Surah 11:101
Show Full Scripture Context (11:100-101) — 2 Verses
ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ نَقُصُّهُۥ عَلَيۡكَۖ مِنۡهَا قَآئِمٞ وَحَصِيدٞ
That is from the stories of the towns (which) We recount to you. Some of them are (still) standing and some (are already) cut down.
وَمَا ظَلَمۡنَٰهُمۡ وَلَٰكِن ظَلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡۖ فَمَآ أَغۡنَتۡ عَنۡهُمۡ ءَالِهَتُهُمُ ٱلَّتِي يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَيۡءٖ لَّمَّا جَآءَ أَمۡرُ رَبِّكَۖ وَمَا زَادُوهُمۡ غَيۡرَ تَتۡبِيبٖ
Yet We did not do them evil, but they did themselves evil. Their gods, on whom they called instead of God, were of no use to them at all, when the command of your Lord came, and they only added to their ruin.
"101. We wronged them not, but they wronged themselves. So their gods whom they call upon besides Allah, profited them naught when there came the command of your Lord, nor did they add aught to them but destruction."
The Lesson taken from the Destroyed Towns
When Allah mentioned the story of the Prophets and what happened with them and their nations - how He destroyed the disbelievers and saved the believers - He goes on to say,
{That is some of the news of the (population of) towns}
meaning, news of them
{which We relate unto you; of them, some are (still) standing,}
This means still remaining.
{and some have been (already) reaped.}
This means totally destroyed.
{We wronged them not,} This means, "When We destroyed them."
{but they wronged themselves.}
their rejecting their Messengers and disbelieving in them.
{So their gods, profited them [not]...}
This is referring to their idols that they used to worship and invoke.
{other than Allah}
naught, the idols did not benefit them, nor did they save them when Allah's command came for their destruction.
{nor did they add aught to them but destruction.}
Mujahid, Qatadah and others said, "This means loss. Because the reason for their destruction and their ruin was that they followed those false gods. Therefore, they were losers in this life and the Hereafter."