Surah Sad, Ayah 15

A Reminder of Those Who were destroyed among the Previous Nations

Allah tells us about those past nations and the punishment and vengeance that struck them for their going against the Messengers and disbelieving in the Prophets, peace be upon them. We have already seen their stories in detail in numerous places (in the Qur'an). Allah says:

أُوْلَـئِكَ الاٌّحْزَابُ

(such were the Confederates.) meaning, `they were greater and stronger than you, they had more wealth and children, but that did not protect them from the punishment of Allah at all when the command of your Lord came to pass.' Allah says:

إِن كُلٌّ إِلاَّ كَذَّبَ الرٌّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ

(Not one of them but denied the Messengers; therefore My torment was justified.) `The reason for their destruction was their disbelief in the Messengers, so let those who are addressed here beware and be afraid.'

The word: فَوَاقُ (fawaq) in verse 15: مَّا لَهَا مِن فَوَاقٍ (that will have no pause.) is used in Arabic to convey several meanings. To begin with, 'fawaq' is the period of time that intervenes between milking an animal and creation of milk in its teats once again. Then, it also means 'comfort.' Whatever the case, the sense is that the Horn صُور (Sur) blown by Sayyidna Israfil (علیہ السلام) would be so continuous that there will be no pause in it. (Qurtubi)

God’s blessing of guidance is not meted out in such a way that one who is favoured with worldly greatness is also granted God’s guidance. If worldly greatness were enough to make people great in the eyes of God, it would have become possible for them to confer God’s grace on anybody they liked, while withholding blessings from all others. But the fact is that God bestows His grace by His own standards and not by those laid down by human beings on the basis of appearances.