43.8. Then we destroyed men mightier than these in prowess; and the example of the men of old hath gone (before them). (Pickthall)
43.8. Also haben Wir die stärkeren von ihnen an Angriffsgeist vernichtet, und das Beispiel der Früheren ist vergangen, (Ahmad v. Denffer)
43.8. So haben Wir solche vernichtet, die eine stärkere Gewalt hatten als diese. Und vollzogen hat sich das Beispiel an den Früheren. (Bubenheim)
43.8. Wir haben ungläubige Völker vernichtet, die noch mächtiger als siewaren. Wir haben das Beispiel der früheren Ungläubigen bereits angeführt. (Azhar)
43.8. So richteten WIR diejenigen zugrunde, die noch gewalttätiger als sie waren. Und das Gleichnis der Früheren kam bereits vor. (Zaidan)
43.8. Doch wir ließen (Generationen) zugrunde gehen, die größere Draufgänger (aschaddu batschan) waren als sie. Schon in der Vorzeit ist es bei den früheren (Generationen) ähnlich zugegangen (wa-madaa mathalu l-auwaliena). (Paret)
43.8. Darum vertilgten Wir die, die mächtiger als diese waren, und das (abschreckende) Beispiel der Früheren ist zuvor ergangen. (Rasul)
Tafsir von Maududi für die Ayaat 5 bis 8
Now, should We despair and stop sending this Admonition to you only because you are a people who have transgressed (all limits)? ( 4 ) Many a Prophet have We sent among the ancient peoples, too. Never did it so happen that a Prophet came to his people and they did not mock him. ( 5 ) So, We destroyed them though they were much stronger than these in might; there have gone before the examples of the ancient peoples. ( 6 )
Desc No: 4 In this one sentence the whole history that had taken place since the time the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) had proclaimed to be a Prophet till the revelation of these verses during the past few years has been compressed. This sentence depicts the following picture: A nation has been involved in ignorance, backwardness and depravity for centuries. Suddenly, Allah looks at it with favour. He raises in it an illustrious guide and sends down His own Word to take it out of the darkness of ignorance so that it is aroused from slumber, it gives up superstitions of ignorance and it becomes aware of the truth and adopts the right way of life. But the ignorant people of the nation and the tribal chiefs turn hostile to the guide, and try their utmost to defeat him and his mission. With the passage of time their hostility and mischief go on increasing; so much so that they make up their mind to kill him. At this, it is being said: "Should We stop making any efforts to reform you because you are proving to be un-worthy people? Should We withhold sending down this Admonition, and leave you lying in the same wretched state in which you have been lying since centuries ? Do you really think that should be the demand of Our Mercy ? Have you ever considered what doom you would meet when you have turned down the bounty of Allah and persisted in falsehood after the truth has come before you?"
Desc No: 5 That is, if such absurdity and senselessness had barred the sending of a Prophet or a Book, no Prophet would ever have come to any nation nor a Book sent to it.
Desc No: 6 That is, the result of the senselessness of some particular people could not be that the entire mankind should be deprived of the guidance of the Prophethood and the Book, but its result always has been that the worshippers of falsehood who, being drunk with the pride of power, did not desist from mocking the Prophets, were ultimately destroyed. When Allah's wrath descended even the people, who possessed thousands of times greater power than that possessed by the puny chiefs of the Quraish, were crushed to annihilation like mosquitoes and fleas.
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