And how many a city did We destroy while it was committing wrong - so it is [now] fallen into ruin930 - and [how many] an abandoned well and [how many] a lofty palace.931
Notes
[930] Literally, "fallen in upon its roofs," i.e., after the roofs of its buildings had caved in, the walls collapsed over them.
[931] i.e., How many wells have been left inoperative, and how many palaces have been emptied of their occupants in the past.
Verse 45 of Surah Al-Hajj (22:45), a Medinan surah, is in juz 17, on page 337 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 45 of Surah Al-Hajj
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Tafsir of verse 45
Al-Mukhtasar
How many cities, which were unjust because of their disbelief, I destroyed with obliterating punishment. Their homes are ruined and empty of inhabitants. How many wells are there which have nobody to drink from them, due to their being destroyed. How many lofty decorated palaces are there which could not save their residents from the punishment.
How many towns We have destroyed for their persistent wrongdoing, leaving them in total ruin24; their wells abandoned and their lofty palaces deserted!
Notes
[24] Lit., "fallen upon its roofs," i.e., after the roofs of their buildings had caved in, the walls collapsed over them.
And many a township did We destroy while it was given to wrong-doing, so that it lies in ruins (up to this day), and (many) a deserted well and lofty castle!
How many a township have We destroyed while it was sinful, so that it lieth (to this day) in ruins, and (how many) a deserted well and lofty tower!
How many populations have We destroyed, which were given to wrong-doing? They tumbled down on their roofs. And how many wells are lying idle and neglected, and castles lofty and well-built?
So how many a town did We destroy while it was unjust, so it was fallen down upon its roofs, and (how many a) deserted well and palace raised high.
So, (similarly) many a town We have caused to perish (while) it was unjust; so it is (now) devastated upon its turrets! (Literally: trellises) And many a well (lies) untended and (many) an (imposingly) constructed palace (is left vacant)!
Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allāh"; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All [things] are from Allāh." So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement?
