Surah Ghafir 40:21 — translation and meaning

غافر · Verse 21 / 85 · Page 469

ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَآثَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ

Word by Word

ۚ
أَوَلَمْ
awalam
Do not
يَسِيرُوا
yasiru
they travel
فِي
fi
in
الْأَرْضِ
al-ardi
the earth
فَيَنظُرُوا
fayanzuru
and see
كَيْفَ
kayfa
how
كَانَ
kana
was
عَاقِبَةُ
aqibatu
(the) end
الَّذِينَ
alladhina
(of) those who
كَانُوا
kanu
were
مِن
min
before them
قَبْلِهِمْ
qablihim
before them
كَانُوا
kanu
They were
هُمْ
hum
[they]
أَشَدَّ
ashadda
superior
مِنْهُمْ
min'hum
to them
قُوَّةً
quwwatan
(in) strength
وَآثَارًا
waatharan
and (in) impressions
فِي
fi
in
الْأَرْضِ
al-ardi
the land
فَأَخَذَهُمُ
fa-akhadhahumu
but Allah seized them
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
but Allah seized them
بِذُنُوبِهِمْ
bidhunubihim
for their sins
وَمَا
wama
and not
كَانَ
kana
was
لَهُم
lahum
for them
مِّنَ
mina
against
اللَّهِ
al-lahi
Allah
مِن
min
any
وَاقٍ
waqin
protector

Transliteration

Awalam yaseeroo fil ardi fa yanzuroo kaifa kaana 'aaqibatul lazeena kaanoo min qablihim; kaanoo hum ashadda minhum quwwatanw wa aasaaran fil ardi fa akhazahumul laahu bizunoobihim wa maa kaana lahum minal laahi minw waaq

Translation

Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those who were before them? They were greater than them in strength and in impression on the land, but Allah seized them for their sins. And they had not from Allah any protector.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

Have these idolaters not travelled on earth, so that they can ponder how the outcome was of the nations before them who denied, as it was a bad end? Those nations were stronger than they are, and they left an impression on earth by buildings which these people have not left, but Allah destroyed them because of their sins, and they had nobody to protect them from the punishment of Allah.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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