Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of The Glorious Koran. An Explanatory Translation (1930)
ye were disdainful in the land without a right, and because ye used to transgress.
21. And make mention (O Muhammad) of the brother of A‘âd 1 when he warned his folk among- the wind-curved sandhills — and verily warners came and went before and after him — saying: Serve none but Allah. Lo! I fear for you the doom of a tremendous Day.
22. They said: Hast come to turn us away from our gods? Then bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou art of the truthful.
23. He said: The knowledge is with Allah only. I convey unto you that wherewith I have been sent, but I see you are a folk that know not.
24. Then, when they beheld it as a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said; Here is a cloud bringing us rain. Nay, but it is that which ye did seek to hasten, a wind wherein is painful torment,
25. Destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And morning found them so that naught could be seen save their dwellings. Thus do We reward the guilty folk.
26. And verily We had empowered them with that wherewith We have not empowered you, and had assigned them ears and eyes and hearts; but their ears and eyes and hearts availed them naught since they denied the revelations of Allah; and what they used to mock befell them.
27. And verily We have destroyed townships round about you, and displayed (for them) Our revelation, that haply they might return.
28. Then why did those whom they had chosen for gods as a way of approach (unto Allah) not help them? Nay, but they did fail them utterly. And (all) that was their lie, and what they used to invent.
1 The prophet Hûd.
