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wa-ka-ʾayyin min qaryatin ʿatat ʿan ʾamri rabbihā wa-rusulihī fa-ḥāsabnāhā ḥisāban shadīdan wa-ʿadhdhabnāhā ʿadhāban nukran
How many a town defied the command of its Lord and His apostles, then We called it to a severe account and punished it with a dire punishment.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Talaq – Verses 8-9
8. And many a town revolted against the Command of their Lord and His Messengers. We called it to a severe account and We chastised them with an unknown torment.
9. Thus, they tasted the evil consequences of their deeds and the consequences of their deeds was loss.
The Arabic word qarya denotes a place of gathering for habitation be it a town or a village. The past verbal form
derives from ‘-t-w ("to be insolent, to be furious, revolt"). The Arabic nominal form wabal denotes severity and intensity herein connoting severe torment. The preceding blessed Verses include Injunctions concerning the obligations against spouses and children even at the time of separation. The blessed Verses in question urge believers to seriously attend to the Injunctions since disobedience to God Almighty and His Messengers entails severe chastisements whose numerous instances are to be found in the history of nations down the centuries.
At any rate, God Almighty severely chastises those who disobey Him and His Messengers. Thus, the blessed Verse 9 is saying that those who disobeyed Divine Commands and Injunctions, tasted the dire consequences of their evil acts leading to loss. Severe torments and chastisement are in store for such people.