ق : ٣٦

  • وَكَمۡ And how many
  • أَهۡلَكۡنَا We destroyed
  • قَبۡلَهُم before them
  • مِّن of
  • قَرۡنٍ a generation
  • هُمۡ they
  • أَشَدُّ (were) stronger
  • مِنۡهُم than them
  • بَطۡشٗا (in) power
  • فَنَقَّبُواْ so they explored
  • فِي throughout
  • ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ the lands
  • هَلۡ Is (there)
  • مِن any
  • مَّحِيصٍ place of escape
And how many a generation before them did We destroy who were greater than them in [striking] power and had explored throughout the lands. Is there any place of escape?
And how many a generation We destroyed before them, that is, before the disbelievers of Quraysh We destroyed many generations of disbelievers, who were mightier than these in prowess, and [who] then searched throughout the land [wondering]: is there any escape?, for them and others from death, but they found none.