And thus We have placed within every city the greatest of its criminals to conspire therein. But they conspire not except against themselves, and they perceive [it] not.
Verse 123 of Surah Al-An’am (6:123), a Meccan surah, is in juz 8, on page 143 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
Listen to verse 123 of Surah Al-An’am
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Tafsir of verse 123
Al-Mukhtasar
Just as what transpired with those leaders of Mecca who committed polytheism and barred others from the Way of Allah, He has placed leaders and influential people in every town who use various means and schemes to call towards the path of Satan and oppose the messengers and their followers. In reality, their scheming and planning will eventually only harm them, but they do realise this due to their ignorance and their following of desires.
Thus We have placed in every city the most wicked ones to conspire in it, yet they only conspire against themselves, without even realizing it.
And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people to plot therein. But they plot not except against their ownselves, and they perceive (it) not.
And thus have We made in every city great ones of its wicked ones, that they should plot therein. They do but plot against themselves, though they perceive not.
Thus have We placed leaders in every town, its wicked men, to plot (and burrow) therein: but they only plot against their own souls, and they perceive it not.
And thus have We made in every town the great ones to be its guilty ones, that they may plan therein; and they do not plan but against their own souls, and they do not perceive.
And thus We made in every town great ones among its criminals to scheme therein; and in no way do they scheme against anyone except themselves, and in no way are they aware.
And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word [i.e., deserved decree] comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction.
And those who disbelieve say, "We will never believe in this Qur’ān nor in that before it." But if you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Lord, refuting each others' words... Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "If not for you, we would have been believers." …
And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following."
That they may bear their own burdens [i.e., sins] in full on the Day of Resurrection and some of the burdens of those whom they misguide without [i.e., by lack of] knowledge. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.
