Tafsir of Ya seen 36:31

Surah Ya-Sin (36): Verse 31

{أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنَ الْقُرُونِ}

Then, after Allah the Exalted clarified the state of those who came before, He addressed those present: {Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them?}

This means the remaining people do not see what happened to those who preceded them.

Alternatively, it could mean that those referred to by {Upon them is regret} (Ya-Sin: 30) are the same ones about whom it is said: {Have they not seen}. The meaning is that every destroyed generation was preceded by a people who denied the truth and were destroyed, extending back to the people of Noah and even before.

{أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ}

This phrase is a substitute in meaning for {how many generations We destroyed}.

This is because the meaning of {how many generations We destroyed} is: Have they not seen the multitude of Our destruction? In the sense of: Have they not seen the many destroyed ones, that they will not return to them? In this case, it functions like a substitute of inclusion (badal al-ishtimāl), because {that they will not return to them} describes a state of the destroyed ones—meaning they were destroyed in such a way that they have no return to those remaining in the world. This is like saying, "Do you not see Zayd, his discipline?"

Regarding the phrase {that they will not return to them}, there are two interpretations:

1. They were destroyed with a destruction from which there is no return to those in the world.
2. They (the destroyed ones) will not return to them (the living ones), meaning through lineage or birth. This implies that We destroyed them and cut off their offspring. Undeniably, destruction that includes the cutting off of offspring is more complete and comprehensive. The first interpretation is more commonly transmitted (in narration), while the second is more apparent intellectually.

{وَإِن كُلٌّ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ} (Verse 32)