Maryam 19:74
Mary · Juz 16 · Page 310
وَكَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم مِّن قَرۡنٍ هُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ أَثَٰثٗا وَرِءۡيٗا ٧٤
And how many a generation have We destroyed before them who were better in possessions and [outward] appearance?
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 19:73–74
The Disbelievers boast over Their good Fortune in the World
Allah, the Exalted, informs that when the clear, evident Ayat of Allah are recited to the disbelievers, they reject them and turn away. They say about those who believe, while boasting to them and arguing that their false religion is correct,
خَيْرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيّاً
(best dwellings and the finest Nadiyyan.) This means the best houses, with the loftiest levels and the finest Nadiyyan, which are meeting rooms for men to gather and discuss matters. Thus, this means that their meeting rooms are full of more people who come to attend. In this they were saying, "How can we be upon falsehood while we are in this manner of successful living" These people were actually those who were concealed in the house of Al-Arqam bin Abi Al-Arqam and its likes from the other houses. This is as Allah says about them,
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ
(And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: "Had it been a good thing, they (the weak and the poor) would not have preceded us thereto!") 46:11 Nuh's people said,
أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ
("Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people) follow you") 26:111 And Allah says,
وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّكِرِينَ
(Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) whom Allah has favored among us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) 6:53 This is why Allah refuted their doubts:
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّن قَرْنٍ
(And how many a generations have We destroyed before them) This means, "How many nations and generations did We destroy of those who denied (this message) due to their disbelief"
هُمْ أَحْسَنُ أَثَاثاً وَرِءْياً
(who were better in wealth, goods and outward appearance) This means that they were better than these present people in wealth, possessions, looks and appearance. Al-A`mash reported from Abu Zibyan, who reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the Ayah,
خَيْرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيّاً
(best dwellings and finest Nadiyyan.) "Position Maqam means home, Nadi means place of gathering, wealth refers to material possessions and outward appearance is how they look physically." Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Position Maqam means dwelling, Nadi means place of gathering and the blessing and happiness that they were living in. This is as Allah says about the people of Fir`awn when He destroyed them and related the story of their situation in the Qur'an,
كَمْ تَرَكُواْ مِن جَنَّتٍ وَعُيُونٍ - وَزُرُوعٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ
(How many gardens and springs that they Fir`awn's people left behind, and green crops and honored places Maqam.) 44:25-26 Therefore, position Maqam refers to their dwellings and splendid bounties, and Nadi is the places of gathering and meeting where they used to congregate. Allah said while relating the story to His Messenger of what happened with the people of Lut,
وَتَأْتُونَ فِى نَادِيكُمُ الْمُنْكَرَ
(And practice Al-Munkar (evil deeds) in your meeting places Nadiyakum.) 29:29 The Arabs call a place of gathering a Nadi."
Page 310
19:65
رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فَٱعۡبُدۡهُ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ لِعِبَٰدَتِهِۦۚ هَلۡ تَعۡلَمُ لَهُۥ سَمِيّٗا ٦٥
Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them - so worship Him and have patience for His worship. Do you know of any similarity to Him?"
19:66
وَيَقُولُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَءِذَا مَا مِتُّ لَسَوۡفَ أُخۡرَجُ حَيًّا ٦٦
And man [i.e., the disbeliever] says, "When I have died, am I going to be brought forth alive?"
19:67
أَوَلَا يَذۡكُرُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَلَمۡ يَكُ شَيۡـٔٗا ٦٧
Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?
19:68
فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَحۡشُرَنَّهُمۡ وَٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ ثُمَّ لَنُحۡضِرَنَّهُمۡ حَوۡلَ جَهَنَّمَ جِثِيّٗا ٦٨
So by your Lord, We will surely gather them and the devils; then We will bring them to be present around Hell upon their knees.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., fallen on their knees from terror or dragged there unwillingly on their knees. ↩
19:69
ثُمَّ لَنَنزِعَنَّ مِن كُلِّ شِيعَةٍ أَيُّهُمۡ أَشَدُّ عَلَى ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ عِتِيّٗا ٦٩
Then We will surely extract from every sect those of them who were worst against the Most Merciful in insolence.
19:70
ثُمَّ لَنَحۡنُ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ أَوۡلَىٰ بِهَا صِلِيّٗا ٧٠
Then, surely it is We who are most knowing of those most worthy of burning therein.
19:71
وَإِن مِّنكُمۡ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَاۚ كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ حَتۡمٗا مَّقۡضِيّٗا ٧١
And there is none of you except he will come to it.1 This is upon your Lord an inevitability decreed.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., be exposed to it. However, the people of Paradise will not be harmed thereby. ↩
19:72
ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْ وَّنَذَرُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ فِيهَا جِثِيّٗا ٧٢
Then We will save those who feared Allāh and leave the wrongdoers within it, on their knees.
19:73
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَيُّ ٱلۡفَرِيقَيۡنِ خَيۡرٞ مَّقَامٗا وَأَحۡسَنُ نَدِيّٗا ٧٣
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Which of [our] two parties is best in position and best in association?"1
1 translator’s note
- In regard to worldly interests. ↩
19:74
وَكَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم مِّن قَرۡنٍ هُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ أَثَٰثٗا وَرِءۡيٗا ٧٤
And how many a generation have We destroyed before them who were better in possessions and [outward] appearance?
19:75
قُلۡ مَن كَانَ فِي ٱلضَّلَٰلَةِ فَلۡيَمۡدُدۡ لَهُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ مَدًّاۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوۡاْ مَا يُوعَدُونَ إِمَّا ٱلۡعَذَابَ وَإِمَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ هُوَ شَرّٞ مَّكَانٗا وَأَضۡعَفُ جُندٗا ٧٥
Say, "Whoever is in error - let the Most Merciful extend for him an extension [in wealth and time] until, when they see that which they were promised - either punishment [in this world] or the Hour [of resurrection] - they will come to know who is worst in position and weaker in soldiers."
19:76
وَيَزِيدُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱهۡتَدَوۡاْ هُدٗىۗ وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٞ مَّرَدًّا ٧٦
And Allāh increases those who were guided, in guidance, and the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord1 for reward and better for recourse.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., in the sight or evaluation of Allāh. ↩
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy