Generation: Qur’an Verses

اَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ مَكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْاَرْضِ مَا لَمْ نُمَكِّنْ لَكُمْ وَاَرْسَلْنَا السَّمَٓاءَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِدْرَارًاۖ وَجَعَلْنَا الْاَنْهَارَ تَجْر۪ي مِنْ تَحْتِهِمْ فَاَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَاَنْشَأْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا اٰخَر۪ينَ

Do they not see how many a generation We have destroyed before their time – [people] whom We had given a [bountiful] place on earth, the like of which We never gave unto you, and upon whom We showered heavenly blessings abundant, and at whose feet We made running waters flow? And yet we destroyed them for their sins, and gave rise to other people in their stead.

وَلَقَدْ اَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُواۙ وَجَٓاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَمَا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُواۜ كَذٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِم۪ينَ

And, indeed, We destroyed before your time [whole] generations when they [persistently] did evil although the apostles sent unto them brought them all evidence of the truth; for they refused to believe [them]. Thus do We requite people who are lost in sin.

ذٰلِكَ مِنْ اَنْبَٓاءِ الْقُرٰى نَقُصُّهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا قَٓائِمٌ وَحَص۪يدٌ

THIS ACCOUNT of the [fate of those ancient] communities – some of them still remaining, and some [extinct like] a field mown-down – We convey unto thee [as a lesson for mankind]:

وَكَذٰلِكَ اَخْذُ رَبِّكَ اِذَٓا اَخَذَ الْقُرٰى وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌۜ اِنَّ اَخْذَهُٓ اَل۪يمٌ شَد۪يدٌ

And such is thy Sustainer's punishing grasp whenever He takes to task any community that is given to evildoing: verily, His punishing grasp is grievous, severe!

فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ اُو۬لُوا بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْاَرْضِ اِلَّا قَل۪يلًا مِمَّنْ اَنْجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْۚ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذ۪ينَ ظَلَمُوا مَٓا اُتْرِفُوا ف۪يهِ وَكَانُوا مُجْرِم۪ينَ

BUT, ALAS, among those generations [whom We destroyed] before your time there were no people endowed with any virtue – [people] who would speak out against the [spread of] corruption on earth -except the few of them whom We saved [because of their righteousness], whereas those who were bent on evildoing only pursued pleasures which corrupted their whole being, and so lost themselves in sinning.

اُو۬لٰٓئِكَ الَّذ۪ينَ اَنْعَمَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيّ۪نَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ اٰدَمَ وَمِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍۘ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ اِبْرٰه۪يمَ وَاِسْرَٓاء۪يلَ وَمِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَاجْتَبَيْنَاۜ اِذَا تُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيَاتُ الرَّحْمٰنِ خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا ۩

THESE WERE some of the prophets upon whom Allah bestowed His blessings – [prophets] of the seed of Adam and of those whom We caused to be borne [in the ark] with Noah, and of the seed of Abraham and Israel and [all of them were] among those whom We had guided and elected; [and] whenever the messages of the Most Gracious were conveyed unto them, they would fall down [before Him], prostrating themselves and weeping.

فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ اَضَاعُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّاۙ

Yet they were succeeded by generations [of people] who lost all [thought of] prayer and followed [but] their own lusts; and these will, in time, meet with utter disillusion.

وَكَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ هُمْ اَحْسَنُ اَثَاثًا وَرِءْيًا

And yet, how many a generation have We destroyed before their time-[people] who surpassed them in material power and in outward show!

وَكَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍۜ هَلْ تُحِسُّ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ اَحَدٍ اَوْ تَسْمَعُ لَهُمْ رِكْزًا

for, how many a generation have We destroyed before their time – [and] canst thou perceive any one of them [now], or hear any whisper of them?

قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ الْقُرُونِ الْاُولٰى

Said [Pharaoh]: "And what of all the past generations?"

اَفَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ ف۪ي مَسَاكِنِهِمْۜ اِنَّ ف۪ي ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيَاتٍ لِاُو۬لِي النُّهٰى۟

CAN, THEN, they [who reject the truth] learn no lesson by recalling how many a generation We have destroyed before their time? – [people] in whose dwelling-places they [themselves now] walk about? In this, behold, there are messages indeed for those who are endowed with reason!

ثُمَّ اَنْشَأْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ قُرُونًا اٰخَر۪ينَۜ

AND AFTER them We gave rise to new genera­tions:

وَعَادًا وَثَمُودَا۬ وَاَصْحَابَ الرَّسِّ وَقُرُونًا بَيْنَ ذٰلِكَ كَث۪يرًا

And [remember how We punished the tribes of] Ad and Thamud and the people of Ar-Rass, and many generations [of sinners] in-between:

وَلَقَدْ اٰتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَٓا اَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الْاُو۫لٰى بَصَٓائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

And [then,] indeed, after We had destroyed those earlier generations [of sinners], We vouchsafed unto Moses [Our] revelation as a means of insight for men, and as a guidance and grace, so that they might bethink themselves [of Us].

وَلٰكِنَّٓا اَنْشَأْنَا قُرُونًا فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْعُمُرُۚ وَمَا كُنْتَ ثَاوِيًا ف۪ٓي اَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ تَتْلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيَاتِنَاۙ وَلٰكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِل۪ينَ

nay, but [between them and thee] We brought into being [many] generations, and long was their span of life. And neither didst thou dwell among the people of Madyan, conveying Our messages unto them: nay, but We have [always] been sending [Our message-bearers unto man].

قَالَ اِنَّمَٓا اُو۫ت۪يتُهُ عَلٰى عِلْمٍ عِنْد۪يۜ اَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ قَدْ اَهْلَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِه۪ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ اَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَاَكْثَرُ جَمْعًاۜ وَلَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ

Answered he: “This [wealth] has been given to me only by virtue of the knowledge that is in me!” Did he not know that Allah had destroyed [the arrogant of] many a generation that preceded him – people who were greater than he in power, and richer in what they had amassed? But such as are lost in sin may not be asked about, their sins.

اَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ ف۪ي مَسَاكِنِهِمْۜ اِنَّ ف۪ي ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيَاتٍۜ اَفَلَا يَسْمَعُونَ

[But] can, then, they [who deny the truth] learn no lesson by recalling how many a generation We have destroyed before their time? [people] in whose dwelling-places they [themselves now] walk about? In this, behold, there are messages indeed: will they not, then, listen?

اَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ اَنَّهُمْ اِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ

Are they not aware of how many a generation We have destroyed before their time, [and] that those [that have perished] will never return to them,

وَالَّذ۪ي قَالَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ اُفٍّ لَكُمَٓا اَتَعِدَانِن۪ٓي اَنْ اُخْرَجَ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ الْقُرُونُ مِنْ قَبْل۪ي وَهُمَا يَسْتَغ۪يثَانِ اللّٰهَ وَيْلَكَ اٰمِنْۗ اِنَّ وَعْدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّۚ فَيَقُولُ مَا هٰذَٓا اِلَّٓا اَسَاط۪يرُ الْاَوَّل۪ينَ

But [there is many a one] who says to his parents [whenever they try to imbue him with faith in Allah]: “Fie upon both of you! Do you promise me that I shall be brought forth [from the dead], although [so many] generations have passed away before me?” And [while] they both pray for Allah’s help [and say], “Alas for thee! For, behold, Allah’s promise always comes true!” – he but answers, “All this is nothing but fables of ancient times!”

وَكَمْ اَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ هُمْ اَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ بَطْشًا فَنَقَّبُوا فِي الْبِلَادِۜ هَلْ مِنْ مَح۪يصٍ

AND HOW MANY a generation have We destroyed before those [who now deny the truth] people of greater might than theirs; but [when Our chastise­ment befell them,] they became wanderers on the face of the earth, seeking no more than a place of refuge