Tafseer of The Romans · Ar-Room · 30:42
Say, [O Muhammad], "Travel through the land and observe how was the end of those before. Most of them were associators [of others with Allah].
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.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: قُلْ سِيرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مُشْرِكِينَ (30:42) (Say: travel through the earth and then see how the end was of those who were before you. Most of them were polytheists.)
The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says to His Prophet Muḥammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: say, O Muḥammad, to these polytheists (mushrikīn) against Allah among your people: travel through the lands and look at the dwelling-places of those who before you disbelieved in Allah and who denied His messengers, how their end was and what the outcome was of their denial of the messengers of Allah and of their disbelief (kufr). Did We not destroy them with a punishment from Our side, and did We not make them a warning example for whoever came after them? (كان أكثرهم مشركين) — He says: We did that with them, because most of them were polytheists against Allah, just like them.
