In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allaah [The Most High] said:

قَدۡ مَڪَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ فَأَتَى ٱللَّهُ بُنۡيَـٰنَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡقَوَاعِدِ فَخَرَّ عَلَيۡہِمُ ٱلسَّقۡفُ مِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ وَأَتَٮٰهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ
ثُمَّ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ يُخۡزِيهِمۡ وَيَقُولُ أَيۡنَ شُرَڪَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ كُنتُمۡ تُشَـٰٓقُّونَ فِيہِمۡ‌ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ إِنَّ ٱلۡخِزۡىَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ وَٱلسُّوٓءَ عَلَى ٱلۡڪَـٰفِرِينَ

Those before them indeed plotted, but Allah struck at the foundation of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them, from above them, and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive. Then, on the Day of Resurrection, He will disgrace them and will say: “Where are My (so called) ‘partners’ concerning whom you used to disagree and dispute (with the believers, by defying and disobeying Allah)?” Those who have been given the knowledge (about the Torment of Allah for the disbelievers) will say: “Verily! Disgrace this Day and misery are upon the disbelievers. [Surah An-Nahl. Aayaat 26-27]

[قَدۡ مَڪَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ – Those before them indeed plotted]: The Mufassiroon say that this refers to Namrood who built a tall tower in order to climb – as he claimed – the heavens and fight its inhabitants.

[فَأَتَى ٱللَّهُ بُنۡيَـٰنَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡقَوَاعِدِ فَخَرَّ عَلَيۡہِمُ ٱلسَّقۡفُ مِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ – but Allah struck at the foundation of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them, from above them]: The Mufassiroon say: Allaah sent a wind which flung the top of the tower to the sea and the rest was destroyed. [وَأَتَٮٰهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ – and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive]: Meaning, from where they thought they were safe. [ثُمَّ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ يُخۡزِيهِمۡ – Then, on the Day of Resurrection, He will disgrace]: Meaning, disgraced with punishment. (1)

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ
إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلۡعِمَادِ
ٱلَّتِى لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ
وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُواْ ٱلصَّخۡرَ بِٱلۡوَادِ
وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ ذِى ٱلۡأَوۡتَادِ
ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ
فَأَكۡثَرُواْ فِيہَا ٱلۡفَسَادَ
فَصَبَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّكَ سَوۡطَ عَذَابٍ
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلۡمِرۡصَادِ

Have you not considered (O Muḥammad) how your Lord dealt with (the first nation of) ʿĀd? (The Tribe of) ʾIram, endued with tallness and strength. The likes of (whose city) (or: whose physique) had never been created in the lands? And (how your Lord dealt with) Thamūd, those who carved out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings)? And Firʿaun, the owner of (metal or wooden) pegs (to which he would bind people for torture). Who all went beyond bounds (with their disbelief and oppression) in the lands (misguiding and harming others). And they made much corruption therein (through their disbelief and its branches of sin). So your Lord poured upon them a scourge (among His scourges) of punishment. Verily, your Lord is ever-watchful (over His servants and their deeds) (or: waiting in ambush for the criminals and oppressors). [Surah Al-Fajr. Aayaat 6-14] (2)

[أَلَمۡ تَرَ – Have you not considered (O Muḥammad)]- Meaning, have you not seen with your heart and insight how we dealt with the nations that transgressed beyond bounds (in disbelief, sin etc), such as Irami, the well-known tribe in Yemen; [ذَاتِ ٱلۡعِمَادِ – endued with tallness and strength]- Meaning, a people who were extremely strong, thinking too highly of themselves and arrogant; [ٱلَّتِى لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا – the likes of (whose city) (or: whose physique) had never been created ]- Meaning, none similar to the people of Ad; [فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ – in the land]- Meaning, none like them in all the lands with regards to power and strength, just as their Prophet Hud [peace be upon him] said to them:

[وَاذكُروا إِذ جَعَلَكُم خُلَفاءَ مِن بَعدِ قَومِ نوحٍ وَزادَكُم فِي الخَلقِ بَسطَةً ۖ فَاذكُروا آلاءَ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُم تُفلِحونَ – And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh (Noah), and increased you amply in stature. So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allah, so that you may be successful]. [Surah Al-A’raaf. Aayah 69]

[وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُواْ ٱلصَّخۡرَ بِٱلۡوَادِ – And (how your Lord dealt with) Thamūd, those who carved out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings)?] – Meaning, with their (great) strength they carved huge rocks and made them into dwelling places. [وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ ذِى ٱلۡأَوۡتَادِ – And Firʿaun, the owner of (metal or wooden) pegs (to which he would bind people for torture)?] or Meaning, he had armies that firmly established his kingdom just as pegs firmly hold that which is intended for them to hold. [ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ – Who all went beyond bounds (with their disbelief and oppression) in the lands (misguiding and harming others)] – Meaning, this description is directed at Ad, Thamood, Pharaoh and those who followed them, for indeed they transgressed in Allaah’s land (i.e. the land they lived and all other places belong to Allaah because He created them) and harmed Allaah’s servants in their religious and worldly affairs; and this is why Allaah said: [ فَأَكۡثَرُواْ فِيہَا ٱلۡفَسَادَ – And they made much corruption therein]- Meaning, committed acts of disbelief and other deeds that resulted from it, of different types of sins, and they made an all out effort to fight (or reject) the Messengers and hinder the people from the path ordained by Allaah. So, when transgressed in a manner that necessitated their destruction, Allaah sent them a scourge (among His scourges) of punishment. [ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلۡمِرۡصَادِ – Verily, your Lord is ever-watchful (over His servants and their deeds) (or: waiting in ambush for the criminals and oppressors)]- Meaning, those who disobey Him. He gives them respite for a little while, then He seizes them with a Seizure of the All-Mighty, All-Capable to carry out what he Will (Omnipotent). (3)

Allaah [The Most High] said: [قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ سُنَنٌ فَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ – Many similar mishaps [troubles, problems] of life were faced by nations that have passed away before you, so travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who disbelieved]. [Surah Aal Imran. Aayah 137]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Indeed, there were nations like yourselves before you, so look to their evil end. You have to know that the reason behind their evil end was due to their disbelief in the revelations of Allaah and disbelief in Allaah’s Messengers. They were the forefathers and you are the descendants. The main affair that connects you to each other is your disbelief and the ruling on that disbelief is destruction. (4)

Imaam Muhammad Bin Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: If it is said, “What is the benefit in narrating to us the stories of the destroyed nations despite the fact that this Ummah will not be completely destroyed in a manner similar to the destruction of the previous nations before it?” The Answer: Indeed, this has two benefits: The first benefit is a clarification of Allaah’s blessings upon us that the occurrence of a complete destruction is removed from us, and that were it not for Allaah’s Benevolence we would have been deserving of it. Second, the likeness of the punishment they received may occur in the hereafter for the one who did what they did, if punishment was not received in the worldly life. And this may be understood from the statement of Allaah: “Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the population of towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful and severe. Indeed in that (there) is a sure lesson for those who fear the torment of the Hereafter.” So what is apparent from this Aayah is that what is similar to the punishment they received will happen in the Hereafter, and Allaah knows best. (5)

Ponder! Despite the strength that was given to Ad, Thamud and Fir’awn, and regardless their extremely robust buildings and fortifications, they could not escape Allaah’s punishment. Allaah [The Exalted] stated:

كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ وَعَادُۢ بِٱلۡقَارِعَةِ
فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهۡلِكُواْ بِٱلطَّاغِيَةِ
وَأَمَّا عَادٞ فَأُهۡلِكُواْ بِرِيحٖ صَرۡصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٖ
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ سَبۡعَ لَيَالٖ وَثَمَٰنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُومٗاۖ فَتَرَى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ فِيهَا صَرۡعَىٰ كَأَنَّهُمۡ أَعۡجَازُ نَخۡلٍ خَاوِيَةٖ
فَهَلۡ تَرَىٰ لَهُم مِّنۢ بَاقِيَةٖ
وَجَآءَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَمَن قَبۡلَهُۥ وَٱلۡمُؤۡتَفِكَٰتُ بِٱلۡخَاطِئَةِ
فَعَصَوۡاْ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمۡ فَأَخَذَهُمۡ أَخۡذَةٗ رَّابِيَةً

Thamud and ‘Ad people denied the Qari’ah [the striking Hour (of Judgement)]! So as for Thamud, they were destroyed by the overpowering (blast). And as for ‘Ad, they were destroyed by a furious violent wind; which Allah imposed on them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so that you could see men lying overthrown (destroyed), as if they were hollow trunks of date-palms! Do you see any remnants of them? And Fir’aun (Pharaoh), and those before him, and the cities overthrown [the towns of the people of [Lout (Lot)] committed sin; and they disobeyed their Lord’s Messenger, so He punished them with a strong punishment[Surah Al-Haaqqah. Aayaat 4-10]

