Surah Hud — Ayah 116 (11:116)
فَلَوۡلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ أُوْلُواْ بَقِيَّةