10. Surah Yunus

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُواْ...   

10: 13.  Generations before you We destroyed when they did wrong:

...وَجَاءتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَمَا كَانُواْ لِيُؤْمِنُواْ...

their Messengers came to them with Clear Signs, but they would not believe!

...كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿١٣﴾  

Thus do We requite those who sin!

ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ خَلاَئِفَ فِي الأَرْضِ مِن بَعْدِهِم لِنَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٤﴾

10: 14.  Then We made you heirs in the land after them, to see how ye would behave!

C1401. This is addressed to the Quraish in the first instance, for they had succeeded to the 'Ad and the Thamud heritage.

But the application is universal, and was true to the 'Abbasi Empire in the time of Harun-ar-Rashid, or the Muslim Empire in Spain or the Turkish Empire in its palmiest days, and indeed, apart from political power, to the Muslims and non-Muslims of our own days.

Other versions:

10: 13 [Yunus, Mecca 51]

Yusuf Ali Generations before you We destroyed when they did wrong: their Apostles came to them with Clear Signs but they would not believe! Thus do We requite those who sin!

Pickthall We destroyed the generations before you when they did wrong; and their messengers (from Allah) came unto them with clear proofs (of His Sovereignty) but they would not believe. Thus do We reward the guilty folk:

Transliteration Wa laqad ahlaknal quru_na min qablikum lamma_ zalamu_, wa ja_'athum rusuluhum bil bayyina_ti wa ma_ ka_nu_ liyu'minu_, kaza_lika najzil qaumal mujrimin(a).

10: 14

Yusuf Ali Then We made you heirs in the land after them to see how ye would behave!

Pickthall Then We appointed you viceroys in the earth after them, that We might see how ye behave.

Transliteration Summa ja'alna_kum khala_'ifa fil ardi mim ba'dihim liyanzura kaifa ta'malu_n(a).