Ghafir (The Forgiver)

21. Have they not traveled in the land and seen what was the end of those who were before them? They were superior to them in strength and in the traces in the land. But Allah seized them with chastisement [out of His Wrath] for their sins. And none had they to protect them from Allah [’s Wrath].

Man is supposed to take lessons from history rather than take pride in his power and traces in the land. It is needless to say that preservation of the monuments of ancient generations will be required for generations to take lessons. Disbelievers’ opposition to the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) was due to their vanity for their power.

Thus the Holy Qur’an says:

“We destroyed those who were superior to you in strength and in the traces in the land.”

The blessed Verse in question raises a question:

“Have they not traveled in the land and seen what the end of those who were before them was?”

This living history reminds men of the wrong doers’ ruins of palaces, the disaster stricken cities of the rebellious, the rotten bones of those asleep in dust, and the palaces buried in the earth. All these decisive words depict a true picture of the genuine history of ancient peoples.

Thus the Verse proceeds:

“They were superior to them in strength and in the traces in the land.”

The phrase:

“superior to them in strength”

indicates their political, military, economic, and possibly their scientific and technological power.

The phrase:

“in the traces in the land”

may demonstrate their great agricultural developments as it is attested elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an:

“Do they not travel in the land and see what the end of those before them was? They were superior to them in strength and they tilled the earth and populated it in greater numbers than these have done”1 .

It may also make a reference to well founded and solid constructions by a number of ancient peoples in mountains and plains as it is reflected elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an regarding the people of ‘Ad:

“Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in them? And do you get for yourselves palaces as if you will live therein forever”2 .

The dire fate of the rebellious people is expressed briefly:

“But Allah seized them with chastisement [out of His Wrath] for their sins. And none had they to protect them from Allah [’s Wrath].”

Neither their large number nor their power, nor glory, nor immense worldly possessions could impede Divine Chastisement.

The word:

“seize” is recurrently employed in the Holy Qur’an in the sense of “chastise” since in order to inflict a severe punishment, the perpetrator is first seized and then they will be chastised.