And when the matter reached a level of clarity that was not hidden from anyone, the address was diverted from them as an indication of the anger that necessitates punishment and requires fear. So He said: ﴿Did they not travel﴾ [meaning]: These are those who are more astray than the animals ﴿in the earth﴾, whatever land it may be, as a journey of reflection ﴿so that they may observe﴾ an observation of remembrance regarding what they have traversed of its destruction and its aspects. And He emphasized the greatness in what He urged them to look into by presenting it in the form of a question, indicating its departure from its like and its distinction from its forms, by saying: ﴿How was the end of﴾ [meaning]: the last of the matter of ﴿those﴾. And when they were unable to encompass the view of all the earth and the traces of all its people, He indicated with the preposition to what was made easy for them, so He said: ﴿Before them﴾ [meaning]: with the proximity of time and place, as a reproach for them for relying on overcoming the Messenger ﷺ and arguing with him falsely regarding the evident signs despite their multitude and strength and the fewness of his companions with their weakness. And there had already been a prior denial against them in the argument to refute the truth, and a great rebuke against them for not reflecting on the journey in the earth with the eyes of consideration regarding the traces, from the dwellings and abodes, of those who have passed from the wicked. And He established for them the severity and that it did not avail them, and the mention of Pharaoh and what he had of power with wealth and men, and that he was seized in a way that became a parable from parables. And there remained from what they might use as an excuse in the overwhelming, it was mentioned combined with severity to emphasize the content of the report that there is no matter for anyone alongside His matter. So He said, resuming an answer to whoever says: What was their end? He said: ﴿They were more than them﴾ [meaning]: in number, multiplied many times over, especially the people of Noah, blessings and peace be upon him: ﴿And stronger in might﴾ in bodies, like the people of Hud, blessings and peace be upon him, who said as will come in the one that follows: ﴿Who is stronger than us in might?﴾ [Fussilat: 15] ﴿And traces in the earth﴾ by carving houses in the mountains, digging wells, and bringing forth water, and building magnificent factories - and other than that from what they were upon.

And when the [estimation was]: So they looked, and Allah destroyed them, caused by their multitude and strength in [their might]. His saying is a clear negation or it could be an interrogative of denial: ﴿So what﴾ [meaning]: what thing ﴿availed them﴾ or did not avail them anything from the rich ﴿that they were﴾ [meaning]: always as in their natures from their motives ﴿they earned﴾ by the strength of their bodies and the greatness of their minds and their cunning and what they arranged from the factories for their salvation when Our command came to them. Rather, they were like yesterday's gone.