Ar-Room 30:9 · The Romans · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"Have they not travelled through the land and seen how their predecessors met their end? They were mightier than them: they cultivated the earth more and built more upon it. Their own mes-sengers also came to them with clear signs: God did not wrong them; they wronged themselves."

Pickthall (classic)+

"Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? They were stronger than these in power, and they dug the earth and built upon it more than these have built. Messengers of their own came unto them with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty). Surely Allah wronged them not, but they did wrong themselves."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their messengers with Clear (Signs). (Which they rejected, to their own destruction): It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُواْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً

(9. cont - and see what was the end of those before them They were superior to them in strength, ) meaning, `the nations of the past who came before you were stronger than you to whom Muhammad ﷺ has been sent; they had more wealth and more sons. You have not been given one-tenth of what they were given. They stayed longer in this world than you will stay. They were more civilized than you and were more prosperous in the land than you.' Yet despite all that, when their Messengers came to them with clear signs, while they were enjoying their life of luxury, Allah punished them for their sins and they had no one who could protect them from Allah. Their wealth and sons could not protect them from the wrath of Allah in the slightest, and Allah was not at all unjust towards them when He sent His punishment upon them.

وَلَـكِن كَانُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

(9. cont - but they used to wrong themselves.) They brought destruction upon themselves, when they rejected and mocked the signs of Allah. All of this only happened because of their previous sins and their rejection (of the Messengers). Allah says:

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Всевышний предложил неверующим постранствовать по земле и воочию узреть, какой же конец постиг их неверующих предшественников. Они также отвергали посланников и противились их повелениям, а наряду с этим они обладали огромной мощью и большими возможностями. Они строили дворцы, оснащали мастерские, возделывали поля и даже прокладывали искусственные русла для рек. Однако ни огромная власть, ни созданные ими великолепия не принесли им пользы, когда они осмелились отвергнуть посланников, которые явились к ним со знамениями, каждое из которых свидетельствовало об истинности и правдивости Божьего учения. И если современные неверующие посмотрят на то, что осталось после их предшественников, то они обнаружат только опустевшие жилища и останки погибших народов, которые оставили о себе недобрую память. Таково воздаяние за неверие в мирской жизни, которое является всего лишь преддверием адских мучений в жизни будущей. Всевышний погубил неверующие народы, однако Он не поступил с ними несправедливо, потому что они собственноручно обрекли себя на погибель и сами были несправедливы по отношению к себе.