Sign in
Grow Beyond Ramadan!
Learn more
Sign in
Sign in
Select Language
17:16
واذا اردنا ان نهلك قرية امرنا مترفيها ففسقوا فيها فحق عليها القول فدمرناها تدميرا ١٦
وَإِذَآ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُوا۟ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَـٰهَا تَدْمِيرًۭا ١٦
وَإِذَآ
أَرَدۡنَآ
أَن
نُّهۡلِكَ
قَرۡيَةً
أَمَرۡنَا
مُتۡرَفِيهَا
فَفَسَقُواْ
فِيهَا
فَحَقَّ
عَلَيۡهَا
ٱلۡقَوۡلُ
فَدَمَّرۡنَٰهَا
تَدۡمِيرٗا
١٦
Whenever We intend to destroy a society, We command its elite ˹to obey Allah˺ but they act rebelliously in it. So the decree ˹of punishment˺ is justified, and We destroy it utterly.
Tafsirs
Layers
Lessons
Reflections
Answers
Qiraat
Hadith
You are reading a tafsir for the group of verses 17:16 to 17:17

The conduct of the leading group of a community is the chief indicator of the level of honesty or corruption of the community’s members. Only this group has the understanding and resources to influence their inferiors. Only they can bear the cost of leadership. This is why the reformation of the prominent group amounts to the reformation of the whole community and the corruption of this prominent group amounts to the corruption of the whole community. If a study is made of communities right from the time of Noah to the present day, the history of each community will confirm the correctness of this general principle. Those leading lights, or elders of the community, who exploit the people to establish their leadership, teach the community emotionalism instead of realism; they teach the community to live in wishful thinking, instead of admitting the truth. In short, instead of making the community attentive to God, they turn it away from God by making it attend to worldly concerns. By thus misleading the community, they bring about its destruction. When leaders of this kind dominate a community, it is to be expected that God has taken a decision to destroy it. Every event of this type happens by God’s will, for no deed or misdeed of any person or community is hidden from Him.

He has revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Book in truth, confirming what came before it, as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
Notes placeholders
Read, Listen, Search, and Reflect on the Quran

Quran.com is a trusted platform used by millions worldwide to read, search, listen to, and reflect on the Quran in multiple languages. It provides translations, tafsir, recitations, word-by-word translation, and tools for deeper study, making the Quran accessible to everyone.

As a Sadaqah Jariyah, Quran.com is dedicated to helping people connect deeply with the Quran. Supported by Quran.Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Quran.com continues to grow as a free and valuable resource for all, Alhamdulillah.

Navigate
Home
Quran Radio
Reciters
About Us
Developers
Product Updates
Feedback
Help
Our Projects
Quran.com
Quran For Android
Quran iOS
QuranReflect.com
Quran.AI
Sunnah.com
Nuqayah.com
Legacy.Quran.com
Corpus.Quran.com
Non-profit projects owned, managed, or sponsored by Quran.Foundation
Popular Links

Ayatul Kursi

Yaseen

Al Mulk

Ar-Rahman

Al Waqi'ah

Al Kahf

Al Muzzammil

SitemapPrivacyTerms and Conditions
© 2026 Quran.com. All Rights Reserved