The Holy Quran 40:82 — Surah Ghafir

Arabic text

أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوٓا۟ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةً وَءَاثَارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

Translation

Do they (the Kuffaar) not travel (journey) in the lands to see what was the plight (the terrible end) of those (Kuffaar) before them? Those people were more than them (the Kuffaar of present) in numbers, more powerful than them in strength and in terms of the landmarks they left behind on earth (the structures they built). However, everything they earned was of no use to them (when Allaah's punishment arrived).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

That is, many nations have passed before who were far greater than these in numbers and in might and strength. They left behind on the earth monuments and traces far greater than these have. But when Allah’s punishment came, that might, power and equipment were of no use at all. They were simply ruined and destroyed.

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