Ya Sin, Ya-Seen — Verse 31
36:31 · Ya Sin
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أَلَمۡ یَرَوۡا۟ كَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمۡ إِلَیۡهِمۡ لَا یَرۡجِعُونَ ٣١
alam yaraw kam ahlaknā qablahum mina l-qurūni annahum ilayhim lā yarjiʿūn
Ya Sin, Ya-Seen / Ya Sin (36:31)
Connections 2 single-source 1 commentator
Multi-source connections
No verses on this ayah are cited by 2 or more commentators using numeric S:A notation. All extracted references come from a single source's commentary.
Single-source mentions (2) cited by only one commentator
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) 2 verses
Note: these connections are extracted from numeric S:A references inside the commentary text and are therefore biased toward mufassirun who use that notation. Prose-style references (e.g. "Surat al-Baqarah verse 30") will be added later, which should surface additional multi-source consensus.
Do they not see how many generations We have destroyed before them, none of whom will ever come back to them
alam yaraw kam ahlaknā qablahum mina l-qurūni annahum ilayhim lā yarjiʿūn
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Tafsir Commentary
Woe to the Disbelievers!
`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah:
يحَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ
(Alas for mankind!), this means, woe to mankind! Qatadah said:
يحَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ
(Alas for mankind!) means, "Alas for mankind, who have neglected the command of Allah." The meaning is that they will feel regret and sorrow on the Day of Resurrection. When they see the punishment with their own eyes; they will regret how they disbelieved the Messengers of Allah and went against the commands of Allah, for they used to disbelieve in them in this world.
مَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
(There never came a Messenger to them but they used to mock at him.) means, they disbelieved him and made fun of him, and rejected the message of truth with which he had been sent.
The Refutation of the Belief in the Transmigration of Souls
Then Allah says:
أَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّنَ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ
(Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them Verily, they will not return to them.) meaning, `do you not learn a lesson from those whom Allah destroyed before you of those who disbelieved in the Messengers They came to this world only once, and will not return to it.' It is not as many of those ignorant and immoral people claim that
إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا
("There is nothing but our life of this world! We die and we live!") (23:37). This was the belief in the cycle of reincarnation; in their ignorance they believed that they would come back to this world as they had been before. But Allah refuted their false belief and said:
أَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّنَ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ
(Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them Verily, they will not return to them.) Allah's saying:
وَإِن كُلٌّ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ
(And surely, all -- everyone of them will be brought before Us.) means, all of the past nations and those that are yet to come, will be gathered and brought to account before Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, on the Day of Judgement, and they will be requitted according to their good and evil deeds. This is like the Ayah:
وَإِنَّ كُـلاًّ لَّمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ رَبُّكَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ
(And verily, to each of them your Lord will repay their works in full.) (11:111).
Have they — that is those inhabitants of Mecca who said to the Prophet ‘You have not been sent by God!’ Q. 1343 — not seen not come to know the interrogative is meant rhetorically as an affirmative how many kam here is predicative as opposed to interrogative in other words it is to be understood as kathīran ‘many’; it is operated by the statement that comes next below and it comments on the operative clause for the statement that preceded it; the meaning then is as follows indeed many generations communities We have destroyed before them how that they the ones destroyed never return? to those deniers who are now alive? So will they not learn from their example? from annahum ‘how that they’ to the end of the verse is a substitution for the preceding clause kam ahlaknā qablahum mina’l-qurūni bearing in mind the aforementioned general meaning.
Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the wonders of the artifacts? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the subtleties of the duties? Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the signs of the horizons? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the signs of the souls? Do they not look with the eyes of the heart to see the lights of guidance? Do they not look with the eyes of the spirit to see the secrets of solicitude? Do they not look with the eyes of witnessing to see the Presence of the Witnessed? Do they not look with the eyes of ecstasy to see the banner of finding? Do they not look with the eyes of selflessness to see the Friend face-to-face? Do they not look with the eyes of annihilation to see a world without shore? How long will you let this prison deceive you with this and that? It's time to come out of this dark well and see the world- A world in which every heart you find is king, a world in which every spirit you see is joyous! [DS 704-5] O indigent man! How long will you look at the artifacts? Look once at the Artisan! How long will you be distracted by wonders? Look once at the Wonder-Worker! How long will you be a man of every door? A man of every door will never see wholesomeness and deliverance: “Be not a weathercock, lest you perish.” Tearing up a thousand bronze fortresses from the ground is easier than bringing a man of every door back to one door. Abū Yazīd BasṬāmī was asked about the heart. He said, “The heart is that which does not contain the measure of one speck of desire for the creatures.” Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Whenever Salmān Fārsī passed by a ruins he would stop and weep miserably. He would remember those who left that domicile and say, “Where are they, those who set down these foundations and built these houses? They gave their hearts and they tossed away their wealth and lives to adorn these rooms. Once they attached their hearts to them and blossomed like roses on a wall, they fell from the wall and slept in the clay.” Ask the lofty palace about its inhabitant whom it saved from the hard and soft of life. He established his kingdom and enslaved the people, then death's messenger threw him on his face.
Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the wonders of the artifacts? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the subtleties of the duties? Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the signs of the horizons? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the signs of the souls? Do they not look with the eyes of the heart to see the lights of guidance? Do they not look with the eyes of the spirit to see the secrets of solicitude? Do they not look with the eyes of witnessing to see the Presence of the Witnessed? Do they not look with the eyes of ecstasy to see the banner of finding? Do they not look with the eyes of selflessness to see the Friend face-to-face? Do they not look with the eyes of annihilation to see a world without shore? How long will you let this prison deceive you with this and that? It's time to come out of this dark well and see the world- A world in which every heart you find is king, a world in which every spirit you see is joyous! [DS 704-5] O indigent man! How long will you look at the artifacts? Look once at the Artisan! How long will you be distracted by wonders? Look once at the Wonder-Worker! How long will you be a man of every door? A man of every door will never see wholesomeness and deliverance: “Be not a weathercock, lest you perish.” Tearing up a thousand bronze fortresses from the ground is easier than bringing a man of every door back to one door. Abū Yazīd BasṬāmī was asked about the heart. He said, “The heart is that which does not contain the measure of one speck of desire for the creatures.” Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Whenever Salmān Fārsī passed by a ruins he would stop and weep miserably. He would remember those who left that domicile and say, “Where are they, those who set down these foundations and built these houses? They gave their hearts and they tossed away their wealth and lives to adorn these rooms. Once they attached their hearts to them and blossomed like roses on a wall, they fell from the wall and slept in the clay.” Ask the lofty palace about its inhabitant whom it saved from the hard and soft of life. He established his kingdom and enslaved the people, then death's messenger threw him on his face.
Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the wonders of the artifacts? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the subtleties of the duties? Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the signs of the horizons? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the signs of the souls? Do they not look with the eyes of the heart to see the lights of guidance? Do they not look with the eyes of the spirit to see the secrets of solicitude? Do they not look with the eyes of witnessing to see the Presence of the Witnessed? Do they not look with the eyes of ecstasy to see the banner of finding? Do they not look with the eyes of selflessness to see the Friend face-to-face? Do they not look with the eyes of annihilation to see a world without shore? How long will you let this prison deceive you with this and that? It's time to come out of this dark well and see the world- A world in which every heart you find is king, a world in which every spirit you see is joyous! [DS 704-5] O indigent man! How long will you look at the artifacts? Look once at the Artisan! How long will you be distracted by wonders? Look once at the Wonder-Worker! How long will you be a man of every door? A man of every door will never see wholesomeness and deliverance: “Be not a weathercock, lest you perish.” Tearing up a thousand bronze fortresses from the ground is easier than bringing a man of every door back to one door. Abū Yazīd BasṬāmī was asked about the heart. He said, “The heart is that which does not contain the measure of one speck of desire for the creatures.” Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Whenever Salmān Fārsī passed by a ruins he would stop and weep miserably. He would remember those who left that domicile and say, “Where are they, those who set down these foundations and built these houses? They gave their hearts and they tossed away their wealth and lives to adorn these rooms. Once they attached their hearts to them and blossomed like roses on a wall, they fell from the wall and slept in the clay.” Ask the lofty palace about its inhabitant whom it saved from the hard and soft of life. He established his kingdom and enslaved the people, then death's messenger threw him on his face.
Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the wonders of the artifacts? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the subtleties of the duties? Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the signs of the horizons? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the signs of the souls? Do they not look with the eyes of the heart to see the lights of guidance? Do they not look with the eyes of the spirit to see the secrets of solicitude? Do they not look with the eyes of witnessing to see the Presence of the Witnessed? Do they not look with the eyes of ecstasy to see the banner of finding? Do they not look with the eyes of selflessness to see the Friend face-to-face? Do they not look with the eyes of annihilation to see a world without shore? How long will you let this prison deceive you with this and that? It's time to come out of this dark well and see the world- A world in which every heart you find is king, a world in which every spirit you see is joyous! [DS 704-5] O indigent man! How long will you look at the artifacts? Look once at the Artisan! How long will you be distracted by wonders? Look once at the Wonder-Worker! How long will you be a man of every door? A man of every door will never see wholesomeness and deliverance: “Be not a weathercock, lest you perish.” Tearing up a thousand bronze fortresses from the ground is easier than bringing a man of every door back to one door. Abū Yazīd BasṬāmī was asked about the heart. He said, “The heart is that which does not contain the measure of one speck of desire for the creatures.” Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Whenever Salmān Fārsī passed by a ruins he would stop and weep miserably. He would remember those who left that domicile and say, “Where are they, those who set down these foundations and built these houses? They gave their hearts and they tossed away their wealth and lives to adorn these rooms. Once they attached their hearts to them and blossomed like roses on a wall, they fell from the wall and slept in the clay.” Ask the lofty palace about its inhabitant whom it saved from the hard and soft of life. He established his kingdom and enslaved the people, then death's messenger threw him on his face.
Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them?Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the wonders of the artifacts? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the subtleties of the duties?Do they not look with the eyes of the head to see the signs of the horizons? Do they not look with the eyes of the secret core to see the signs of the souls?Do they not look with the eyes of the heart to see the lights of guidance? Do they not look with the eyes of the spirit to see the secrets of solicitude? Do they not look with the eyes of witnessing to see the Presence of the Witnessed? Do they not look with the eyes of ecstasy to see the banner of finding? Do they not look with the eyes of selflessness to see the Friend face-to-face? Do they not look with the eyes of annihilation to see a world without shore?How long will you let this prison deceive you with this and that? It's time to come out of this dark well and see the world-A world in which every heart you find is king,a world in which every spirit you see is joyous! [DS 704-5]O indigent man! How long will you look at the artifacts? Look once at the Artisan! How long will you be distracted by wonders? Look once at the Wonder-Worker! How long will you be a man of every door? A man of every door will never see wholesomeness and deliverance: �Be not a weathercock, lest you perish.� Tearing up a thousand bronze fortresses from the ground is easier than bringing a man of every door back to one door.Abū Yazīd BasṬāmī was asked about the heart. He said, �The heart is that which does not contain the measure of one speck of desire for the creatures.�Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them? Whenever Salmān Fārsī passed by a ruins he would stop and weep miserably. He would remember those who left that domicile and say, �Where are they, those who set down these foundations and built these houses? They gave their hearts and they tossed away their wealth and lives to adorn these rooms. Once they attached their hearts to them and blossomed like roses on a wall, they fell from the wall and slept in the clay.�Ask the lofty palace about its inhabitantwhom it saved from the hard and soft of life.He established his kingdom and enslaved the people, then death's messenger threw him on his face.
