Tafsir

The Lesson taken from the Destroyed Towns

When Allah mentioned the story of the Prophets and what happened with them and their nations -- how He destroyed the disbelievers and saved the believers -- He goes on to say, ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنْبَآءِ الْقُرَى(That is some of the news of the (population of ) towns) meaning, news of them نَقُصُّهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا قَآئِمٌ(which We relate unto you; of them, some are (still) standing,) This means still remaining. وَحَصِيدٌ(and some have been (already) reaped.) This means totally destroyed. وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـهُمْ(We wronged them not,) This means, "When We destroyed them." وَلَـكِن ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ(but they wronged themselves.) their rejecting their Messengers and disbelieving in them. فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ ءَالِهَتَهُمُ(So their gods, profited them not...) This is referring to their idols that they used to worship and invoke. مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ(other than Allah naught) the idols did not benefit them, nor did they save them when Allah's com- mand came for their destruction.

وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ(nor did they add aught to them but destruction.) Mujahid, Qatadah and others said, "This means loss. Because the reason for their destruction and their ruin was that they followed those false gods. Therefore, they were losers in this life and the Hereafter."