The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 587
PT. 21 AR-RŪM CH. 30 كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ how evil was the end of those who were before them? They power, and they tilled the soil كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَآثَارُوا الْأَرْضَ were stronger than these in وَعَمَرُوهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا and populated it more and وَجَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَتِ فَمَا كَانَ better than these have populated it. And their Messengers came اللهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ to them with manifest Signs يَظْلِمُونَ "And Allah would not wrong them, but they wronged their own souls. 2996 ثُمَّ كَانَ عَاقِبَةَ الَّذِينَ آسَاءُ والسواى آن Then evil was the end of. 11 those who did evil, because they كَذَّبُوا بِايْتِ اللهِ وَكَانُوا بِهَا يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ & rejected the Signs of Allah, and mocked at them. 2997 4:41; 9:70; 10:45. 18:50; 29:32. 2996. Important Words: (tilled) is derived from which means, it was or became raised or stirred up; it spread; it rose. means, the water flowed forth with force; it gushed forth. means, he raised or roused him or it. means, he tilled the ground or land; he cultivated it by ploughing and sowing. means, he excited mischief amongst them (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: The verse indicates that there had lived in the past people who had attained to a very high stage of civilization and culture; particularly they had made great progress in the art of architecture, mining and cultivation. Recent researches in archaeology have borne testimony to this fact. The Quran had referred to 2501 this fact fourteen hundred years ago. 2997. Commentary: As stated above the truth and triumph of Islam form the basic and central theme of the present Surah. In v. 8 above we are told that the of disbelievers endeavours are confined to the acquisition of things of the material world, and that they give no thought to the fact that there is a better and higher spiritual life after this life and that the real purpose and aim of all religions, as of Islam, is the realization of this supreme fact. The present and the preceding two verses deal with the truth of Islam and adduce three arguments in its support: (a) The creation of man and the subjection of all created things to his service; (b) the great wisdom and beautiful design and order that pervade the entire universe; and