And We had certainly established them in such as We have not established you, and We made for them hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect]. But their hearing and vision and hearts availed them not from anything [of the punishment] when they were [continually] rejecting the signs of Allāh; and they were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
Verse 26 of Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:26), a Meccan surah, is in juz 26, on page 505 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 26
Al-Mukhtasar
And I granted the people of Hud the means of establishment which I have not given you, and I gave them hearing to hear with, vision to see with and hearts to understand with. But their hearing did not benefit them at all, nor did their vision or intellects. They did not repel Allah’s punishment from them when it came to them, as they used to disbelieve in Allah’s signs, and the punishment which they used to mock and which their prophet Hud (peace be upon him) used to warn them of befell them.
We had given them the power to an extent that We have not given you [O Makkans], and We gave them11 hearing, sight, and hearts. But neither their hearing, nor their sight, nor their hearts availed them in the least, for they used to reject the signs of Allah. And they were overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.
Notes
[11] i.e., the people of Prophet Hūd.
And indeed We had firmly established them with that wherewith We have not established you (O Quraish)! And We had assigned them the (faculties of) hearing (ears), seeing (eyes), and hearts; but their hearing (ears), seeing (eyes), and their hearts availed them nothing since they used to deny the Ayât (Allâh’s Prophets and their Prophethood, proofs, evidence, verses, signs, revelations) of Allâh, and they were completely encircled by that which they used to mock at!
And verily We had empowered them with that wherewith We have not empowered you, and had assigned them ears and eyes and hearts; but their ears and eyes and hearts availed them naught since they denied the revelations of Allah; and what they used to mock befell them.
And We had firmly established them in a (prosperity and) power which We have not given to you (ye Quraish!) and We had endowed them with (faculties of) hearing, seeing, heart and intellect: but of no profit to them were their (faculties of) hearing, sight, and heart and intellect, when they went on rejecting the Signs of Allah; and they were (completely) encircled by that which they used to mock at!
And certainly We had established them in what We have not established you in, and We had given-- them ears and eyes and hearts, but neither their ears, nor their eyes, nor their hearts availed them aught, since they denied the communications of Allah, and that which they mocked encompassed them.
And indeed We already established them in that wherein We have not established you; (Or: in case We have firmly established you, (you might be like them) and We made for them hearing, and beholdings, (i.e., eyesight (s) and heart-sights; yet in no way did their hearing, and their beholdings and their heart-sights avail them anything whatever, as they used to repudiate the signs of Allah; and whatever they used to mock at redounded on them.
Verse 26 word by word
وَلَقَدْwalaqadAnd certainly
مَكَّنَّٰهُمْmakkannāhumWe had established themم ك ن
فِيمَآfīmāin what
إِنinnot
مَّكَّنَّٰكُمْmakkannākumWe have established youم ك ن
And when their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they [merely] rejoiced in what they had of knowledge, but they were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
And if We hold back from them the punishment for a limited time, they will surely say, "What detains it?" Unquestionably, on the Day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
