The Holy Quran 22:45 — Surah Al-Hajj

Arabic text

فَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَبِئْرٍ مُّعَطَّلَةٍ وَقَصْرٍ مَّشِيدٍ

Translation

Many were the towns that We destroyed when they were oppressive (when they committed kufr and sin). They now lie collapsed on their roofs (after a quake, it is the roof of a building that usually caves in first, followed by the rest of the building). Many were the (now) disused wells and the (now ruined) fortresses that were once well built. (All these things were once in use and the pride of the nations that owned them. However, Allaah's punishment utterly destroyed them along with their Kuffaar owners).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

That is, as the foundations shook, first the roofs fell in, then the walls, and the whole house collapsed on top of the heap of the roof. This draws a picture of how they were turned upside down. Lessons to Take Heed: that is, wells around which crowds of people drawing water used to gather have today no one left to let a bucket down into them.

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