ألم ير هؤلاء المستهزئون ويعتبروا بمن قبلهم من القرون التي أهلكناها أنهم لا يرجعون إلى هذه الدينا؟
ثم قال تعالى: "ألم يروا كم أهلكنا قبلهم من القرون أنهم إليهم لا يرجعون" أي ألم يتعظوا بمن أهلك الله قبلهم من المكذبين للرسل كيف لم يكن لهم إلى هذه الدنيا كرة ولا رجعة ولم يكن الأمر كما زعم كثير من جهلتهم وفجرتهم من قولهم "إن هي إلا حياتنا الدنيا نموت ونحيا"وهم القائلون بالدور من الدهرية وهم الذين يعتقدون جهلا منهم أنهم يعودون إلى الدنيا كما كانوا فيها فرد الله تبارك وتعالى عليهم باطلهم فقال تبارك وتعالى "ألم يروا كم أهلكنا قبلهم من القرون أنهم إليهم لا يرجعون".
ثم وبخ - سبحانه - كفار مكة ، بسبب عدم اعتبارهم بمن سبقهم فقال : ( أَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّنَ القرون أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ ) .والقرون : جمع قرن . وهم القوم المتقرنون فى زمن واحد . و " كم " خبرية بمعنى كثير .أى : ألم يعلم كفار مكة أننا أهلكنا كثيرا من الأمم السابقة عليهم ، بسبب إصرارهم على كفرهم ، واستهزائهم برسلهم ، وأن هؤلاء المهلكين لا يرجعون إليهم ليخبروهم بما جرى لهم ، لأنهم لن يستطيعوا ذلك فى الدنيا ، لحكمة أرادها الله - تعالى - .
القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لا يَرْجِعُونَ (31)يقول تعالى ذكره: ألم ير هؤلاء المشركون بالله من قومك يا محمد كم أهلكنا قبلهم بتكذيبهم رسلنا، وكفرهم بآياتنا من القرون الخالية ( أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لا يَرْجِعُونَ ) يقول: ألم يَرَوا أنهم إليهم لا يرجعون.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة ( أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لا يَرْجِعُونَ ) قال: عاد وثمود، وقرون بين ذلك كثير.و " كَمْ" من قوله ( كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا ) في موضع نصب إن شئت بوقوع يروا عليها. وقد ذَكر أن ذلك في قراءة عبد الله: (ألَمْ يَرَوْا مَنْ أهْلَكْنَا) وإن شئت بوقوع أهلكنا عليها؛ وأما " أنهم "، فإن الألف منها فتحت بوقوع يروا عليها. وذُكر عن بعضهم أنه كسر الألف منها على وجه الاستئناف بها، وترك إعمال يروا فيها.
( ألم يروا ) ألم يخبروا ، يعني : أهل مكة ( كم أهلكنا قبلهم من القرون ) والقرن : أهل كل عصر ، سموا بذلك لاقترانهم في الوجود ( أنهم إليهم لا يرجعون ) أي : لا يعودون إلى الدنيا فلا يعتبرون بهم .
