أَلَم يَرَوا كَم أَهلَكنا قَبلَهُم مِنَ القُرونِ أَنَّهُم إِلَيهِم لا يَرجِعونَ

Have they not regarded how many generations We have destroyed before them who will not come back to them?

EXEGESIS

Qurūn is the plural of qarn, meaning a generation of people of one time succeeding another, regardless of how short or long the time gap between them and irrespective of their numbers.^{‎[1]Lane, p. 2988.} People of different eras are called qurūn because their existence is associated with a time and era.^{‎[2]Tabrisi, 8/661.} It is said that a qarn is 100 years, while some say it is forty years.^{‎[3]Daqaiq, 7/374.}

EXPOSITION

In this verse, God reprimands people for not learning lessons from the calamities that befell past generations due to their defiance and wrong decisions. After their destruction, they were taken in a way that they could not return to the extravagant and unvirtuous lives they lived in this world.^{‎[4]Mizan, 17/81.}

This verse is warning the Meccan idolaters, who did not learn lessons from the past nations that were destroyed by the might of God and who cannot return to this world, that they may end up in a similar fate and be destroyed if they follow their course.^{‎[5]Tabrisi, 8/661.}

Based on this, the plural pronoun in Have they not regarded could be referring to the inhabitants of the town, or it may refer to the people of Mecca to whom these verses were first recited. However, the plural servants in the previous verse includes every man of understanding who does not learn lessons from the historical destruction of the wicked and evil nations who were destroyed entirely due to their tyranny and mocking of the divine messengers. God is drawing attention to a large number of the destroyed nations of the past to create an impact on the Meccans so that they can become aware and wake up from their heedlessness, and thus reform and change themselves before it is too late.^{‎[6]Amthal, 14/166.}  

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘So ponder on what had befallen from the might of God upon the arrogant nations before you, from His cleansing, violent chastisement, and punishments. Take admonition from the resting places of their cheeks and the ground of their lying bodies. Seek God’s refuge from the dangers of pride as you seek His protection from calamities of the time. Indeed, if God had allowed anyone to indulge in pride, He would have allowed his selected prophets and successors, but He disliked pride and liked humbleness for them.’^{‎[7]Nahj, sermon 192.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

One probability for come back to them is returning to the people of this world. Another probability is that those who remained on the earth are neither from the progeny of the destroyed nations nor related to them in any way, so by their destruction God discontinued that nation totally from those who are in this world. The first probability is narrated, and the second probability is logically more apparent.^{‎[8]Razi, 26/64.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human beings and birds and animals and reptiles.^{‎[9]Romans 1:18-32.}
2. “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards, destroying them with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord.
3. Declares the Lord: “I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me …” With a blinding flash, he destroys the stronghold and brings the fortified city to ruin.^{‎[10]Amos 5:9-11.}
4. “Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Captors, and the Arameans from Kir? Surely the eyes of the Sovereign Lord are on the sinful kingdom. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. Yet I will not totally destroy the descendants of Jacob.”^{‎[11]Amos 9:8.}

[1] Lane, p. 2988.
[2] Tabrisi, 8/661.
[3] Daqaiq, 7/374.
[4] Mizan, 17/81.
[5] Tabrisi, 8/661.
[6] Amthal, 14/166.
[7] Nahj, sermon 192.
[8] Razi, 26/64.
[9] Romans 1:18-32.
[10] Amos 5:9-11.
[11] Amos 9:8.