[ Ruby’s note – God only decide to destroy a community when the entire community is saturated in sin and continue doing transgression. They must go beyond the threshold of no return. Then allowing the corrupt people to come to power is a natural consequence that aggravate the situation and lead it to destruction. The safeguard against this is for the good people understand this process and relentlessly try to salvage the community through activism and advice.]
17. [al-Israa, Mecca 50]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذَا
أَرَدْنَا أَن
نُّهْلِكَ
قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا
مُتْرَفِيهَا
فَفَسَقُواْ
فِيهَا...
17: 16. When We decide to destroy a population, We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress;
C2192. Allah's Mercy gives every chance to the wicked to repent. When wickedness gets so rampant that punishment becomes inevitable, even then Allah's Mercy and Justice act together.
Those who are highly gifted from Allah -it may be with wealth or position, or it may be with talents and opportunities- are expected to understand and obey. They are given a definite order and warning. If they still transgress there is no further room for argument. They cannot plead that they were ignorant. The command of the Lord is proved against them, and its application is called for beyond doubt. Then it is that their punishment is completed.
...فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا ﴿١٦﴾
so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them utterly.
C2193. Qaul here has the sense of word, order, law, charge framed against one under a definite law.
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا
مِنَ الْقُرُونِ
مِن بَعْدِ
نُوحٍ...
17: 17. How many generations have We destroyed after Noah?
C2194. Noah's Flood is taken as a new starting point in history. But even after that hundreds of empires, towns, and generations have perished for their wickedness.
...وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًَا بَصِيرًا ﴿١٧﴾
And enough is thy Lord to note and see the sins of His servants.
C2195. Let not the wicked think, because they are given a lease of life and luxury for a time, that their wickedness has escaped notice.
Allah notes and sees all things, both open and secret. He knows the hidden motives and thoughts of men, and He has no need of any other evidence. His knowledge and sight are all-sufficient.
17: 16
Pickthall And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and We annihilate it with complete annihilation.
Yuksel If We wish to destroy a town, We allow its privileged hedonists to rule it, then they commit evil in it, then it deserves the punishment, then We destroy it completely.
Transliteration Wa iza_ aradna_ an nuhlika qaryatan amarna_ mutrafiha_ fa fasaqu_ fiha_ fa haqqa 'alaihal qaulu fa dammarna_ha_ tadmira_(n).
[[Ali’s notes - 2192 Allah's Mercy gives every chance to the wicked to repent. When wickedness gets so rampant that punishment becomes inevitable, even then Allah's Mercy and Justice act together. Those who are highly gifted from Allah-it may be with wealth or position, or it may be with talents and opportunities-are expected to understand and obey. They are given a definite order and warning. If they still transgress there is no further room for argument. They cannot plead that they were ignorant. The command of the Lord is proved against them, and its application is called for beyond doubt. Then it is that their punishment is completed. (17.16)
2193 Qaul here has the sense of word, order, law, charge framed against one under a definite law. (17.16)]]
17: 17
Pickthall How many generations have we destroyed since Noah! And Allah suffices as knower and Beholder of the sins of His slaves.
Yuksel How many a generation have We destroyed after Noah? It is enough for your Lord [wrong translation] to have knowledge and sight over the sins of His servants.