Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ahqaf Verse 25

Mufti Taqi Usmani

that will destroy every thing with the command of its Lord! So they became such that nothing remained to be seen except their dwelling places. This is how We punish the guilty people.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

It destroyed everything by the command of its Lord, leaving nothing visible except their ruins. This is how We reward the wicked people.

Ruwwad Translation Center

It will destroy everything by the command of its Lord. And they became such that there was nothing left visible except [ruins of] their dwellings. This is how We recompense the wicked people.

A. J. Arberry

destroying everything by the commandment of its Lord.' So in the morning there was naught to be seen but their dwelling-places. Even so do We recompense the people of the sinners.

Abdul Haleem

which will destroy everything by its Lord’s command.’ In the morning there was nothing to see except their [ruined] dwellings: this is how We repay the guilty.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

It shall annihilate everything by the command of its Lord. Wherefore they became such that naught could be seen save their dwellings Thus We requite a nation of the culprits.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Everything will it destroy by the command of its Lord!" Then by the morning they - nothing was to be seen but (the ruins of) their houses! thus do We recompense those given to sin!

Abul Ala Maududi

that will destroy everything by the command of its Lord.” Thereafter nothing was left to be seen except their dwellings. Thus do We requite the wrong-doers.

Ahmed Ali

It will destroy everything at the bidding of its Lord." So in the morning there was nothing but their empty dwellings to be seen. That is how We requite the sinners.

Ahmed Raza Khan

“That destroys all things by the command of its Lord” – so at morning none could be seen except their empty houses; this is the sort of punishment We mete out to the guilty.

Ali Quli Qarai

destroying everything by its Lord’s command.’ So they became such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings. Thus do We requite the guilty lot.

Ali Ünal

Bound to devastate everything by the command of its Lord. And so they became such that nothing was to be seen except their dwellings. Thus do We recompense the guilty people committed to accumulating sin.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`This (hurricane) will go on destroying everything by the command of its Lord.´ Accordingly (the hurricane struck them and) they became such that nothing could be seen (of them) except their dwellings. That is how do We recompense the guilty people.

English Literal

It destroys every thing with its Lord`s order/command, so they became/became in the morning not (to) be seen except their residences, as/like that We reimburse the nation, the criminals/sinners.370

Faridul Haque

“That destroys all things by the command of its Lord” - so at morning none could be seen except their empty houses; this is the sort of punishment We mete out to the guilty.

Hamid S. Aziz

"Destroying everything by the command of its Lord." Then by the morning they became such that naught could be seen except (the ruins of) their dwellings. Thus do We reward the guilty people.

Hilali & Khan

Destroying everything by the Command of its Lord! So they became such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings! Thus do We recompense the people who are Mujrimun (polytheists, disbelievers, sinners, etc.)!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So when they saw it -- a cloud advancing towards their valleys, they said: This is a cloud bringing us rain. Nay, it is that which you sought to hasten, a wind wherein is painful chastisement.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Destroying everything by the command of its Lord, so they became such that naught could be seen except their dwellings. Thus do We reward the guilty people.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And morning found them so that naught could be seen save their dwellings. Thus do We reward the guilty folk.

Muhammad Sarwar

It will destroy everything by the will of its Lord" (Not very long after) nothing could be seen of them except their dwellings. Thus do We recompense the sinful people.

Qaribullah & Darwish

It will destroy everything by the command of its Lord' And when morning came there was nothing to be seen except their dwellings. As such Werecompense sinful people.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Destroying everything by the command of its Lord! So they became such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings! Thus do We recompense the criminal people!

Wahiduddin Khan

which will destroy everything at its Lord's behest!" And in the morning there was nothing left to be seen save their [empty] dwellings: thus We repay the evil-doers.

Talal Itani

It will destroy everything by the command of its Lord. And when the morning came upon them, there was nothing to be seen except their dwellings. Thus We requite the guilty people.

Tafsir jalalayn

destroying, ruining, everything, it passes through, by the command of its Lord, by His will, that is to say, [destroying] everything that He wants to destroy with it. And so it destroyed their men, women, children and properties by flinging them up into the air high above the ground and tearing them to pieces. Only Hd and those who believed with him remained [unscathed]. So they became such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings. Thus, in the way that We requited them, do We requite guilty folk, besides them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ

Destroying every thing,

meaning, destroying every part of their land that could normally be destroyed.

بِأَمْرِ رَبِّهَا

by the command of its Lord!

meaning, it had Allah's permission to do that.

This is similar to Allah's saying,

مَا تَذَرُ مِن شَىْءٍ أَتَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ جَعَلَتْهُ كَالرَّمِيمِ

It spared nothing that it reached, but blew it into broken spreads of rotten ruins. (51;42)

meaning, like something dilapidated (or decrepit). Because of this,

Allah says,

فَأَصْبَحُوا لَاأ يُرَى إِلاَّ مَسَاكِنُهُمْ

So they became such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings!

means, all of them were destroyed, and none of them were spared.

Allah then says;

كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ



Thus do We recompense the criminal people!

which means that this is Our judgement regarding those who reject Our Messengers and disobey Our commands.

Imam Ahmad recorded from A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said,

"I never saw Allah's Messenger fully laughing so that I would see his uvula. He would only smile."

She added that when Allah's Messenger saw clouds or wind, that would reflect on his face (as discomfort). She asked him;

"O Allah's Messenger! When the people see clouds, they become happy, hoping that they bring them rain. But I notice that when you see them, displeasure appears on your face."

Allah's Messenger replied,

يَا عَايِشَةُ مَا يُوْمِنُنِي أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ قَدْ عُذِّبَ قَوْمٌ بِالرِّيحِ وَقَدْ رَأَى قَوْمٌ الْعَذَابَ وَقَالُوا هذَا عَارِضٌ مُمْطِرُنَا

O `A'ishah! What would guarantee to me that they do not bring punishment Some nations had been punished with wind. On seeing the punishment approaching them, a nation once said;"This is a cloud bringing us rain."

This is also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Imam Ahmad recorded that A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said that when Allah's Messenger saw clouds on any of the horizons, he would leave whatever he was doing -- even if he was in prayer -- and say;

اللْهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا فِيه

O Allah! I seek refuge with you from any harm that it (the cloud) contains.

If Allah removed those clouds, the Prophet would praise Allah, and if rain fell, he would say;

اللْهُمَّ صَيِّبًا نَافِعًا

O Allah! Make it pouring and beneficent.

Muslim also recorded in his Sahih from A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that when the wind blew, Allah's Messenger would say,

اللْهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا فِيهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا أُرْسِلَتْ بِهِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا وَشَرِّ مَا فِيهَا وَشَرِّ مَا أُرْسِلَتْ بِه

O Allah! I ask You of its good, the good that it contains, and the good with which it has been sent. And I seek refuge in You from its evil, the evil that it contains, and the evil with which it has been sent.

She added that if the sky became cloudy, his color would change; he would exit, enter, come, and go.

When it rained, his anxiety would be relieved.

When A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, noticed that, she asked him about it and he said;

لَعَلَّهُ يَا عَايِشَةُ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ عَادٍ

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضًا مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُوا هَذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَا


O `A'ishah! It could be like what the people of `Ad said,

(Then, when they saw it as a dense cloud approaching their valleys, they said;"This is a cloud bringing us rain!")

We have previously mentioned the story of the destruction of the people of `Ad in both Surah Al-A`raf and Surah Hud. Thus, there is no need to repeat it here; and verily Allah is worthy of all praise and gratitude