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ (31)هذه الجملة بيان لجملة { ما يأتيهم من رسول إلا كانوا به يستهزئؤن } [ يس : 30 ] لما فيها من تفصيل الإِجمال المستفاد من قوله : { ما يأتيهم من رسول إلا كانوا به يستهزئون فإن عاقبة ذلك الاستهزاء بالرسول كانت هلاك المستهزئين ، فعدمُ اعتبار كل أمة كذبت رسولها بعاقبة المكذبين قبلها يثير الحسرة عليها وعلى نظرائها كما أثارها استهزاؤهم بالرسول وقلة التبصر في دعوته ونذارته ودلائل صدقه .وضمير يَرَوا } عائد إلى العباد كما يقتضيه تناسق الضمائر . والمعاد فيه عموم ادعائي كما تقدم آنفاً ، فيتعين أن تخص منه أول أمة كذبت رسولها وهم قوم نوح فإنهم لم يسبق قبلهم هلاك أمة كذبت رسولَها ، فهذا من التخصيص بدليل العقل لأن قوله : { قَبْلَهُم } يرشد بالتأمل إلى عدم شموله أول أمة أرسل إليها .وقيل : يجوز أن يكون ضمير { أَلم يَروا } عائداً إلى ما عاد إليه ضمير { واضْرِب لهُمْ مَثَلاً } [ يس : 13 ] ويكون المثَل قد انتهى بجملة { ياحَسْرَةً على العِبَادِ } [ يس : 30 ] الآية . وهذا بعيد لأنه كان يقتضي أن تعطف الجملة على جملة { واضْرِب لهم مَثَلاً } كما عطفت جملة { وءَايَةٌ لهم الأرض الميتة أحييناها } [ يس : 33 ] الآية ، وجملة { وءاية لهم اللَّيْل نسلَخُ منه النهار } [ يس : 37 ] ، وجملة { وءايةٌ لهم أنَّا حملنا ذريتهم في الفلك المشحون } [ يس : 41 ] ، ولا مُلجىء إلى هذا الاعتبار في المعاد ، وقد علمت توجيه الاعتبار الأول لتصحيح العموم .والاستفهام يجوز أن يكون إنكارياً؛ نزلت غفلتهم عن إهلاك القرون منزلة عدم العلم فأنكر عليهم عدم العلم بذلك وهو أمر معلوم مشهور ، ويجوز كون الاستفهام تقريرياً بُني التقرير على نفي العلم بإهلاك القرآن استقصاء لمعذرتهم حتى لا يسعهم إلا الإِقرار بأنهم عالمون فيكون إقرارهم أشد لزوماً لهم لأنهم استفهموا على النفي فكان يسعهم أن ينفوا ذلك .والرؤية على التقديرين علمية وليست بصرية لأن إهلاك القرون لم يكن مشهوداً لأمة جاءت بعد الأمة التي أهلكت قبلها . وفعل الرؤية معلق عن العمل بورود { كم } لأن { كم } لها صدر الكلام سواء كانت استفهاماً أم خبراً ، فإن { كم } الخبرية منقولة من الاستفهامية وما له صدر الكلام لا يعمل ما قبله فيما بعده .و { كم } في موضع نصب ب { أَهْلَكْنَا : } ومفادها كثرة مبهمة فسّرت بقوله : { مِنَ القُرُونِ } ووقعت { كم } في موضع المفعول لقوله : { أَهْلَكنا } .و { قَبْلَهُم } ظرف ل { أهْلَكْنَا } ومعنى { قَبْلَهُم : } قبل وجودهم .وقوله : { أنَّهُم إليهم لا يَرْجِعون } بدل اشتمال من جملة { أهلكنا } لأن الإِهلاك يشتمل على عدم الرجوع؛ أبدل المصدر المنسبك من «أنَّ» وما بعدها من معنى جملة { كم أهلكنا قبلهم من القرون } لأن معنى تلك الجملة كثرة الإِهلاك أو كثرة المهلكين . وفعل الرؤية عامل في { أنَّهم إليهِم لا يَرْجِعُونَ } بالتبعية لتسلط معنى الفعل على جملة { كَمْ أهْلَكْنَا } لأن التعليق يبطل العمل في اللفظ لا في المحل .وفائدة هذا البدل تقرير تصوير الإِهلاك لزيادة التخويف ، ولاستحضار تلك الصورة في الإِهلاك أي إهلاكاً لا طماعية معه لرجوع إلى الدنيا ، فإن ما يشتمل عليه الإِهلاك من عدم الرجوع إلى الأهل والأحباب مما يزيد الحسرة اتضاحاً .و { إلَيْهِم } متعلق ب { يَرجِعون } وتقديمه على متعلقه للرعاية على الفاصلة .وضمير { إليهم } عائد إلى { العِبَادِ } [ يس : 30 ] ، وضمير { أنَّهُمْ } عائد إلى { القُرُونِ .
