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wa-kam ʾahlaknā qablahum min qarnin hal tuḥissu minhum min ʾaḥadin ʾaw tasmaʿu lahum rikzan
How many a generation We have destroyed before them! Can you descry any one of them, or hear from them so much as a murmur?
— Ali Quli Qarai
19MaryamمريمVerse 98 of 98
Mary19. Maryamمريم
Maryam
Mary
MeccanVerse 98 of 98
Surah Maryam – Verse 98
98. “And how many a generation before have We destroyed! Do you find any one of them or hear a sound of them?”
This is the last verse of Surah Maryam. This Surah was revealed in Mecca at the time when Muslims were in a hard pressure. Keeping this matter in mind, the verse was both as a comfort for the Prophet (S) and the believers, and as a threat and warning against all hostile and obstinate enemies of Islam. It says:
The Arabic term /rikz/ means ‘a faint sound, a whisper’, and, therefore, the things which are hidden under the ground, (as ore), in Arabic are called /rikaz/. Thus, the verse means that these cruel nations and the hard enemies of the truth were so destroyed that even no faint sound is heard from them now. Imam Sadiq (as), in answer to Jabir concerning this verse, said:
“The destroyed generation is Umayyads. You may find none of them in the state of being hopeful or free from fear and horror.”
Jabir has said that he asked whether that state could take place, and the Imam replied:
“It will happen very soon.” 35
Supplication:
O’ Lord! Brighten our hearts with the light of Faith, and fill the entire of our entity with light of righteous deeds. Appoint us, please, among the lovers of the believers and the righteous, specially the prior of the pious, Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali-ibn-Abitalib (as), and cast the love of us into the hearts of all believers.
O’ Allah! Our large Islamic society, with those abundant people and plenty of material and spiritual abilities, is captured in the grips of enemies and, because of disunity and separation of their rows, has become feeble. Please gather them all around the torch of Faith and righteous deed!
O’ Lord! As You destroyed and annihilated the former tyrannical generations so that no faint sound is heard from them, annihilate the most powerful unjust forces of our time, too. Remove their vice from the oppressed communities and make the raise of believers against the oppressors victorious! Amen. O’ Lord of the Worlds!
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