Tafsir for verses: 40:21, 40:22
۞ أَوَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَانُواْ هُمۡ أَشَدَّ مِنۡهُمۡ قُوَّةٗ وَءَاثَارٗا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمۡ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَاقٖ ٢١ ﴿21﴾ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَانَت تَّأۡتِيهِمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ فَكَفَرُواْ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ قَوِيّٞ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ ٢٢ ﴿22﴾
21Have they not traveled through the earth and seen how was the fate of those who used to be before them? They were stronger than these in power and in traces left on the earth, but Allah seized them because of their sins. There was no one to save them from Allah. 22That was because messengers used to come to them with clear signs, but they disbelieved. Then, Allah seized them. Surely, He is Strong, severe in punishment.
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Commentary

They were stronger than them. So, if you say: It is a right of the separation that it does not occur except between two known entities, why is it occurring between a known and an unknown? And it is stronger than them. I say: It resembles the known in that it does not take the definite article 'al', so it follows its path. And it was read: 'from you', and it is in the manuscripts of the people of the Levant. And ' آثاراً' refers to their fortresses, palaces, and their number, and what is described as strength from their effects. Or they meant: more effects, as in His saying:

'Carrying a sword and a spear' [[And I saw your husband in battle... carrying a sword and a spear.]]

'In battle' means: war. 'And a spear' is in the accusative case due to an omitted word that is suitable, meaning: carrying a sword and holding a spear. And it was narrated instead of the first line:

'Oh, I wish your husband had gone'

meaning: went to war in the morning wearing his armor.

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Al-ZamakhshariAbū al-Qāsim Maḥmūd ibn ʿUmar al-Zamakhsharī
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