Quran Universe
6:6

أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ كَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن قَرۡنٖ مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَا لَمۡ نُمَكِّن لَّكُمۡ وَأَرۡسَلۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيۡهِم مِّدۡرَارٗا وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرَ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهِمۡ فَأَهۡلَكۡنَٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمۡ وَأَنشَأۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ قَرۡنًا ءَاخَرِينَ

Alam yaraw kam ahlakna min qablihim min qarnin makkannahum fee alardi ma lam numakkin lakum waarsalna alssamaa AAalayhim midraran wajaAAalna alanhara tajree min tahtihim faahlaknahum bithunoobihim waanshana min baAAdihim qarnan akhareena

Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them which We had established upon the earth as We have not established you? And We sent [rain from] the sky upon them in showers and made rivers flow beneath them; then We destroyed them for their sins and brought forth after them a generation of others.

Word by word
  1. أَلَمۡDid not
  2. يَرَوۡاْthey see
  3. كَمۡhow many
  4. أَهۡلَكۡنَاWe destroyed
  5. مِنfrom
  6. قَبۡلِهِمbefore them
  7. مِّنof
  8. قَرۡنٖgenerations
  9. مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمۡWe had established them
  10. فِيin
  11. ٱلۡأَرۡضِthe earth
  12. مَاwhat
  13. لَمۡnot
  14. نُمَكِّنWe (have) established
  15. لَّكُمۡfor you
  16. وَأَرۡسَلۡنَاAnd We sent
  17. ٱلسَّمَآءَ(rain from) the sky
  18. عَلَيۡهِمupon them
  19. مِّدۡرَارٗاshowering abundantly
  20. وَجَعَلۡنَاand We made
  21. ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرَthe rivers
  22. تَجۡرِيflow
  23. مِنfrom
  24. تَحۡتِهِمۡunderneath them
  25. فَأَهۡلَكۡنَٰهُمThen We destroyed them
  26. بِذُنُوبِهِمۡfor their sins
  27. وَأَنشَأۡنَاand We raised
  28. مِنۢfrom
  29. بَعۡدِهِمۡafter them
  30. قَرۡنًاgenerations
  31. ءَاخَرِينَother
Al-An'am · 6:6Makkah

They had more rain, more rivers, more power. Gone.

Past generations stronger than you, replaced

What they had
establishedmore than you were
rain and riversplenty, all the time
yet
destroyedfor their sins
then
new generationstested in turn
What abundance means
proof He is pleasedI have a lot
a testthe next generation's turn

Ibn Kathir says the earlier nations had more wealth, children, buildings, provision and soldiers than Quraysh. Rain came often and springs were plentiful. Yet they were destroyed for their sins and others were raised after them, so the new ones would be tested too.

Your pay rise came through. The house is paid off. Life is green and the rain keeps coming. It is easy to read comfort as approval. Walk past an old family house that is now empty, or a company that was once a giant. Plenty is the test, not the grade.

Things are going well, so I must be doing fine.

Blessings are a test of what I do with them, not a stamp of approval.

Try this

Look at one blessing you have right now and ask: how am I using this for good?

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 6:4)

And never an Ayah comes to them from the Ayat of their Lord, but that they have been turning away from it (4)Indeed, they rejected the truth when it came to them, but there will come to them the news of that which they used to mock at (5)Have they not seen how many a generation before them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth such as We have not established you? And We poured out on them rain from the sky in abundance, and made the rivers flow under them. Yet We destroyed them for their sins, and created after them other generations (6)

Threatening the Idolators for their Stubbornness

Allah states that the rebellious, stubborn polytheists will turn away from every Ayah, meaning, sign, miracle and proof that is evidence of Allah's Uniqueness and the truth of His honorable Messengers. They will not contemplate about these Ayat or care about them. Allah said,

فَقَدْ كَذَّبُوا بِالْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِيهِمْ أَنبَاءُ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ

(Indeed, they rejected the truth when it came to them, but there will come to them the news of that which they used to mock at.)

This Ayah contains a warning and a stern threat for the disbelievers' rejection of the truth, stating that the disbelievers will surely know the truth of what they used to deny and taste the evil end of their behavior. Allah advises and warns the disbelievers, that they should avoid the torments and afflictions of this life, similar to what befell their likes from previous nations, who were stronger, wealthier, had more offspring, and were more exploitive on the earth. Allah said,

أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ مَّكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَا لَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّكُمْ

(Have they not seen how many a generation before them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth such as We have not established you?) meaning, they had more wealth, children, buildings, abundant provision, riches and soldiers. Allah said next,

وَأَرْسَلْنَا السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْهِم مِّدْرَارًا 

(and We poured out on them rain from the sky in abundance,) in reference to rain that comes often,

وَجَعَلْنَا الْأَنْهَارَ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهِمْ

(And made the rivers flow under them.) as rain was abundant and the springs were plentiful, so that We deceived them.

فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ 

(Yet We destroyed them for their sins) meaning the mistakes and errors that they committed,

وَأَنشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا آخَرِينَ

(and created after them other generations,) for, these generations of old perished and became as legends and stories,

وَأَنشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا آخَرِينَ

(And created after them other generations.) so that We test the new generations, as well. Yet, they committed similar errors and were destroyed, as their ancestors were destroyed. Therefore, beware of the same end that might befall you, for you are not dearer to Allah than these previous nations, but the Messenger whom you defied is dearer to Allah than the Messengers they defied. Thus, you are more liable than them to receive torment, if it was not for Allah's mercy and kindness.