Tafsir of Az-Zumar 39:50

"Those before them had already said it..."

The pronoun in "said it" (qālahā) refers to his statement: "I was only given it because of knowledge I have" (Al-Qaṣaṣ: 78; Az-Zumar: 49), because it is a word or a sentence of speech. It is also recited as qālahu (masculine), referring to the meaning of al-qawl (the saying) or al-kalām (the speech).

"And those before them": They are Qārūn and his people, for he said: "I was only given it because of knowledge I have," and his people were pleased with it, so it is as if they had said it themselves. It is also possible that there were others among the past nations who said the same thing.

"So what they used to earn did not avail them": That is, the goods of this world which they gathered.

"So those": Meaning the polytheists of your people.

"There shall afflict them": The same as what afflicted those before them. Thus, their leaders were killed at Badr, and provision was withheld from them, so they suffered seven years of drought. Then, it was expanded for them, and they were rained upon for seven years.

"Do they not know": That there is no one who withholds or expands [provision] except Allah, the Almighty and Exalted.

"Say, 'O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.'"