Al-Qur'an Surah Al-An'am Verse 6

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Have they not seen how many generations We have destroyed prior to them-those whom We had given such a strong position in the land as We did not give to you, and We poured on them abundant rains from the sky, and made rivers flow beneath them? Then We destroyed them because of their sins, and raised up another generation after them.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Have they not seen how many ˹disbelieving˺ peoples We destroyed before them? We had made them more established in the land than you. We sent down abundant rain for them and made rivers flow at their feet. Then We destroyed them for their sins and replaced them with other peoples.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? We had made them more powerful in the land than We have made you. We sent down for them abundant rain and made rivers flow beneath them. Yet We destroyed them for their sins and brought forth after them other generations.

A. J. Arberry

Have they not regarded how We destroyed before them many a generation We established in the earth, as We never established you, and how We loosed heaven upon them in torrents, and made the rivers to flow beneath them? Then We destroyed them because of their sins, and raised up after them another generation;

Abdul Haleem

Do they not realize how many generations We destroyed before them? We established them in the earth more firmly than you, sent down abundant rain on them from the sky and made running rivers flow at their feet, yet We destroyed them for their misdeeds and raised other generations after them.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Observe they not how many a generation before them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth as We have not established you, and upon whom We had sent the rains of heaven pouring and under whom We had made the rivers flow; yet We destroyed them for their sins and We produced after them a generation of others.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See they not how many of those before them We did destroy?- generations We had established on the earth, in strength such as We have not given to you - for whom We poured out rain from the skies in abundance, and gave (fertile) streams flowing beneath their (feet); yet for their sins We destroyed them, and raised in their wake fresh generations (to succeed them).

Abul Ala Maududi

Have they not seen how many a people We have destroyed before them? People whom We had made more powerful in the earth than you are and upon them We showered from the heavens abundant rains, and at whose feet We caused the rivers to flow? And then (when they behaved ungratefully) We destroyed them for their sins, and raised other peoples in their place.

Ahmed Ali

Do they not see how many generations We laid low before them, whom We had firmly established in the land as We have not established you, and showered abundant rain on them, and made rivers lap at their feet, yet whom We destroyed for their sins, and raised new generations after them?

Ahmed Raza Khan

Do they not see how many civilisations We destroyed before them, whom We had established more firmly in the earth than We have established you, and We sent on them abundant rain from the sky, and made the rivers flow beneath them? So we destroyed them because of their sins, and created another civilisation after them.

Ali Quli Qarai

Have they not regarded how many a generation We have destroyed before them whom We had granted power in the land in respects that We did not grant you, and We sent abundant rains for them from the sky and made streams run for them? Then We destroyed them for their sins, and brought forth another generation after them.

Ali Ünal

Do they not see (even though they pass by the ruins on their journeys) how many a generation We have destroyed before them, whom We established on the earth more firmly than We ever established you (We gave them means and possibilities such as We have not given you), and upon whom We showered blessings from heaven (above them), and from beneath them We made rivers flow. And yet We destroyed them for their sins, and after them We raised up another generation.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Have these people not considered how many generations We destroyed before them to whom We had given so firm a hold and power on the earth, such a firm hold as We have not given you? And We sent clouds over them pouring down abundant rain, and We caused rivers to flow subject to their command and control. Yet We destroyed them owing to their sins and raised other generations after them.

English Literal

Did they not see/understand how many from before them We destroyed from (a) people of one era/generation/century, We highly positioned them in the earth/Planet Earth, what We did not highly position for you, and We sent the sky/space on them flowing/pouring abundantly, and We made the rivers flow from beneath them, so We destroyed them, because of their crimes, and We created from after them others (another) people of one era/generation/century.

Faridul Haque

Do they not see how many civilisations We destroyed before them, whom We had established more firmly in the earth than We have established you, and We sent on them abundant rain from the sky, and made the rivers flow beneath them? So we destroyed them because of their sins, and created another civilisation after them.

Hamid S. Aziz

Had We sent down to you a book on paper, and they had touched it with their hands, still those who disbelieve would have said, "This is naught but obvious magic."

Hilali & Khan

Have they not seen how many a generation before them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth such as We have not established you? And We poured out on them rain from the sky in abundance, and made the rivers flow under them. Yet We destroyed them for their sins, and created after them other generations.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So they rejected the truth when it came to them, but soon will come to them the news of that which they mocked.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Do they not consider how many a generation We have destroyed before them, whom We had established in the earth as We have not established you, and We sent the clouds pouring rain on them in abundance, and We made the rivers to flow beneath them, then We destroyed them on account of their faults and raised up after them another generation.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

See they not how many a generation We destroyed before them, whom We had established in the earth more firmly than We have established you, and We shed on them abundant showers from the sky, and made the rivers flow beneath them. Yet we destroyed them for their sins, and created after them another generation.

Muhammad Sarwar

Why do they not consider how many generations living before them We have destroyed. We established those nations in the land with abilities far beyond those given to you. We sent down plenty of rain from the sky for them and made streams flow therein, but, then, We destroyed them for their sins and established other nations after them.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Have they not seen how many generations We have destroyed before them whom We had established in the land in a way We never established you, sending down for them abundant water from the sky and made the rivers to flow underneath them? Yet because they sinned, We destroyed them and raised up other generations after them.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Have they not seen how many a generation before them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth such as We have not established you And We poured out on them rain from the sky in abundance, and made the rivers flow under them. Yet We destroyed them for their sins, and created after them other generations.

Wahiduddin Khan

Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? We established them on the earth more firmly than you, and We sent the clouds over them, pouring down abundant rain; and made the rivers flow at their feet. Yet We destroyed them for their sins, and raised up other generations after them.

Talal Itani

Have they not considered how many generations We destroyed before them? We had established them on earth more firmly than We established you, and We sent the clouds pouring down abundant rain on them, and We made rivers flow beneath them. But We destroyed them for their sins, and established other civilizations after them.

Tafsir jalalayn

Have they not seen, in their travels to Syria and to other places, how many, (kam is predicative [and not interrogative], meaning `many') a generation, [how many] a community of past communities, We destroyed before them; We established them, We assigned them an [established] place, in the earth, through strength and abundance, as We have not established, [as] We have [not] assigned, you (there is a shift in the address here from third person [to second]); and how We unleashed the heaven, the rain, upon them in torrents, one torrent after another, and made the rivers to flow beneath them?, beneath their dwellings. Then We destroyed them because of their sins, because of their denial of the prophets; and We raised up after them another generation.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ مَّكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الَارْضِ مَا لَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّكُمْ


Have they not seen how many a generation before them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth such as We have not established you!

meaning, they had more wealth, children, buildings, abundant provision, riches and soldiers.

Allah said next,

وَأَرْسَلْنَا السَّمَاء عَلَيْهِم مِّدْرَارًا

and We poured out on them rain from the sky in abundance,

in reference to rain that comes often,

وَجَعَلْنَا الَانْهَارَ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهِمْ

And made the rivers flow under them.

as rain was abundant and the springs were plentiful, so that We deceived them.

فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ

Yet We destroyed them for their sins,

meaning the mistakes and errors that they committed,

وَأَنْشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا اخَرِينَ




and created after them other generations,

for, these generations of old perished and became as legends and stories,
وَأَنْشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا اخَرِينَ
(And created after them other generations), so that We test the new generations, as well. Yet, they committed similar errors and were destroyed, as their ancestors were destroyed. Therefore, beware of the same end that might befall you, for you are not dearer to Allah than these previous nations, but the Messenger whom you defied is dearer to Allah than the Messengers they defied. Thus, you are more liable than them to receive torment, if it was not for Allah's mercy and kindness