Ta-Ha 128: Did it not bring them to the (right) path that We have destroyed many generations before them? But they are walking on their lands. Verily, in this, there are lessons for those who use their intellect.
Contents
Explanation
Translation
Did it not bring them to the (right) path that We have destroyed many generations before them? But they are walking on their lands. Verily, in this, there are lessons for those who use their intellect.
Tafsir
Allah (swt) created mankind for the knowledge of His Essence. Allah (swt) destroyed the people on earth who became unruly by denying Allah and the Hereafter. He replaced them with other tribes. Allah (swt) tells us about the destruction of these tribes by giving various examples. In this context, he warns people by explaining that His Divine Essence is eternal and everlasting, that He is aware of everything, that all beings will return to His Essence, and that every soul is responsible to Allah (swt) and will be held accountable for what they have done in the world on the Day of Reckoning after the Judgment.
Do these people not see how We destroyed those before them who disbelieved in Allah and the Hereafter?" In this verse, Allah addresses the minds of the people and informs them that His existence is true and that there is no other god but Allah. (Did not Our destroying the generations before them set them straight? Yet they wander in their dwellings). This is addressed to the people; O people! What is it that drives you away from Allah, when you are traveling or residing in the lands of the destroyed tribes as tourists, when you see their destruction, when you are acquainted with them and see the signs of their destruction? Don't you use your minds?
There are great signs in the destruction of these peoples for those who use their minds. Does not Allah (swt) inform people to obey and worship Allah (swt) with every verse, that Allah (swt) is eternal, that Allah (swt) is aware of everything, that Allah (swt) is omniscient, that Allah (swt) is omnipotent in His property, that the Hereafter exists, that people will be held accountable for their deeds, that there is no other god but Him, that He created His creations to make Himself known? Doesn't He promise to bestow upon them the endless blessings of the Hereafter in return? Allah does not want us to work for His sustenance, nor does He want us to provide for Him. Because Allah does not need anything. He is the provider of His creatures. So what is it that drives us away from Allah and makes us disbelieve and persist in disbelief against Him?
What is said in the video
Surah Ta-Ha, the 128th verse. Yes, that Our having destroyed so many generations before them did not set them on the right way, it says. The people of 'Ad, the people of Lot, the people of Thamud, Pharaoh, for instance — in the face of today's miracles — "your lifeless body today I will leave as a lesson to the worlds, I will save," as the verse says; His leaving it, its being in a (?) museum in England today, sir, events like these, the events of the people of Lot, of Noah's flood — have they not given us lessons? What does it say? Does Our having destroyed so many generations before them not set them on their way?
it says. Yet they walk about in their dwellings. In this there are surely many lessons for those of understanding.
Allah Almighty created people so that His Being would be known. The peoples on earth who grew rebellious by denying Allah and the Hereafter, Allah Almighty destroyed.
In place of these peoples He brought other peoples. So Allah Almighty, giving various examples, tells us of the destruction of these peoples. In this context, that His divine Being is without beginning and without end, that He is aware of everything, that all beings will return to Him, and that after the Last Day comes, on that Day of Reckoning every soul is responsible before Allah Almighty and will be called to account for what they did in this world — by telling this, He warns people.
Have these people not seen those before them who denied Allah and the Hereafter, how We destroyed them — in this verse where He says this, Allah Almighty, appealing to people's reason, makes known that His existence is true, that besides Allah there is no other god. Namely: has Our destroying the generations before them not set them on the way ? Yet they walk about in their dwellings. So, addressing people: O people, since you travel as tourists in the lands of the destroyed peoples or live there, while you see that they were destroyed, while you learn about them and see the traces of their destruction, what is it that drives you away from Allah?
Do you not use your reason? In the destruction of these peoples there are great lessons for those who use their reason. Allah's being everlasting, Allah's being aware of everything, His being absolute power in His dominion, the existence of the Hereafter, that people will be called to account for what they did, that there is no other god besides Him, that He created His creatures so that His Being would be known — with each of His verses does Allah Almighty not make known to people that He is to be obeyed and worshipped? Yes. In return, that He will grant them the endless blessings of the Hereafter — does He not promise this? Does Allah, making us work for Himself, want sustenance to be given to Him?
Nor does He want to be given sustenance. Because Allah needs nothing. He is the One who provides for His creatures. So what is it that drives us away from Allah, leads us to denial against Him and makes us persist? Yes.