40. Sura al Mu’min

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَوَ لَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ...

40:21 [Ali]. Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them?

C4386. Cf. 30:9. and several other similar passages.

... كَانُوا هُمْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَآثَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ ...

They were even superior to them in strength, and in the traces (they have left) in the land:

C4387. See n. 3515 to 30:9.

We can learn from the history of previous nations. Many of them were more powerful, or have left finer and more imposing monuments and made a deeper impression on the world around them than any particular generation addressed. "Traces" in the text may be taken in that extended sense. And yet all this did not save them from the consequences of their sins. They were called to account and punished. None of the power or pomp or skill of which they boasted could for a moment ward off the punishment when it came in God's good time.

... فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ ﴿٢١﴾

but Allah did call them to account for their sins, and none had they to defend them against Allah.

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانَت تَّأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَكَفَرُوا...

40: 22. That was because there came to them their messengers with Clear (Signs), but they rejected them:

C4388. But Allah in His Mercy always sends a Message of warning and good news through his messengers, and He gives His messengers Clear Signs and an authority that can be recognised.

Among the Clear Signs are:

- the pure and unselfish lives of the messengers;

- the revelation of truth which they bring;

- their influence on the course of events in their own and succeeding generations; etc. Some of these may be so remarkable that they merit the name of Miracles.

... فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ...

So Allah called them to account:

... إِنَّهُ قَوِيٌّ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ﴿٢٢﴾

for He is full of Strength, Strict in Punishment.

Asad’s Version:

40:21 Have they, then, never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those [deniers of the truth] who lived before their time? Greater were they in power than they are, and in the impact which they left on earth: but God took them to task for their sins, and they had none to defend them against God:

(40:22) this, because their apostles had come to them with all evidence of the truth, and yet they rejected it: and so God took them to task - for, verily, He is powerful, severe in retribution!