Al-Qur'an Surah Taha Verse 128

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Did it give them no guidance (to realize) how many generations We have destroyed prior to them in whose dwellings they (often) walk around? Surely, in this there are signs for the men of reason.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Is it not yet clear to them how many peoples We destroyed before them, whose ruins they still pass by? Surely in this are signs for people of sound judgment.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Is it not yet clear to them how many generations We destroyed before them, in whose dwellings they still walk about? There are signs in this for people of sound intellect.

A. J. Arberry

Is it not a guidance to them, how many generations We destroyed before them in whose dwelling-places they walk? Surely in that are signs for men possessing reason.

Abdul Haleem

Do they not draw a lesson from the many generations We destroyed before them, through whose dwelling places they now walk? There truly are signs in this for anyone with understanding!

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Hath it not served as guidance to them how many a generation We have destroyed before them, amidst whose dwellings they Walk! Verily therein are signs for men of sagacity.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Is it not a warning to such men (to call to mind) how many generations before them We destroyed, in whose haunts they (now) move? Verily, in this are Signs for men endued with understanding.

Abul Ala Maududi

Did they not find any guidance in the fact that We destroyed many nations in whose ruined dwelling-places they now walk about? Surely there are many Signs in them for people endowed with wisdom.

Ahmed Ali

Did they not learn from the many generations that We destroyed before them, whose habitations they now frequent? Verily there are signs in this for men of understanding.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So did they not gain guidance from (knowing) how many generations We have destroyed before them, among whose dwellings they walk? Indeed in it are signs for men of intellect.

Ali Quli Qarai

Does it not dawn upon them how many generations We have destroyed before them, amid [the ruins of] whose dwellings they walk? There are indeed signs in this for those who have reason.

Ali Ünal

Is it not a guidance for them how many a generation We have destroyed before them, in whose ruined dwelling-places they walk about (in the present)? Surely in that there are signs (manifesting the truth) for people of discernment.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Does it afford them no guidance that We destroyed before them many a generation in whose dwellings they now go about. Indeed, in this there are signs for those who possess understanding.

English Literal

Did He not guide to them how many from the generations/peoples of eras before them We made die/destroyed , they walk in their residences, that (E) in that (are) verses/evidences/signs (E) to (owners) of the minds/reasoning powers.

Faridul Haque

So did they not gain guidance from (knowing) how many generations We have destroyed before them, among whose dwellings they walk? Indeed in it are signs for men of intellect.

Hamid S. Aziz

Thus do We recompense him who is extravagant and believes not in the revelations of his Lord; and the doom of the hereafter is keener and more lasting!

Hilali & Khan

Is it not a guidance for them (to know) how many generations We have destroyed before them, in whose dwellings they walk? Verily, in this are signs indeed for men of understanding.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And thus do We recompense him who is extravagant and believes not in the messages of his Lord. And certainly the chastisement of the Hereafter is severer and more lasting.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Does it not then direct them aright how many of the generations In whose dwelling-places they go about We destroyed before them? Most surely there are signs in this for those endowed with understanding.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Is it not a guidance for them (to know) how many a generation We destroyed before them, amid whose dwellings they walk? Lo! therein verily are signs for men of thought.

Muhammad Sarwar

Is it not a warning for them to see how many generations living before them We destroyed and how they are now walking in their ruins? In this there is the evidence (of the Truth) for the people of reason.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Is it not a guidance to them, how many generations We destroyed before them in whose dwelling places they walk? Surely, in this there are signs for thoseof reason.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Is it not a guidance for them (to know) how many generations We have destroyed before them, in whose dwellings they walk Verily, in this are signs indeed for men of understanding.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do they not learn a lesson from Our destruction of many generations before them in whose dwelling-places they walk about? Surely in this are signs for men of understanding.

Talal Itani

Is it not instructive to them, how many generations before them We destroyed, in whose settlements they walk? Surely in that are signs for people of understanding.

Tafsir jalalayn

Is it not a guidance, has it not become clear, to them, to the disbelievers of Mecca, how many (kam, is predicative and the object of [the following] ahlakn) We destroyed, in other words, Our frequent destruction, before them of generations, that is, of past communities, for denying messengers, amid [the ruins of] whose dwelling-places they walk? (yamshna is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the person of the pronoun lahum, `to them') during their journeys to Syria and other places, that they might thus be admonished? (what has been mentioned [by grammarians] regarding the derivation of [the verb] ihlk to be that verb that does not contain a particle referring to [the object of] the action of the verb, as a way of preserving the [original] sense [of the statement], is acceptable). Surely in that there are signs, lessons, for people of sense, for possessors of intellect.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Many Nations were destroyed and in Them is a Lesson

Allah, the Exalted, says,

أَفَلَمْ يَهْدِ

Is it not a guidance for them...

This is addressed to those who reject what the Prophet came to them with;

لَهُمْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنَ الْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ فِي مَسَاكِنِهِمْ

(to know) how many generations We have destroyed before them, in whose dwellings they walk!

`We destroyed those who denied the Messengers from the previous nations before them. They showed open hostility, so now there is not trace of them and none of them are left. This is witnessed by the empty homes that these people left behind, and which others have now inherited, moving about in the dwellings of those of the past.'

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لاُِّوْلِي النُّهَى



Verily, in this are signs indeed for men of understanding.

This means those who have sound intellect and correct understanding.

This is as Allah says,

أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَأ أَوْ ءَاذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَلَـكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِى فِى الصُّدُورِ

Have they not traveled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear! Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind. (22;46)

Allah also said in Surah Alif Lam Mim As-Sajdah,

أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِمْ مِّنَ الْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ فِى مَسَاكِنِهِمْ

Is it not a guidance for them;how many generations We have destroyed before them in whose dwellings they walk about. (32;26)

Then, Allah, the Exalted, says,

وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامًا وَأَجَلٌ مُسَمًّى