وَتِلكَ القُرىٰ أَهلَكناهُم لَمّا ظَلَموا وَجَعَلنا لِمَهلِكِهِم مَوعِدًا

Those are the towns that We destroyed when they were wrongdoers, and We appointed a tryst for their destruction.

EXEGESIS

Qurā (towns) is the plural of qaryah, meaning a town, city, or settlement. Here it is referring to the people of those townships,^{‎[1]Tibyan, 7/65.} as evidenced by the usage of the human plural hum in ahlaknāhum.^{‎[2]Tabrisi, 6/739; Tabari, 15/175.}

Mahlik (destruction) is from halaka, meaning to be destroyed. Mahlik refers to the place or time that someone is destroyed, like maghrib refers to the place that the sun sets, or the time. Here it should be referring to the time of their destruction.^{‎[3]Tibyan, 7/64-65; Qurtubi, 11/8.}

EXPOSITION

This verse concludes the subtheme of ẓulm that began in verse 50, informing the reader of the final outcome that awaits all wrongdoing, which is destruction, be it hastened or delayed. Denying the signs of God, turning away from the prophets and messengers, arguing baselessly, intentionally fabricating lies to mislead people, oppression, greed, pride, lust, these are all arguably reasons for the destruction of a nation, but they are all in essence one and the same, they are ẓulm. God informs mankind that for ẓulm they should not expect any other outcome. This is the ‘true account’ of ẓulm, which He sees and wishes for us to also comprehend.

Those are the towns that We destroyed: this is said to be referring to ʿĀd and Thamūd and their likes.^{‎[4]Tabrisi, 6/739; Tabari, 15/175.} The word Those indicates nations close by and known to the Arabs of the time, so that they may take heed. In their trade routes to the Levant, Yemen, and other places, they would see the ruins of these past civilisations (see 37:137).^{‎[5]Muhit, 7/195; Tantawi, 8/545.} By pointing out that previous nations were given appointed times and conditions for their destruction, God imparts to the audience of the Quran that they should not think they are an exception, rather this is the practice of God.^{‎[6]Mizan, 13/334-335.}

The usage of towns, whilst omitting mentioning its inhabitants (ahl), evokes the imagery of empty cities. The nations and people who populated them destroyed and gone, the ruins of their structures a ghostly reminder of what became of them. It also evokes the duality of man, who, without spirituality and connection to God, is merely an empty shell, a testament to the destructive conclusion of ẓulm.

When they were wrongdoers: when does not mean the specific moment, that is, as soon as they commit wrongdoing God would punish them (in fact the point of this and the previous verse is the exact opposite of this), rather it means the state of wrongdoing.^{‎[7]See Alusi, 8/288-289. This verse has been used as evidence that lammā (when) is a particle (ḥarf) and not an adverb (ẓarf), since here it is referring to the cause of the destruction, which is not the function of ẓarf (Muhit, 7/195).}

The object of wrongdoing is omitted here, to impart that any type of wrongdoing brings about eventual destruction.

And We appointed a tryst for their destruction: the conjunction and can be seen as either further explaining what preceded or as adding new information. In the first case it would mean that God only brought about their worldly destruction when the determined conditions had been fulfilled, not when some ignorant people from amongst them mockingly asked to be destroyed. Simply because the punishment has not come to them yet does not mean it is not coming, but rather that it has been delayed to an appointed time. In the second case it would mean that in addition to their worldly destruction they are also appointed destruction and punishment in the hereafter. In this case, mahlik is referring to time (the Day of Judgement), or place (the fire of hell). This would make the usage of mahlik most emphatic indeed. The first time they were destroyed (ahlaknāhum) is almost immaterial compared to the true destruction (mahlikihim) awaiting them in the hereafter.

If worldly punishment is intended, it means that the Meccans are being warned, if the punishment of the hereafter is intended, the scope of the verse becomes larger and includes all nations.^{‎[8]Mizan, 13/335.} There is no problem to assume that both are intended. This intentional ambiguity is a hallmark style of the Quran, which makes its message timeless and evocative for every reader.

In any case, appointing an affixed time for destruction is evidence of God’s wisdom. Like we discussed in previous verses, it is also a reminder to the believers that they should not think worldly success is a sign of God’s pleasure.^{‎[9]Qaraati, 5/193.} This ties in heavily to the earlier stories, especially of the People of the Cave, when they might have thought as to why God allows the injustice of the Romans to continue, or why He allows idolatry to remain. God reminds that He has a plan, and the destruction of such evil has an appointed time.

[1] Tibyan, 7/65.
[2] Tabrisi, 6/739; Tabari, 15/175.
[3] Tibyan, 7/64-65; Qurtubi, 11/8.
[4] Tabrisi, 6/739; Tabari, 15/175.
[5] Muhit, 7/195; Tantawi, 8/545.
[6] Mizan, 13/334-335.
[7] See Alusi, 8/288-289. This verse has been used as evidence that lammā (when) is a particle (ḥarf) and not an adverb (ẓarf), since here it is referring to the cause of the destruction, which is not the function of ẓarf (Muhit, 7/195).
[8] Mizan, 13/335.
[9] Qaraati, 5/193.