Tafheem ul Quran
Surah 9 At-Tawbah, Ayat 69-69
كَالَّذِيۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِكُمۡ كَانُوۡۤا اَشَدَّ مِنۡكُمۡ قُوَّةً وَّاَكۡثَرَ اَمۡوَالًا وَّاَوۡلَادًا ؕ فَاسۡتَمۡتَعُوۡا بِخَلَاقِهِمۡ فَاسۡتَمۡتَعۡتُمۡ بِخَلَاقِكُمۡ كَمَا اسۡتَمۡتَعَ الَّذِيۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِكُمۡ بِخَلَاقِهِمۡ وَخُضۡتُمۡ كَالَّذِىۡ خَاضُوۡا ؕ اُولٰۤـئِكَ حَبِطَتۡ اَعۡمَالُهُمۡ فِى الدُّنۡيَا وَالۡاٰخِرَةِ ۚ وَاُولٰۤـئِكَ هُمُ الۡخٰسِرُوۡنَ
﴿9:69﴾
[9:69] Your ways are like the ways of those who have gone before you.76
They were mightier than you in power, and more abundant in riches and children.
They enjoyed their lot for a while as you have enjoyed your lot, and you also
engaged in idle talk as they did. Their works have come to naught in this world,
and in the Hereafter they are surely the losers.
Notes
76. In the preceding verse, they were being mentioned in the third person,
but here they are being addressed directly in the second person.