أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لِلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ
ٱلْأَرْضَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَهْلِهَآ
أَن لَّوْ نَشَآءُ أَصَبْنَـٰهُم
بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ۚ وَنَطْبَعُ عَلَىٰ
قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ
Is it not a guidance
for those who inherit
the earth from its
previous inhabitants
that had We willed,
We would have
punished them for
their sins. And We
seal up their hearts
so that they hear not
Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah’s statement,
أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لِلَّذِينَ
يَرِثُونَ الأَرْضَ
مِن بَعْدِ أَهْلِهَآ
Is it not a guidance for those who inherit the earth from its previous inhabitants. ..
“(Allah says,) did We not make clear to them that had We willed, We would have punished them because of their sins” Mujahid and several others said similarly. Abu Ja`far bin Jarir At-Tabari explained this Ayat, “Allah says, `Did We not make clear to those who succeeded on the earth after destroying the previous nations who used to dwell in that land. Then they followed their own ways, and behaved as they did and were unruly with their Lord. (Did We not make clear to them) that,
أَن لَّوْ نَشَآءُ أَصَبْنَـهُمْ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ
that had We willed, We would have punished them for their sins.
by bringing them the same end that was decreed for those before them,
وَنَطْبَعُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ
And We seal up their hearts
We place a cover over their heart,
فَهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ
so that they hear not
words of advice or reminding”’ I say that similarly, Allah said,
أَفَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ
أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّنَ
الْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ فِى
مَسَـكِنِهِمْ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ
لأَيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى النُّهَى
Is it not a guidance for them: how many generations We have destroyed before them, in whose dwellings they walk Verily, in this are signs indeed for men of understanding. (Taha 128)
أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ
أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
مِّنَ الْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ
فِى مَسَاكِنِهِمْ إِنَّ
فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَاتٍ
أَفَلاَ يَسْمَعُونَ
Is it not a guidance for them: how many generations We have destroyed before them in whose dwellings they do walk about Verily, therein indeed are signs. Would they not then listen (As-Sajdah 26)
and,
أَوَلَمْ تَكُونُواْ أَقْسَمْتُمْ
مِّن قَبْلُ مَا لَكُمْ مِّن
زَوَالٍوَسَكَنتُمْ فِى مَسَـكِنِ
الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ
Had you not sworn aforetime that you would not leave (the world for the Hereafter). And you dwelt in the dwellings of men who wronged themselves (Ibrahim 44-45)
Also, Allah said,
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ
مِّن قَرْنٍ هَلْ تُحِسُّ
مِنْهُمْ مِّنْ أَحَدٍ
أَوْ تَسْمَعُ لَهُمْ رِكْزاً
And how many a generation before them have We destroyed! Can you find a single one of them or hear even a whisper of them (Maryam 98)
meaning, do you see any of them or hear their voices There are many other Ayat that testify that Allah’s torment strikes His enemies, while His bounty reaches His faithful believers. Thereafter comes Allah’s statement, and He is the Most Truthful, the Lord of all that exists,