Tafseer of The Forgiver · Ghafir · 40:21
Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those who were before them? They were greater than them in strength and in impression on the land, but Allah seized them for their sins. And they had not from Allah any protector.
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: Hebben zij dan niet over de aarde gereisd, zodat zij konden zien hoe het einde was van degenen die vóór hen waren? Zij waren sterker dan zij in kracht en in sporen op de aarde, maar Allah greep hen vanwege hun zonden, en zij hadden tegen Allah geen beschermer (21).
The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: Have these who persist in their ascribing of partners to Allah (shirk), who deny His Messenger, from among the Quraysh, not then traveled through the lands, so that they might see how the end was of those who were before them? He says: so that they might behold what the end was of the communities of those who were before them among the peoples, who trod their path in disbelief in Allah and the denial of His messengers. They were stronger than they in power He says: those communities that were before them were mightier than they in violence and more enduring in traces upon the earth, yet their great power and the magnitude of their bodies availed them nothing when the command of Allah came to them and He seized them for what they had committed of disobedience toward Him and what they had earned of sins; rather He destroyed their community, and their dwellings were left deserted of them, because of the injustice that they perpetrated. and they had against Allah no protector He says: and they had, against Allah's punishment when it came to them, no protector who could protect them and who could ward it off from them.
As Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: and they had against Allah no protector: who protects them, and it availed them nothing.
