Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)

207. “That which they were made to enjoy shall not avail them.”

208. “And We did not destroy any town but it had its warners,”

209. “To remind (them) and never are We unjust.”

Allah’s punishment comes after completing the argument.

By the way, the welfare of the opponents of religion should not make the Prophet (S) sad, because their welfare and affluence will be ceased one day. It is certain that at the time of Divine punishment all means of happiness will be useless.

That is why this verse says:

“That which they were made to enjoy shall not avail them.”

Suppose they are given a new respite, which will not be given after completing the argument, and suppose they remain in this world for many other years and live with pride and negligence, do they have any thing but further enjoyment of material merits?

Do they try to amend their past? And, at the time of facing with punishment again, are they able to solve their problem, have a change in their fate? Certainly not, but, on the contrary, they increase their sins during this period of time and make their burden heavier.

Through next verse, the Qur’an implies that no town or city was destroyed except that they were warned and admonished by the divine prophets and completing the argument so that they might amend them.

When they were not changed by Divine intimidation, threat, and admonition and deserved chastisement because of persistence in disbelief and enmity, Allah would somehow destroy them without imposing them any injustice.

The Qur’an says:

“And We did not destroy any town but it had its warners,” “To remind (them) and never are We unjust.”

In this verse, Allah negates any injustice from Him and has rejected those who attribute any inequity and infidelity to Allah. This is injustice that Allah destroys a group who are not unjust, or He punishes the oppressors without completing the argument sufficiently.

Whatever has been mentioned in these verses is, in fact, the statement of the rational principle known as ‘the principle of ugliness of chastisement without statement’.

Something similar to the content of this verse is mentioned in Surah Al-’Isra’, No. 17, verse 15, indicating that Allah never punishes a group unless He sends a messenger among them to explain the facts for them, where it says:

“...nor do We punish (anyone) until We raise a messenger.”

By the way, Allah destroys an individual or a group when He has warned them from before, otherwise retribution without warnings is injustice, and it is not in line with the rank of Allah.

The Qur’an has mentioned this fact in different verses:

A) Surah An-Nahl, No. 16, verse 118:

“...And We did them no injustice...”

B) Surah Qafir, No. 40, verse 31:

“...and Allah does not desire injustice for (His) servants.”

C) Surah Al-‘Ankabut, No. 29, verse 40:

“...and it did not beseem Allah that He would be unjust to them...”

D) Surah An-Nisa’, No. 4, verse 124:

“...and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.”

E) Surah Maryam, No. 19, verse 60:

“…and they shall not be dealt with unjustly in any way.”

F) Surah An-Nisa’, No. 4, verse 49:

“…and they shall not be wronged even the heir of a date-stone.”

G) Surah An-Nisa’, No. 4, verse 40:

“Verily Allah does not do injustice even of the weight of an atom...”