فَقُلنَا اذهَبا إِلَى القَومِ الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا بِآياتِنا فَدَمَّرناهُم تَدميرًا

We instructed, “Go to the people who denied Our signs.” Then, We destroyed them utterly.

وَقَومَ نوحٍ لَمّا كَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ أَغرَقناهُم وَجَعَلناهُم لِلنّاسِ آيَةً ۖ وَأَعتَدنا لِلظّالِمينَ عَذابًا أَليمًا

And the people of Noah—when they rejected the messengers, We drowned them, and made them a sign for all people. For the wrongdoers, We prepared a severe punishment.

وَعادًا وَثَمودَ وَأَصحابَ الرَّسِّ وَقُرونًا بَينَ ذٰلِكَ كَثيرًا

And Aad, Thamud, the inhabitants of Rass, and many generations in between.

وَكُلًّا ضَرَبنا لَهُ الأَمثالَ ۖ وَكُلًّا تَبَّرنا تَتبيرًا

We presented each of them with parables, and then We obliterated them completely.

وَلَقَد أَتَوا عَلَى القَريَةِ الَّتي أُمطِرَت مَطَرَ السَّوءِ ۚ أَفَلَم يَكونوا يَرَونَها ۚ بَل كانوا لا يَرجونَ نُشورًا

They passed by the town that was drenched by the terrible downpour. Didn’t they see it? Yet, they don’t expect resurrection.

إِن كادَ لَيُضِلُّنا عَن آلِهَتِنا لَولا أَن صَبَرنا عَلَيها ۚ وَسَوفَ يَعلَمونَ حينَ يَرَونَ العَذابَ مَن أَضَلُّ سَبيلًا

“He almost led us away from our gods, had we not firmly adhered to them.” They will realize, when they witness the punishment, who strayed further.

أَرَأَيتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلـٰهَهُ هَواهُ أَفَأَنتَ تَكونُ عَلَيهِ وَكيلًا

Have you considered the one who makes his own desire his god? Can you be responsible for him?

أَم تَحسَبُ أَنَّ أَكثَرَهُم يَسمَعونَ أَو يَعقِلونَ ۚ إِن هُم إِلّا كَالأَنعامِ ۖ بَل هُم أَضَلُّ سَبيلًا

Do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are like cattle; in fact, they are even further astray from the path.

أَلَم تَرَ إِلىٰ رَبِّكَ كَيفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ وَلَو شاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ ساكِنًا ثُمَّ جَعَلنَا الشَّمسَ عَلَيهِ دَليلًا

Didn’t you see how your Lord causes the shadow to extend? Had He willed, He could’ve made it still. And We made the sun its indicator.

ثُمَّ قَبَضناهُ إِلَينا قَبضًا يَسيرًا

Then We retract it towards Us in gradual stages.