Tafsir of Maryam 19:74

{And how many a generation have We destroyed before them who were better in possessions and appearance.}

The object of the verb "We destroyed" (ahlaknā) is the phrase "many a generation" (kam min qarn). The clause "who were better in possessions and appearance" (hum aḥsanu athāthan wa-ri’yan) serves to clarify the ambiguity of "many" (kam). It means: "We have destroyed many generations." Every group of people in an era is a "generation" (qarn) to those who come after them because they precede them.

The phrase "who were better" (hum aḥsanu) is in the accusative position as an adjective for "many" (kam). Do you not see that if you were to omit "who were better" (hum aḥsanu), you would have no choice but to put "better" (aḥsanu) in the accusative case as an adjective?

Athāth (Possessions): The furnishings of a house. It is also said: It refers to what is found of carpets and rugs. Kharthī refers to the worn-out or inferior parts of them. Al-Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī al-Ṭūsī recited:

The era of Umm al-Walīd has long passed us by, And the furnishings of the house have become worn-out rags.

Ri’yan (Appearance): There are five ways to read this word:

1. Ri’yan: Meaning appearance and form. It is a fi‘l (verbal noun) in the sense of a maf‘ūl (passive participle), derived from "seeing" (ra’aytu).
2. Ri’yan: Through metathesis (transposition), similar to how they say rā’ for ra’y.
3. Rayyan: By changing the hamza into a yā’ and assimilating it, or derived from rayy (satiety), which implies luxury and comfort, as in the saying: "He is satiated (rayyān) with blessings."
4. Riyan: By deleting the hamza entirely. The logic is to lighten the transposed form (ri’yan) by deleting its hamza and transferring its vowel to the preceding quiescent yā’.
5. Ziyyan: Derived from ziyy (appearance/attire), which is a collection; because ziyy refers to gathered beauties.

The meaning is: "Better than these [people]."

{Say, "Whoever is in error, let the Most Merciful extend for him an extension [in time] until, when they see that which they are promised—either the punishment or the Hour—they will come to know who is worse in position and weaker in soldiers."}