وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَكِنْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ آلِهَتُهُمُ الَّتِي يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ لَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ ﴿۱۰۱﴾ وَكَذَلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ ﴿۱۰۲﴾ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِمَنْ خَافَ عَذَابَ الْآخِرَةِ ذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَجْمُوعٌ لَهُ النَّاسُ وَذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَشْهُودٌ ﴿۱۰۳﴾ وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلَّا لِأَجَلٍ مَعْدُودٍ ﴿۱۰۴﴾ يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لَا تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِيٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ ﴿۱۰۵﴾ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ شَقُوا فَفِي النَّارِ لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ ﴿۱۰۶﴾

﴾101﴿ Wa maa zalamnaahum wa laakin zalamooo anfusahum famaaa aghnat 'anhum aalihatuhumul latee yad'oona min doonil laahi min shai'il lammaa jaaa'a amru Rabbika wa maa zaadoohum ghaira tatbeeb
﴾102﴿ Wa kazaalika akhzu Rabbika izaaa akhazal quraa wa hiya zaalimah; inna akhzahooo aleemun shadeed
﴾103﴿ Inna fee zaalika la aayatal liman khaafa 'azaabal Aakhirah; zaalika Yawmum majmoo'ul lahun naasu wa zaalika Yawmum mashhood
﴾104﴿ Wa maa nu'akhkhiruhooo illaa li ajalim ma'dood
﴾105﴿ Yawma yaati laa takallamu nafsun illaa bi iznih; faminhum shaqiyyunw wa sa'eed
﴾106﴿ Fa ammal lazeena shaqoo fafin Naari lahum feehaa zafeerunw wa shaheeq

﴾101﴿ And We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves. Then their protectors, whom they called upon besides Allah, did not avail them at all when the punishment of your Lord came upon them, and they only increased them in ruin
﴾102﴿ And such is the taking of your Lord when He seizes the towns while they are wrongdoing. Indeed, His taking is painful and severe
﴾103﴿ Indeed, in this there is a lesson for anyone who fears the punishment of the Hereafter. Such is the day on which all people will be gathered, and it is a day on which testimony will be given
﴾104﴿ And we do not delay it except for a short while
﴾105﴿ The day will come (the promised day) when no soul will be able to speak except by the permission of Allah, the Exalted. Then, some of them will be wretched, and some will be blessed
﴾106﴿ So those who are wretched will be in the Fire, and for them therein is a loud cry and lamentation

[101] This verse also relates to the previous events and mentions the reason for their punishment — which was shirk (associating partners with Allah).
It refutes the idea of shirk by clarifying that all these nations took gods and authorities besides Allah, believing those deities could help them or control matters.
However, when the punishment came, those so-called gods did not help them at all, and in fact, their attachment to them only increased their destruction.
The phrase (وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ) means: Their false gods and the worship they offered to them did nothing but bring ruin.
A similar meaning is found in Surah al-Aḥqāf (46:28), confirming that their worship was not just useless — it actually accelerated their downfall.
[102] This verse contains a warning meant to cause the present people to reflect and take heed.
It also clearly states the reason for the punishment that befell the previous nations — which was ẓulm (wrongdoing or injustice).
The message is: just as those before were destroyed for their oppression, disbelief, and corruption, those who repeat their actions are also at risk of the same fate, and should not feel secure from Allah’s justice.
[103] This verse indicates that fear of the punishment of the Hereafter should lead people to take lesson from the worldly punishments of past nations.
It marks a transition in the narrative from worldly warnings to warnings of the Hereafter.
In this verse, two names of the Hereafter are mentioned, highlighting its seriousness and reminding people that just as worldly punishments were real, so too is the punishment of the next life — greater and more lasting.
[104] This verse indicates that the coming of the Day of Judgment is entirely under the control of Allah, and that it has a fixed and appointed time which no one knows except Him.
It emphasizes that the timing of the Final Hour is neither random nor delayed unjustly — it is based on divine wisdom and decree.
[105] This verse describes the awe and dread of the Day of Judgment, similar to what is mentioned in Surah al-Anbiyā’ (21:28).
It presents the division of people into two main groups:
1. Shaqī (wretched) — this group has two levels:
– The high-level shaqī: the disbeliever or polytheist, who is in complete opposition to faith.
– The lower-level shaqī: the sinful believer, who, though having faith, is burdened by major sins.
2. Saʿīd (blessed) — these are the righteous and successful ones, who are obedient to Allah and attain salvation.
This division emphasizes the justice of the Hereafter, where everyone will be classified according to faith and deeds.
[106] This verse contains a warning of the Hereafter directed at one group — the wretched (شَقِي). A shaqī is someone who has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger, or is a sinner, or a polytheist or disbeliever.
(زَفِيرٌ) — refers to the sighing or exhaling sound made in times of grief, sorrow, or deep regret.
(شَهِيقٌ) — refers to the inhaling gasp, taken with force and intensity.
These two sounds are likened to the braying of donkeys:
– Zafīr is the deep throaty sound, – Shahīq is the sharp chest-drawn gasp.
Together, they express extreme inner pain and agony, and in Hell, they represent the emotional and physical torment of those suffering — their cries are both loud and broken, symbolizing their total despair.