Tafseer of Yaseen · Yaseen · 36:31
Have they not considered how many generations We destroyed before them - that they to them will not return?
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 statement concerning the explanation of His saying, the Exalted: Alam yaraw kam ahlaknā qablahum mina l-qurūni annahum ilayhim lā yarjiʿūn "Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them, that they do not return to them?" (36:31).
The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: have these who ascribe partners to Allah, from your people, O Muḥammad, not seen how many We destroyed before them — on account of their denial of Our messengers and their disbelief in Our signs — of the bygone generations? ( annahum ilayhim lā yarjiʿūn ) "that they do not return to them" — He says: have they not seen that they do not return to them.
With something like what we have said about this, the exegetes have also spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: ( alam yaraw kam ahlaknā qablahum mina l-qurūni annahum ilayhim lā yarjiʿūn ) "Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them, that they do not return to them?" He said: ʿĀd and Thamūd, and numerous generations in between.
And "kam" in His saying ( kam ahlaknā ) "how many We destroyed" stands in the accusative position (naṣb), if you wish by the governance of "yaraw" ("to see") over it. It has already been mentioned that in the reading of ʿAbdallāh it reads: ( alam yaraw man ahlaknā ) "Have they not seen whom We destroyed." And if you wish, by the governance of "ahlaknā" ("We destroyed") over it. As for "annahum" ("that they"), its alif is vocalized with fatḥa by the governance of "yaraw" over it. And concerning some of them it is mentioned that he read its alif with kasra, by way of a new beginning (istiʾnāf) with it, and left off the governance of "yaraw" over it.
