30:9 Ar-Room (The Romans)

نبههم على السير في الأرض والنظر في عاقبة الذين كذبوا رسلهم وخالفوا أمرهم ممن هم أشد من هؤلاء قوة وأكثر آثارا في الأرض من بناء قصور ومصانع ومن غرس أشجار ومن زرع وإجراء أنهار، فلم تغن عنهم قوتهم ولا نفعتهم آثارهم حين كذبوا رسلهم الذين جاءوهم بالبينات الدالات على الحق وصحة ما جاءوهم به، فإنهم حين ينظرون في آثار أولئك لم يجدوا إلا أمما بائدة وخلقا مهلكين ومنازل بعدهم موحشة وذم من الخلق عليهم متتابع. وهذا جزاء معجل نموذج للجزاء الأخروي ومبتدأ له.وكل هذه الأمم المهلكة لم يظلمهم اللّه بذلك الإهلاك وإنما ظلموا أنفسهم وتسببوا في هلاكها.

قال تعالى "أولم يسيروا في الأرض" أي بأفهامهم وعقولهم ونظرهم وسماعهم أخبار الماضين ولهذا قال "فينظروا كيف كان عاقبة الذين من قبلهم كانوا أشد منهم قوة" أي كانت الأمم الماضية والقرون السالفة أشد منكم قوة أيها المبعوث إليهم محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وأكثر أموالا وأولادا وما أوتيتم معشار ما أوتوا ومكنوا في الدنيا تمكينا لم تبلغوا إليه وعمروا فيها أعمارا طوالا فعمروها أكثر منكم واستغلوها أكثر من استغلالكم ومع هذا فلما جاءتهم رسلهم بالبينات وفرحوا بما أوتوا أخذهم الله بذنوبهم وما كان لهم من الله من واق ولا حالت أموالهم وأولادهم بينهم وبين بأس الله ولا دفعوا عنهم مثقال ذرة وما كان الله ليظلمهم فيما أحل بهم من العذاب والنكال "ولكن كانوا أنفسهم يظلمون" أي وإنما أوتوا من أنفسهم حيث كذبوا بآيات الله واستهزءوا بها وما ذاك إلا بسبب ذنوبهم السالفة وتكذيبهم المتقدم.

فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُواْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً

(9. cont - and see what was the end of those before them They were superior to them in strength, ) meaning, `the nations of the past who came before you were stronger than you to whom Muhammad ﷺ has been sent; they had more wealth and more sons. You have not been given one-tenth of what they were given. They stayed longer in this world than you will stay. They were more civilized than you and were more prosperous in the land than you.' Yet despite all that, when their Messengers came to them with clear signs, while they were enjoying their life of luxury, Allah punished them for their sins and they had no one who could protect them from Allah. Their wealth and sons could not protect them from the wrath of Allah in the slightest, and Allah was not at all unjust towards them when He sent His punishment upon them.

وَلَـكِن كَانُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

(9. cont - but they used to wrong themselves.) They brought destruction upon themselves, when they rejected and mocked the signs of Allah. All of this only happened because of their previous sins and their rejection (of the Messengers). Allah says:

Have they not travelled in the land and beheld how was the consequence for those before them? of past communities which was that they were destroyed for denying their messengers. They were more powerful than them — such were ‘Ād and Thamūd — and they effected the land they tilled it and churned it up to sow crops and cultivate trees and developed it more than these the Meccan disbelievers have developed it; and their messengers brought them clear signs manifest proofs for God would never wrong them by destroying them without being guilty but they used to wrong themselves by denying their messengers.

أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُ‌وا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ (Have they not travelled on earth - 30:9). It means that the Makkans live in a land where there is neither any cultivation and industry nor any tall and beautiful buildings, but for the sake of trade they do travel to Syria and Yemen. So, have they not seen, during the course of their trips, what was the fate of the earlier people, whom Allah Ta’ ala had endowed with skills to make use of the land? For instance, they had the skill to draw underground water by excavating the earth for irrigating fields and gardens, and dig out concealed precious minerals, such as gold and silver, and make use of them to their benefit. For their advanced skills and way of living, they were regarded as civilized nations. But they got engrossed so much in material life, transitory luxuries and comforts that they forgot Allah Ta’ ala and the Hereafter. Then, Allah Ta’ ala sent prophets and books to remind them of their duties, but they did not pay any heed. Ultimately, they were overtaken by Allah's wrath even in this world. The ruins of their desolate cities still stand witness to their destruction. At the end of the verse it is suggested to ponder whether they were subjected to any oppression from Allah Ta’ ala, or they subjected themselves to their own cruelty by accumulating causes of the divine punishment.