What Quran Says About
Punishment and Destruction of Populations
What Allah has bestowed on His Messenger (and taken away) from the people of the townships,- belongs to Allah,- to His Messenger and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; In order that it may not (merely) make a circuit between the wealthy among you. So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah. for Allah is strict in Punishment. [59:7]
And why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?- Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one who will help!" [4:75]
How many populations that insolently opposed the Command of their Lord and of His apostles, did We not then call to account,- to severe account?- and We imposed on them an exemplary Punishment. [65:8]
How many populations have We destroyed, which were given to wrong- doing? They tumbled down on their roofs. And how many wells are lying idle and neglected, and castles lofty and well-built? [22:45]
Such were the populations we destroyed when they committed iniquities; but we fixed an appointed time for their destruction. [18:59]
But there is a ban on any population which We have destroyed: that they shall not return, [21:95]
Nor did We send before thee (as apostles) any but men, whom we did inspire,- (men) living in human habitations. Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? But the home of the hereafter is best, for those who do right. Will ye not then understand? [12:109]
And the (Unbelievers) must indeed have passed by the town on which was rained a shower of evil: did they not then see it (with their own eyes)? But they fear not the Resurrection. [25:40]
Or (take) the similitude of one who passed by a hamlet, all in ruins to its roofs. He said: "Oh! how shall Allah bring it (ever) to life, after (this) its death?" but Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up (again). He said: "How long didst thou tarry (thus)?" He said: (Perhaps) a day or part of a day." He said: "Nay, thou hast tarried thus a hundred years; but look at thy food and thy drink; they show no signs of age; and look at thy donkey: And that We may make of thee a sign unto the people, Look further at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh." When this was shown clearly to him, he said: "I know that Allah hath power over all things." [2:259]
Allah sets forth a Parable: a city enjoying security and quiet, abundantly supplied with sustenance from every place: Yet was it ungrateful for the favours of Allah. so Allah made it taste of hunger and terror (in extremes) (closing in on it) like a garment (from every side), because of the (evil) which (its people) wrought. [16:112]
How many were the populations We utterly destroyed because of their iniquities, setting up in their places other peoples? [21:11]
And how many populations We destroyed, which exulted in their life (of ease and plenty)! now those habitations of theirs, after them, are deserted,- All but a (miserable) few! and We are their heirs! [28:58]
Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous, indeed, and severe is His chastisement. [11:102]
And to how many populations did I give respite, which were given to wrong-doing? in the end I punished them. To me is the destination (of all). [22:48]
If the people of the towns had but believed and feared Allah, We should indeed have opened out to them (All kinds of) blessings from heaven and earth; but they rejected (the truth), and We brought them to book for their misdeeds. [7:96]
Nor was thy Lord the one to destroy a population until He had sent to its centre an apostle, rehearsing to them Our Signs; nor are We going to destroy a population except when its members practise iniquity. [28:59]
Thus have We sent by inspiration to thee an Arabic Qur'an: that thou mayest warn the Mother of Cities and all around her,- and warn (them) of the Day of Assembly, of which there is no doubt: (when) some will be in the Garden, and some in the Blazing Fire. [42:7]
(The apostles were sent) thus, for thy Lord would not destroy for their wrong-doing men's habitations whilst their occupants were unwarned. [6:131]
Just in the same way, whenever We sent a Warner before thee to any people, the wealthy ones among them said: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we will certainly follow in their footsteps." [43:23]
Also, they say: "Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some leading man in either of the two (chief) cities?" [43:31]
Never did We send a warner to a population, but the wealthy ones among them said: "We believe not in the (Message) with which ye have been sent." [34:34]
Nor would thy Lord be the One to destroy communities for a single wrong- doing, if its members were likely to mend. [11:117]
Had it been Our Will, We could have sent a warner to every centre of population. [25:51]
Never did We destroy a population, but had its warners - [26:208]
