Surah Sad, Ayah 16

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.'

عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا (0 our Lord, give us our share [ of the punishment ] sooner, - 38:16 ). The word: قِطّ (qitt) used here is, in reality, the document through which someone has been promised with a reward. Later, this word came to be used also as a 'share' in an absolute sense. Here, this very sense is meant, that is, 'let us have whatever share is coming to us from the reward and punishment of the Hereafter right here in this world.'

Those who rejected the Prophet used to say, ‘Bring upon us God’s punishment with which you are threatening us.’ The non-believers were so audacious because they believed that they were not going to face God’s punishment. The previous communities had also considered themselves safe and behaved insolently with their prophets, but all of them were destroyed.