وَتِلْكَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا۟ وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِم مَّوْعِدًا 59
Translations
And those cities - We destroyed them when they wronged, and We made for their destruction an appointed time.
Transliteration
Wa tilka al-qura ahlaknahum lamma zalamu wa ja'alna li-mahlakihim maw'ida
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah destroyed the nations and peoples of various cities when they committed injustice and oppression against His signs and messengers. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah had appointed a specific, predetermined time for their destruction, emphasizing that divine punishment is not arbitrary but follows a pattern of warning through messengers followed by inevitable consequence for those who reject the truth. The ayah serves as a historical reminder that no civilization escapes accountability for persistent wrongdoing.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Kahf's broader Meccan context, where the Quran repeatedly mentions past destroyed nations to encourage the Prophet Muhammad and believers regarding divine justice. It follows the narrative of Dhul-Qarnayn and precedes discussion of the Day of Judgment, emphasizing that Allah's punishment of unjust peoples is a established divine law (Sunnah of Allah).
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Muslim (2242) where the Prophet ﷺ mentions that when a community becomes widespread in oppression and injustice, Allah brings punishment upon all of them. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah contains hadiths about the destruction of past nations due to their transgression of Allah's boundaries.
Themes
Key Lesson
Societies and individuals cannot escape the consequences of persistent injustice and rejection of divine guidance, as Allah has established unchanging laws governing rise and fall of civilizations. This should inspire believers to uphold justice, heed divine warnings, and reflect that no power—however great—is immune from Allah's justice.