كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍThe people of Nuh denied before these;Nuh was the first Messenger whom Allah sent to denounce and forbid idol worship.وَالاْاَحْزَابُ مِن بَعْدِهِمْand the groups after them, (means, from every nation).وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُand every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him,means, they wanted to kill him by any means possible, and some of them did kill their Messenger.وَجَادَلُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّand disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth.means, they came up with specious arguments with which to dispute the truth which was so plain and clear.فَأَخَذْتُهُمْSo I seized them,means, `I destroyed them, because of the sins they committed.'فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِand how was My punishment!means, `how have you heard that My punishment and vengeance was so severe and painful.'Qatadah said,"It was terrible, by Allah."وَكَذَلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