The Quran

سورة الرُّوم

Surah Al-Rûm 30:9

The Byzantines · Verse 9 of 60

أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَثَارُوا الْأَرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ۖ فَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

Abdul Mannan Omar

Have they not travelled through the land and seen how (evil) was the end of those who were before them? They (- their predecessors) were superior to them in prowess and strength. They tilled the land (built structures and dug up minerals from it), and populated it more and better than these have populated it. And their Messengers (of God) had come to them with manifest signs (but they denied them and were destroyed). It was indeed far from Allâh to have done injustice to them but they themselves wronged their own souls.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their messengers with Clear (Signs). (Which they rejected, to their own destruction): It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls.

Ahmed Ali

Have they not travelled on the earth and seen how the others before them had met their end? They were far more powerful than them, furrowed the earth and colonised it far more than they; and their apostles came to them with visible signs. It was surely not for God to wrong them, they wronged themselves.

12 more translations

Ali Unal

Have they never traveled about the earth and seen what was the outcome for those before them (who also obstinately disbelieved in Our signs)? They were greater than them in power. They cultivated the soil and mined it (for minerals and water resources), and built it up more and better than these have done. And in time their Messengers came to them with clear proofs of the truth (which they rejected to their own doom). God would never wrong them, but it was they themselves who were wronging themselves.

Daryabadi

Have they not journeyed in the land and observed what wise hath been the end of those before them? They were stronger than they in power and they brake up the earth and they inhabited it with greater affluence than these have inhabited it, and their apostles came unto them with evidences. And Allah was not one to wrong them, but themselves they were wont to wrong.

Faridul Haque

And did they not travel in the land to see what sort of fate befell those before them? They were stronger than them, and they cultivated the land and inhabited it more than them, and their Noble Messengers came to them with clear proofs; so it did not befit Allah’s Majesty to oppress them, but it was they who used to wrong themselves.

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Have they not travelled in the earth and seen what was the end of those before them? They were stronger than these in prowess, and dug up the earth, and built on it more than these have built. And their messengers came to them with clear arguments. So it was not Allah, Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves.

Maulvi Sher Ali

Have they not traveled in the earth so that they might see how evil was the end of those who were before them? They were stronger than these in power, and they tilled the soil and populated it more and better than these have populated it. And their Messengers came to them with manifest Signs. And ALLAH would not wrong them, but they wronged their own souls.

Muhammad Asad

Have they, then, never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those [deniers of the truth] who lived before their time? Greater were they in power than they are; and they left a stronger impact on the earth, and built it up even better than these [are doing]; and to them [too] came their apostles with all evidence of the truth: and so, [when they rejected the truth and thereupon perished,] it was not God who wronged them, but it was they who had wronged themselves.

Muhammad Musin Khan

Do they not travel in the land, and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength, and they tilled the earth and populated it in greater numbers than these (pagans) have done, and there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs. Surely, Allah wronged them not, but they used to wrong themselves.

Muhammad Pickthall

Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? They were stronger than these in power, and they dug the earth and built upon it more than these have built. Messengers of their own came unto them with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty). Surely Allah wronged them not, but they did wrong themselves.

Muhammad Sarwar

Have they not travelled through the land to see how terrible was the end of the people who lived before them. The people who lived before them were stronger than them in might, in tilling, and in developing the earth. Our Messengers came to them with clear miracles. God did not do an injustice to them but they wronged themselves.

Muhammed ali Shakir

Have they not travelled in the earth and seen how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than these in prowess, and dug up the earth, and built on it in greater abundance than these have built on it, and there came to them their messengers with clear arguments; so it was not beseeming for Allah that He should deal with them unjustly, but they dealt unjustly with their own souls.

Rashad Khalifa

Have they not roamed the earth and noted the consequences for those who preceded them? They used to be more powerful, more prosperous, and more productive on earth. Their messengers went to them with clear signs. Consequently, GOD was not the One who wronged them; they are the ones who wronged their own souls.

Shabbir Ahmed

(Reflecting on your own existence, the Universe, and on history can show you the truth.) Have they not, then, traveled in the land and seen what happened in the end to those who lived before them? They were more powerful than these are, and they left a stronger impact on the earth, and built it up better than these are doing. And to them came their Messengers with all evidence of the truth. It was not God Who wronged them, but it was they who used to wrong their own ‘self’.