The saying of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic: "So if there had not been from the generations before you those of firm purpose who would have forbidden corruption in the earth, except for a few of those whom We saved from them. And those who wronged themselves followed what they were indulged in, and they were criminals." "And your Lord would not destroy the cities unjustly while their people were reformers." "So if there had not been" is the one that indicates urging, but it is associated here with a meaning of lamentation and regret that should occur from humans regarding those nations that did not find guidance. This is similar to His saying: "O how great is the regret for the servants!" [Ya Sin: 30]. And "the generations" before you refers to the people of Noah, 'Aad, Thamud, and those mentioned before. The generation of people is those who are associated in a long time, most of which - as people have defined - is one hundred years, and it has been said: eighty, and it has been said otherwise up to thirty years. The first is more likely due to the saying of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: "Do you see this night of yours? For indeed, by the end of one hundred years from it, there will not remain anyone who is on the surface of the earth today." Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: He means that it will exclude that generation. And "the firm purpose" here refers to insight, reason, determination, and steadfastness in religion. It is called "firm purpose" because the laws and states and the like are strong in their beginnings, then they continue to weaken. So whoever remains steadfast in a time of weakness is the remnant of the first generation. A group has read: "remnant" with a softened 'ya', which is a return of a form from 'fa'ila' to 'fa'ila'. Abu Ja'far and Shaiba read: "remnant" with a 'u' in the 'ba' and a sukoon on the 'qaf' in the pattern of 'fu'la'. And "corruption in the earth" is disbelief and what is associated with it from sins. This verse contains a warning to the nation of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, and an encouragement to change the wrong and forbid corruption. Then Allah, the Exalted, excluded the people whom He saved along with their prophets, and they are few in comparison to their groups. And "a few" is in the accusative as an exception, and it is disconnected according to Sibawayh, and the speech according to him is affirmative, while others see it as negated in terms of its meaning that there were no people of firm purpose among them. The majority of people read: "and they followed" in the active voice, while Ja'far ibn Muhammad read: "and they were followed" in the passive voice, and it was narrated from Abu 'Amr. And "what they were indulged in" means the consequence of what they were blessed with - in the passive voice - and the indulged one is the one who is blessed, and his indulgence occupied him from the truth until he perished. From this is the saying of the poet: "The heads of the indulged are guided to the commander of the believers who is sought." And His saying, the Exalted, "unjustly" may mean: unjustly from Him to them - exalted is He above that. Al-Tabari said: It may mean: with polytheism from them while they are reformers in their actions and conduct, and just among themselves, meaning that there must be a sin associated with their disbelief. Al-Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And this is weak. The one who said it went towards what was said: 'Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, gives nations time regarding disbelief but does not give them time regarding oppression and injustice.' And if it were reversed, that would be more appropriate, meaning: Allah would not punish a nation for their wrongdoing in their sins while they are righteous in faith. The first possibility in our arrangement is more correct, if Allah wills.