Surah Al-Israa
Chapter 17 · Verse 17 · Revealed in Makkah
“And how many have We destroyed from the generations after Noah. And sufficient is your Lord, concerning the sins of His servants, as Acquainted and Seeing.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
A Threat to Quraysh
Warning the disbelievers of the Quraysh for rejecting His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, Allah says that He destroyed other nations who rejected the Messengers after Nuh. This indicates that during the centuries between Adam and Nuh, humans were following Islam, as Ibn `Abbas said: "Between Adam and Nuh there were ten generations, during all of which humans were following Islam." The meaning (of the Ayah) is: "You disbelievers are not more dear to Allah than they were, and you have rejected the most noble of the Messengers and the best of creation, so you are more deserving of punishment."
وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرَا بَصِيرًا
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
Sequence
Previous verses said that it is the customary practice of Allah Ta` ala that he does not send punishment upon a people until the commandments of Allah reach them through the blessed prophets which they still refuse to obey. Given in the verses cited above is what happens on the other side when the messages of Allah and His Messenger do reach a people and they still show contumacy, then, a mass punishment is sent over them.
What does this verse bring up for you today?