Quran Universe
11:68

كَأَن لَّمۡ يَغۡنَوۡاْ فِيهَآۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ ثَمُودَاْ كَفَرُواْ رَبَّهُمۡۗ أَلَا بُعۡدٗا لِّثَمُودَ

Kaan lam yaghnaw feeha ala inna thamooda kafaroo rabbahum ala buAAdan lithamooda

As if they had never prospered therein. Unquestionably, Thamud denied their Lord; then, away with Thamud.

Word by word
  1. كَأَنAs if
  2. لَّمۡnot
  3. يَغۡنَوۡاْthey (had) prospered
  4. فِيهَآۗtherein
  5. أَلَآNo doubt
  6. إِنَّindeed
  7. ثَمُودَاْThamud
  8. كَفَرُواْdisbelieved
  9. رَبَّهُمۡۗ(in) their Lord
  10. أَلَاso
  11. بُعۡدٗاaway
  12. لِّثَمُودَwith Thamud
Hud · 11:68Makkah

As if they had never lived there at all.

What remains of a prosperity that denied its Lord

Before and after
they prosperedcities, wealth, settled life
became
as if neverno trace of their ease
The reason given
bad luckjust how things go
they denied their Lordso away with Thamud

After the cry, Thamud's busy cities looked as if no one had ever prospered there. The verse names the cause plainly: they denied their Lord. Their story closes with the words: away with Thamud.

You scroll past an old photo of a crowded shop that is now boarded up. Busy places empty out. Lives that seemed so full get forgotten. What lasts is what you did with Allah in mind.

What I am building now will always be here.

All of it can vanish as if it never was. Only my standing with my Lord stays.

Try this

Pick one thing you are building this week and give it a purpose that pleases Allah.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 11:64)

"And O my people! This she-camel of Allah is a sign to you, so leave her to graze in Allah's land, and touch her not with evil, lest a near torment should seize you. (64)But they slaughtered her. So he said: "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. This is a promise (a threat) that will not be belied. (65)So when Our commandment came, We saved Salih and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us, and from the disgrace of that Day. Verily, your Lord – He is the All-Strong, the All-Mighty (66)And As-Sayhah (awful cry) overtook the wrongdoers, so they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes (67)As if they had never lived there. No doubt! Verily, Thamud disbelieved in their Lord. So away with Thamud!) A discussion of this story has already preceded in Surat Al-A'raf and it is sufficient without having to be repeated here. Allah is the Giver of succes (68)