Tafseer of The Romans · Ar-Room · 30:9
Have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? They were greater than them in power, and they plowed the earth and built it up more than they have built it up, and their messengers came to them with clear evidences. And Allah would not ever have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.
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 statement of the Exalted: أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَثَارُوا الأَرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ (30:9) (Have they then not traveled through the earth to see how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than them in power, and they plowed the earth and populated it more than they have populated it, and their messengers came to them with the clear proofs. Allah did them no wrong, but they wronged themselves.)
The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: Have these deniers of Allah, who are heedless of the Hereafter, from the Quraysh, then not traveled through the lands which they traverse as merchants, to look upon the traces of Allah among those who were before them of the nations that denied their messengers — how was the end of their affair upon their denial of their messengers? For they were stronger than these in power. وَأَثَارُوا الأرْضَ (and they plowed the earth): He says: and they brought the earth forth, and they cultivated it and populated it more than these populated it. Then Allah destroyed them on account of their unbelief and their denial of their messengers, and they were not able to defend themselves — despite the intensity of their power — against what descended upon them of the punishment of Allah, and their cultivation of what they had populated of the earth availed them nothing, when جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَينَاتِ (their messengers came to them with the clear proofs) among the signs, and they denied them. Then Allah brought His power down upon them. فَمَا كَانَ الله لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ (Allah did them no wrong) by His punishing them on account of their denial of His messengers and their rejection of His signs, وَلَكِن كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ (but they wronged themselves) through their disobedience toward their Lord.
In accordance with what we have said concerning the explanation of His statement وَأَثَارُوا الأرْضَ (and they plowed the earth), the people of interpretation (tafsīr) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: My father related to me, saying: My uncle related to me, saying: My father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, his statement: أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الأرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَثَارُوا الأرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا (Have they then not traveled through the earth to see how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than them in power, and they plowed the earth and populated it more than they have populated it): he said: They possessed the earth and populated it.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: وَأَثَارُوا الأرْضَ (and they plowed the earth): he said: They cultivated it.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: أَولَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الأرْضَ ... (Have they then not traveled through the earth ...) up to His statement: وَأَثَارُوا الأرْضَ وَعَمَرُوها (and they plowed the earth and populated it) — like His statement: وَآثَارًا فِي الأَرْضِ (and traces upon the earth); and His statement: وَعَمَرُوها (and populated it): more than these populated. وَجَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بالْبَيِّناتِ (and their messengers came to them with the clear proofs).
