Surah At-Taghabun, Ayah 5

Has the news of the nations who denied before you not reached you, O idolaters - such as the people of Noah, the Ad, the Thamud and others. They tasted the punishment of the disbelief they had perpetrated in the world, and in the afterlife they will receive a painful punishment. Indeed, that has come to you. So take a lesson from their eventual outcome and repent to Allah before that which befell them befalls you.

Has not the news reached you of those who disbelieved aforetime? And so they tasted the evil result of their disbelief, and theirs will be a painful torment (5)That was because there came to them their Messengers with Bayyinat, but they said: "Shall mere men guide us?" So they disbelieved and turned away. But Allah was not in need. And Allah is not in need, Worthy of all praise (6)

A Warning delivered through mentioning the End of the Disbelieving Nations

Informing about the past nations and the torment and disciplinary lessons that they suffered because of opposing the Messengers and denying the truth. Allah says;

أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ

(Has not the news reached you of those who disbelieved aforetime?) meaning, information about them and what happened to them,

فَذَاقُوا وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِمْ

(And so they tasted the evil result of their disbelief.) They tasted the evil consequences of their denial and sinful actions. And it refers to the punishment and humiliation they received in the life of the world,

وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

(and theirs will be a painful torment.) in the Hereafter, added to the torment they received in this life. Allah explained why;

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُ كَانَتْ تَأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ

(That was because there came to them their Messengers with Bayyinat,) supporting arguments, evidence, and clear proofs,

فَقَالُوا أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا

(but they said:"Shall mere men guide us?") They discounted and dismissed the possibility that the Message would be sent to a human and that their guidance would come by the hands of a man like themselves,

فَكَفَرُوا وَتَوَلَّوْا

(So they disbelieved and turned away.) they denied the truth and turned away from abiding by it,

وَاسْتَغْنَى اللَّهُ ۚ

(But Allah was not in need.) of them,

وَاللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ

(And Allah is not need, Worthy of all praise.)