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

قُل هُوَ القادِرُ عَلىٰ أَن يَبعَثَ عَلَيكُم عَذابًا مِن فَوقِكُم أَو مِن تَحتِ أَرجُلِكُم أَو يَلبِسَكُم شِيَعًا وَيُذيقَ بَعضَكُم بَأسَ بَعضٍ ۗ انظُر كَيفَ نُصَرِّفُ الآياتِ لَعَلَّهُم يَفقَهونَ

Say: “He has power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another.” See how variously We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), so that they may understand. [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayah 65]

Previous rebuke: They Survived The Earthquake After 24 or 200 Hours?! [Amazement of a Materialist – Worshipper of Cause and Effect, and Disbeliever In Qadaa Wal Qadr]: https://salaficentre.com/2023/02/18/we-wonder-how-they-survived-the-earthquake-after-24-or-200-hours/

Therefore, we ask Allaah to protect us from the obstinacy of the atheists, the materialists and their ilk – those who constantly encourage humankind to disbelieve and persist upon sin, whilst promising them protection against Allaah’s Punishment. We ask Allaah: [رَبَّنا لا تُؤاخِذنا إِن نَسينا أَو أَخطَأنا ۚ – Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error].

We ask Allaah:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ العافِيَـةَ فـي الدُّنيا والآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ العَفْوَ والعافِيَـةَ فـي دِيني ودُنْـيايَ وأَهْلِي ومالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُـرْ عَوْراتِي، وآمِنْ رَوْعاتِي،
اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِـي مِنْ بَـيْنِ يَدَيَّ، ومِنْ خَلْفِي، وعَنْ يَمِيـنِـي، وعَنْ شِمالِي، ومِنْ فَوْقِي، وأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَـتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتالَ مِنْ تَحْتِـي

O Allaah! I ask You for well-being in this Dunyaa and the Aaakhirah. O Allāh, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family and my wealth. O Allaah! Conceal my [faults, shortcomings etc] and safeguard me against everything that will bring me fear and sorrow. O Allaah! Protect me from in front, from behind me, from my right and my left, and from above. And I seek refuge with Your Magnificence from being swallowed up from beneath me. https://salaficentre.com/2023/02/21/lets-ask-for-wellbeing-as-we-witness-earthquakes-and-other-calamities-loss-of-life-property-health-etc/

We ask Allaah:

اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْراً لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْراً لِي، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْغِنَى وَالْفَقْرِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيماً لَا يَنْفَذُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضِا بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ، اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الْإِيمَانِ

 وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ

O Allah! By Your Knowledge of the unseen and by Your Power over creation, let me live if life is good for me, and let me die if death is good for me; O Allah! I ask You to grant me (the blessing of having) fear of You in private and public; And I ask you (to make me utter) a statement of truth in times of contentment and anger; And I ask You for moderation when in a state of wealth and poverty; And I ask you for blessings that never ceases; And I ask You for the coolness of my eye that never ends; And I ask You (to make me pleased) after (Your) decree; Aand I ask You for a life of (ease, comfort, tranquility etc) after death; I ask You for the delight of looking at Your Face (i.e. in the Hereafter) and yearning to meet You without any harm and misleading trials (coming upon me); O Allah! Adorn us with the adornment of Eemaan, and make us (from those who are) guided and guiding (others). https://salaficentre.com/2021/01/01/o-allaah-let-me-live-if-life-is-good-for-me-and-let-me-die-if-death-is-good-for-me/

We ask Allaah:

اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي

وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي

وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي

وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ

وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, which is the safeguard of my affairs; rectify my worldly [affairs], wherein is my livelihood; and rectify my Afterlife to which is my return; and make life for me [as a means of] increase in every good and make death for me as a rest from every evil. [Saheeh Muslim Number: 2720] https://salaficentre.com/2020/12/29/o-allaah-rectify-my-religion-for-me-which-the-safeguard-of-my-affairs-a-tremendous-supplication/

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from ‘Zaadul Maseer Fee Ilmit Tafseer’ By Imaam Ibnul Jawzi (may Allaah have mercy upon him)]

[Ref 2: https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/verse/89/1 The noble Qur’aan by Dr. Shaikh Abu Iyaad (may Allaah preserve him)]

[Ref 3: An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 4: An Excerpt from I’laam Al-Muwaqqi-een: 1/181]

[Ref 5: An Excerpt from Al-Muntaqaa Min Fawaa’idil Fawaa’id 123-124]