Hud 11:116
هودفَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ أُو۟لُوا۟ بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْفَسَادِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَآ أُتْرِفُوا۟ فِيهِ وَكَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
If only there had been among the generations before you righteous people who would forbid others from spreading corruption in the land, except a few of them whom We saved. But the wrongdoers pursued their luxury[59] which they were given therein, and they were wicked.
[59] They preferred life’s luxuriant findings over the Hereafter.
Meaning: English Translation - Rowwad Translation Center. Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website. Version 1.0.19, 2026-03-12. QuranEnc.com
So why were there not[580] among the generations before you those of enduring discrimination forbidding corruption on earth - except a few of those We saved from among them? But those who wronged pursued what luxury they were given therein, and they were criminals.
[580] Meaning "If only there had been..."
Meaning: English Translation - Noor International Center. Issued by Noor International Center. Version 1.1.2, 2025-06-24. QuranEnc.com
116. If only there had been among the generations before you persons having wisdom, prohibiting (others) from Al-Fasâd (disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of crimes and sins) in the earth, (but there were none) - except a few of those whom We saved from among them! Those who did wrong pursued the enjoyment of good things of (this worldly) life, and were Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers in Allâh, polytheists, sinners).
Meaning: English Translation - Hilali and Khan. Translated by Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali and Muhammad Muhsin Khan. Version 1.1.2, 2025-09-04. QuranEnc.com
If only there had been among the generations before you men possessing a remnant (of good sense) to warn (their people) from corruption in the earth, as did a few of those whom We saved from them! The wrong-doers followed that by which they were made sapless, and were guilty.
Meaning: English Translation - Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall. The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), as distributed by the Tanzil Project (last update 4 September 2010). Version 2010-09-04, 2010-09-04. Tanzil
The Arabic is Tanzil’s text, unchanged. The meanings are their publishers’ editions, unchanged; Sabīl’s own reviewers have not yet examined them. Arabic: Tanzil Uthmani text, version 1.1. Source: tanzil.net