Whenever We sent a prophet to a town, We took up its people in suffering and adversity, in order that they might learn humility. [7:94]
When We decide to destroy a population, We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress; so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them utterly. [17:16]
Thus have We placed leaders in every town, its wicked men, to plot (and burrow) therein: but they only plot against their own souls, and they perceive it not. [6:123]
Never did We destroy a population that had not a term decreed and assigned beforehand. [15:4]
How many towns have We destroyed (for their sins)? Our punishment took them on a sudden by night or while they slept for their afternoon rest. [7:4]
There is not a population but We shall destroy it before the Day of Judgment or punish it with a dreadful Penalty: that is written in the (eternal) Record. [17:58]
Did the people of the towns feel secure against the coming of Our wrath by night while they were asleep? [7:97]
Or else did they feel secure against its coming in broad daylight while they played about (care-free)? [7:98]
Set forth to them, by way of a parable, the (story of) the Companions of the City. Behold!, there came apostles to it. [36:13]
And his people gave no answer but this: they said, "Drive them out of your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!" [7:82]
When Our Messengers came to Abraham with the good news, they said: "We are indeed going to destroy the people of this township: for truly they are (addicted to) crime." [29:31]
"For we are going to bring down on the people of this township a Punishment from heaven, because they have been wickedly rebellious." [29:34]
But his people gave no other answer but this: they said, "Drive out the followers of Lut from your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!" [27:56]
And to Lut, too, We gave Judgment and Knowledge, and We saved him from the town which practised abominations: truly they were a people given to Evil, a rebellious people. [21:74]
The leaders, the arrogant party among his people, said: "O Shu'aib! we shall certainly drive thee out of our city - (thee) and those who believe with thee; or else ye (thou and they) shall have to return to our ways and religion." He said: "What! even though we do detest (them)? [7:88]
Why was there not a single township (among those We warned), which believed,- so its faith should have profited it,- except the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed from them the penalty of ignominy in the life of the present, and permitted them to enjoy (their life) for a while. [10:98]
Between them and the Cities on which We had poured our blessings, We had placed Cities in prominent positions, and between them We had appointed stages of journey in due proportion: "Travel therein, secure, by night and by day." [34:18]
These are some of the stories of communities which We relate unto thee: of them some are standing, and some have been mown down (by the sickle of time). [11:100]
She said: "Kings, when they enter a country, despoil it, and make the noblest of its people its meanest thus do they behave. [27:34]
"'Ask at the town where we have been and the caravan in which we returned, and (you will find) we are indeed telling the truth.'" [12:82]
And remember We said: "Enter this town, and eat of the plenty therein as ye wish; but enter the gate with humility, in posture and in words, and We shall forgive you your faults and increase (the portion of) those who do good." [2:58]
Then they proceeded: until, when they came to the inhabitants of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall on the point of falling down, but he set it up straight. (Moses) said: "If thou hadst wished, surely thou couldst have exacted some recompense for it!" [18:77]
And remember it was said to them: "Dwell in this town and eat therein as ye wish, but say the word of humility and enter the gate in a posture of humility: We shall forgive you your faults; We shall increase (the portion of) those who do good." [7:161]
Ask them concerning the town standing close by the sea. Behold! they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath. For on the day of their Sabbath their fish did come to them, openly holding up their heads, but on the day they had no Sabbath, they came not: thus did We make a trial of them, for they were given to transgression. [7:163]
Such were the towns whose story We (thus) relate unto thee: There came indeed to them their apostles with clear (signs): But they would not believe what they had rejected before. Thus doth Allah seal up the hearts of those who reject faith. [7:101]
(As to those) before them, not one of the populations which We destroyed believed: will these believe? [21:6]
And how many cities, with more power than thy city which has driven thee out, have We destroyed (for their sins)? and there was none to aid them. [47:13]
We destroyed aforetime populations round about you; and We have shown the Signs in various ways, that they may turn (to Us). [46:27]