Surah At-Tawba
Chapter 9 · Verse 70 · Revealed in Madinah
“Has there not reached them the news of those before them - the people of Noah and [the tribes of] 'Aad and Thamud and the people of Abraham and the companions of Madyan and the towns overturned? Their messengers came to them with clear proofs. And Allah would never have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
Advising the Hypocrites to learn a Lesson from Those before Them
Allah advises the hypocrites who reject the Messengers,
أَلَمْ يَأْتِهِمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
Let us now consider the statement: كَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ (You are) like those before you' in verse 69. According to one exegetical explanation, this is addressed to hypocrites while according to the other explanation, the address is to Muslims. The addition of ` you are' in parenthesis points out in this direction. Thus, it means that ` you too are like people before you. They went for worldly enjoyments and forgot all about the life to come. The result was that they sank into all sorts of sins. So shall you be.
Explaining this verse, Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ عنہ narrates a Hadith in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ . 1n al has been reported to have said that ` you too will take to the ways taken by communities before you. You will imitate them in toto as dittos and clones to the limit that should you see one of them entering into the hole of a lizard (iguana), you will follow him there too.' After having narrated this far, Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ said that should anyone wish to as-certain the thematic authenticity of this Hadith, let him read this verse of the Qur'an: كَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ `(You are) like those before you - 69.'
What does this verse bring up for you today?