Tafseer of The Rock · Al-Hijr · 15:13
They will not believe in it, while there has already occurred the precedent of the former peoples.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His word وَقَدْ خَلَتْ سُنَّةُ الأوَّلِينَ (and the way of the former peoples has already passed away): Allah, exalted be His remembrance, says: your people, in whose hearts I have caused denial to enter, do not believe in this Qurʾān until they behold the painful punishment — and thus they follow the way of their forefathers among the polytheists (mushrikīn) who were before them, of the people of ʿĀd, Thamūd, and similar peoples who denied their messengers and did not believe in what had come to them from Allah, until the wrath of Allah descended upon them and they perished.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of Qurʾānic exegesis also spoke.
Mention of those who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word كَذَلِكَ نَسْلُكُهُ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ * لا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ سُنَّةُ الأَوَّلِينَ : "The ways of Allah with the peoples who have passed away before you."