قوله تعالى : ألم يروا كم أهلكنا قبلهم من القرون أنهم إليهم لا يرجعون قال سيبويه : أن بدل من كم ، ومعنى كم هاهنا الخبر ، فلذلك جاز أن يبدل منها ما ليس باستفهام . والمعنى : ألم يروا أن القرون الذين أهلكناهم أنهم إليهم لا يرجعون . وقال الفراء : كم في موضع نصب من وجهين : أحدهما ب " يروا " واستشهد على هذا بأنه في قراءة ابن مسعود " ألم يروا من أهلكنا " . والوجه الآخر : أن يكون كم في موضع نصب ب " أهلكنا " . قال النحاس : القول الأول محال ; لأن كم لا يعمل فيها ما قبلها ; لأنها استفهام ، ومحال أن يدخل الاستفهام في خبر ما قبله . وكذا حكمها إذا كانت خبرا ، وإن كان سيبويه قد أومأ إلى بعض هذا ، فجعل أنهم بدلا من كم . وقد رد ذلك محمد بن يزيد أشد رد ، وقال : كم في موضع نصب ب " أهلكنا " و " أنهم " في موضع نصب ، والمعنى عنده بأنهم أي : ألم يروا كم أهلكنا قبلهم من القرون بالاستئصال . قال : والدليل على هذا أنها في قراءة عبد الله " من أهلكنا قبلهم من القرون أنهم إليهم لا يرجعون " . وقرأ الحسن : " إنهم إليهم لا يرجعون " بكسر الهمزة على الاستئناف . وهذه الآية رد على من زعم أن من الخلق من يرجع قبل القيامة بعد الموت .
When a decision is taken by Almighty God to destroy a community, it is enough for Him to direct the forces of nature against it: He does not need to utilise heavenly forces for the purpose. People always mock or ridicule the one who appears to them to be of a low status. This was the case with the prophets. The prophets’ personalities were underestimated by the people and they were considered of too low a standing to represent the Divine Truths.
In verses 28 and 29, it was said: وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِن جُندٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ إِن كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَامِدُونَ " (And We did not send down to his people any army from the heavens after him, nor were We (in need ) to send down. It was no more than a single Cry, and in no time they were extinguished.)
Mentioned here is the Divine punishment that descended upon the people who had rejected the messengers and had beaten up Habib Najjar until he died a martyr. And regarding the sending of punishment, it was said that Allah did not have to send an army of angels to seize these people - nor was it the way of Allah to send such an army, because just a single angel of Allah is enough to destroy the greatest, mightiest and the bravest of nations. Why would he need to send an army of angels? After that, given there was a crisp description of the punishment coming upon them - it was just a single shrill Cry of the angel, and there they were, all extinguished under its sonic sweep. It appears in Hadith narrations that the archangel, Jibra'il al-'amin (علیہ السلام) ، holding the two sides of the city gate, came up with a hard and horrendous Cry, the shock from which proved unbearable for any living soul, and they all succumbed to sudden death.
The state of their dying has been expressed through the word: خَامِدُونَ khamidun) by the Qur'an. The words: خَامِدا (khamada) and خُمُود (khumud) are used to mean the extinguishing or dying of fire. The life of the living depends on energy. When this energy is not there, what remains is death. So, 'khamidun' means extinguished, gone extinct, put off.
(Have they not seen) have the disbelievers of Mecca not been informed (how many generations) past nations (We destroyed before them, which indeed return not unto them) that is until the Day of Judgement;