations that rose and fell. Observing their rise and fall reminds us of the transient nature of worldly power and wealth. This teaches humility and submission to Allah.
- Warning Against Arrogance: No amount of strength, knowledge, or wealth can protect against Allah’s decree. True success lies in obedience and submission to Him.
- Accountability: The verse reminds believers that everyone will be accountable for their actions, just as past nations were.
- Encouragement to Travel and Reflect: Exploring historical ruins and understanding their lessons fosters a deeper connection with Allah’s guidance and the reality of His justice.
Hadith Connection
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized learning from the past. He said:
“The wise person is the one who holds himself accountable and works for what comes after death, and the foolish person is the one who allows his desires to control him and places false hope in Allah.” (Tirmidhi)
This hadith complements the verse by urging reflection on consequences and accountability, encouraging believers to act wisely.
The verse serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of rejecting Divine guidance and the importance of humility and faith in Allah. It invites reflection on the signs of history, urging humanity to avoid the mistakes of past nations and turn to Allah for guidance and success.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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