Tafseer of Sheba · Saba · 34:45
And those before them denied, and the people of Makkah have not attained a tenth of what We had given them. But the former peoples denied My messengers, so how [terrible] was My reproach.
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.
And His word (And those who were before them denied) — He says: and the communities that were before them denied Our messengers and Our revelation (and they have not attained a tenth of what We had given them) — He says: and your people, O Muhammad, have not attained a tenth of what We had given to the communities that were before them, in strength, power, violence, and other favors.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word (and they have not attained a tenth of what We had given them): in strength in this world.
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, concerning His word (and they have not attained a tenth of what We had given them), he says: they did not pass beyond a tenth of the favors We bestowed upon them.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word (And those who were before them denied, and they have not attained a tenth of what We had given them): He informs you that He gave to that people what He did not give to you, in strength and other matters.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word (and they have not attained a tenth of what We had given them): these, the community of Muhammad ﷺ, have not attained a tenth of what We had given to those who were before them, and of what We gave them of this world and made spacious for them. (So they denied My messengers, and how was My reproach?) — He says: so they denied My messengers in that with which they came to them of My message, whereupon We punished them by changing for them the favors We had given them. So see, O Muhammad, how My reproach was — He says: how My alteration toward them and My punishment was.
