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ʾa-fa-lam yasīrū fī l-ʾarḍi fa-yanẓurū kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu lladhīna min qablihim dammara llāhu ʿalayhim wa-li-l-kāfirīna ʾamthāluhā
Have they not travelled through the land so that they may observe how was the fate of those who were before them? Allah destroyed them, and a similar [fate] awaits these faithless.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Muhammad - Verse 10
10. Have they not traveled through the earth and seen what was the end of those before them? Allah destroyed them completely, and a similar [fate is in store for] disbelievers.
Dammara derives from the root d-m-r denotes “destroy, annihilate, demolish.” Collocated with the preposition ‘ala, it indicates emphasis. Addressing the negligent astray in ignorance, the blessed Verse asks:
“Why do they not travel on the earth to see the traces of the peoples of the past and see that they were destroyed by Us owing to their denial of the prophet and harassing them. They should know that their destruction was due to their disbelief and disobedience. We destroyed the peoples of the past and such fate awaits these disbelievers.”