Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Isra Verse 16

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And when We intend to destroy a habitation, We command its affluent people (to do good), then they commit sins therein, and thus the word (of punishment) becomes applicable to it (habitation), and We annihilate it totally.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Whenever We intend to destroy a society, We command its elite ˹to obey Allah˺ but they act rebelliously in it. So the decree ˹of punishment˺ is justified, and We destroy it utterly.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Whenever We decide to destroy a town, We command its affluent ones [to obey Allah] but they defiantly disobey, so the punishment becomes inevitable, and We destroy it completely.

A. J. Arberry

And when We desire to destroy a city, We command its men who live at ease, and they commit ungodliness therein, then the Word is realized against it, and We destroy it utterly.

Abdul Haleem

When We decide to destroy a town, We command those corrupted by wealth [to reform], but they [persist in their] disobedience; Our sentence is passed, and We destroy them utterly.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And when We intend that We shall destroy a town We command the affluent people thereof, then they transgress therein; wherefore the word is justified on them; then We annihilate it with Utter annihilation.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When We decide to destroy a population, We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress; so that the word is proved true against them; then (it is) We destroy them utterly.

Abul Ala Maududi

When We decide to destroy a town We command the affluent among them, whereupon they commit sins in it, then the decree (of chastisement) becomes due against them and thereafter We destroy that town utterly.

Ahmed Ali

"And when We destroy a human habitation We send Our command to (warn) its people living a life of ease; and when they disobey, the sentence against them is justified, and We destroy them utterly.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when We will to destroy a township We send the commands to its prosperous people, thereupon they do not obey them, and so the Word is proved upon it – We therefore destroy and ruin it.

Ali Quli Qarai

And when We desire to destroy a town We command its affluent ones [to obey Allah]. But they commit transgression in it, and so the word becomes due against it, and We destroy it utterly.

Ali Ünal

And when We finally will to destroy a township (that has deserved destruction), We leave those of its people lost in the pursuit of pleasures to their own devices, and so they transgress all limits therein. In consequence, the word (of punishment) is justified against it, and so We annihilate it, reducing it to nothing.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And when We intend to destroy a township, We (first) address Our command to its lawless people who lead lazy lives (to show obedience), but they revolt therein so that it stands condemned and We destroy it with an utter destruction.

English Literal

And if We willed/wanted that (E) We destroy/perish a village/urban city, We ordered/commanded its luxuriated ungrateful and arrogant, so they debauched in it, so the saying/words was deserved on it, so We destroyed it destructively.

Faridul Haque

And when We will to destroy a township We send the commands to its prosperous people, thereupon they do not obey them, and so the Word is proved upon it - We therefore destroy and ruin it.

Hamid S. Aziz

And when We desire to destroy a people We send commands to the opulent ones thereof who yet work abomination therein; and then due sentence is pronounced; and We destroyed it utterly.

Hilali & Khan

And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order (to obey Allah and be righteous) to those among them [or We (first) increase in number those of its population] who are given the good things of this life. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Whoever goes aright, for his own soul does he go aright; and whoever goes astray, to its detriment only does he go astray. And no bearer of a burden can bear the burden of another. Nor do We chastise until We raise a messenger.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when We wish to destroy a town, We send Our commandment to the people of it who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein; thus the word proves true against it, so We destroy it with utter destruction.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and we annihilate it with complete annihilation.

Muhammad Sarwar

When We decide to destroy a town We warn the rich ones therein who commit evil. Thus it becomes deserving to destruction and We destroy its very foundations.

Qaribullah & Darwish

When We desire to annihilate a village, We command those who live in ease, but they commit evil therein, then the Word is realized against it and it is utterly annihilated.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And when We decide to destroy a town (population), Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction.

Wahiduddin Khan

When We decide to destroy a town, We command the affluent section of its people, but they transgress therein; thus the word [sentence of punishment] is justified, then We destroy the town utterly.

Talal Itani

When We decide to destroy a town, We command its affluent ones, they transgress in it, so the word becomes justified against it, and We destroy it completely.

Tafsir jalalayn

And when We desire to destroy a town We command its affluent ones, those [inhabitants] of its who enjoy the graces [of God], meaning its leaders, [We command them] to obedience, by the tongue of Our messengers; but they fall into immorality therein, rebelling against Our command, and so the Word is justified concerning it, that it should be chastised, and We destroy it utterly, We annihilate it by annihilating its inhabitants and leaving it in ruins.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah says;

وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا



And when We decide to destroy a town (population), Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction.
Meanings of Amarna

The commentators differed over the meaning of this word.

It was said that the phrase translated here as "Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein"

means, "We send Our decree upon them," as Allah says elsewhere;

أَتَاهَأ أَمْرُنَا لَيْلً أَوْ نَهَارًا

Our decree reaches it by night or by day. (10;24)

For (Amarna cannot mean "Our command") because Allah does not command or enjoin immorality.

Or, they said it means that Allah subjugated them to commit immoral deeds, so they deserved the punishment.

Or it was said that it means;"We commanded them to obey Us, but they committed immoral sins, so they deserved punishment."

This was reported from Ibn Jurayj from Ibn Abbas, and it is also the view of Sa`id bin Jubayr.

أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا
Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein,

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said;

(this means) "We gave power to the evil people, so they committed sin therein (in the town), and because they did that, Allah destroyed them with the punishment."

This is similar to the Ayah;

وَكَذلِكَ جَعَلْنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا

And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people. (6;133)
This was also the view of Abu Al-Aliyah, Mujahid and Ar-Rabi' bin Anas.

وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا


And when We decide to destroy a town (population), Amarna those who live luxuriously. Then, they transgress therein,

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said,

(it means) "We increase their numbers."

This was also the view of Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah, and it was reported from Malik and Az-Zuhri