Towards Understanding the Quran
With kind permission of Islamic Foundation UK
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Tafsirs: Maarif | Dawat | Ishraq | Clear
Surah Al-Anbya 21:94-96   Chapters ↕   Word for Word
Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-29 [2], 30-41 [3], 42-50 [4], 51-75 [5], 76-93 [6], 94-112 [7]
فَمَنْThen whoeverیَّعْمَلْdoesمِنَ[of]الصّٰلِحٰتِ[the] righteous deedsوَ هُوَwhile heمُؤْمِنٌ(is) a believerفَلَاthen notكُفْرَانَ(will be) rejectedلِسَعْیِهٖ ۚ[of] his effortوَ اِنَّاAnd indeed Weلَهٗof itكٰتِبُوْنَ (are) Recorders وَ حَرٰمٌAnd (there is) prohibitionعَلٰیuponقَرْیَةٍa cityاَهْلَكْنٰهَاۤwhich We have destroyedاَنَّهُمْthat theyلَاnotیَرْجِعُوْنَ will return حَتّٰۤیUntilاِذَاwhenفُتِحَتْhas been openedیَاْجُوْجُ(for) the Yajujوَ مَاْجُوْجُand Majujوَ هُمْand theyمِّنْfromكُلِّeveryحَدَبٍelevationیَّنْسِلُوْنَ descend

Translation

(21:94) Then whosoever does righteous works, while believing, his striving will not go unappreciated. We record them all for him.

(21:95) It has been ordained against every town that We ever destroyed that they shall not return92 (to enjoy a new lease of life)

(21:96) until Gog and Magog are let loose, and begin swooping from every mound,

Commentary

92. This verse may be interpreted in three ways. First, it can mean that once a community has been subjected to God’s scourge, it can never have a fresh lease of life, a rejuvenation. Second, that once a community is destroyed, it never has the chance to be tested by God again. The only occasion when it will undergo any such test is on the Day of Judgement. Third, when a community goes too far with its inequity and transgression, and when its deviation from the true path reaches a high watermark, God will destroy it. Such a community will be denied the opportunity to repent and return to God for it is unable to relinquish its error and so embrace true guidance.