An-Nahl 16:26 قد مكر الذين من قبلهم فاتى الله بنيانهم من القواعد فخر عليهم السقف من فوقهم واتاهم العذاب من حيث لا يشعرون ٢٦

16:26

قَدۡ

مَكَرَ

ٱلَّذِينَ

مِن

قَبۡلِهِمۡ

فَأَتَى

ٱللَّهُ

بُنۡيَٰنَهُم

مِّنَ

ٱلۡقَوَاعِدِ

فَخَرَّ

عَلَيۡهِمُ

ٱلسَّقۡفُ

مِن

فَوۡقِهِمۡ

وَأَتَىٰهُمُ

ٱلۡعَذَابُ

مِنۡ

حَيۡثُ

لَا

يَشۡعُرُونَ

٢٦

Indeed, those before them had plotted, but Allah struck at the ˹very˺ foundation of their structure, so the roof collapsed on top of them, and the torment came upon them from where they did not expect.¹

Read Tafsir

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Discussion about what the previous Peoples did, and what was done to Them

قَدْ مَكَرَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ

(Those before them indeed plotted,) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "This refers to Namrud (Nimrod), who built the tower." Others said that it refers to Bukhtanassar (Nebuchadnezzar)

…

Discussion about what the previous Peoples did, and what was done to Them

قَدْ مَكَرَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ

(Those before them indeed plotted,) Al-`

…

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Read in Context

Chapter 16, Page 269, Juz 14

26. Indeed, those before them had plotted, but Allah struck at the ˹very˺ foundation of their structure, so the roof collapsed on top of them, and the torment came upon them from where they did not expect. 27. Then on the Day of Judgment He will humiliate them and say, “Where are My ˹so-called˺ associate-gods for whose sake you used to oppose ˹the believers˺?” Those gifted with knowledge will say, “Surely disgrace and misery today are upon the disbelievers.” 28. Those whose souls the angels seize while they wrong themselves will then offer ˹full˺ submission ˹and say falsely,˺ “We did not do any evil.” ˹The angels will say,˺ “No! Surely Allah fully knows what you used to do. 29. So enter the gates of Hell, to stay there forever. Indeed, what an evil home for the arrogant!” 30. And ˹when˺ it is said to those mindful ˹of Allah˺, “What has your Lord revealed?” They say, “All the best!” For those who do good in this world, there is goodness. But far better is the ˹eternal˺ Home of the Hereafter. How excellent indeed is the home of the righteous: 31. the Gardens of Eternity which they will enter, under which rivers flow. In it they will have whatever they desire. This is how Allah rewards the righteous— 32. those whose souls the angels take while they are virtuous, saying ˹to them˺, “Peace be upon you! Enter Paradise for what you used to do.” 33. Are they only awaiting the coming of the angels or the command of your Lord ˹O Prophet˺? So were those before them. And Allah never wronged them, but it was they who wronged themselves. 34. Then the evil ˹consequences˺ of their deeds overtook them, and they were overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.

- Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran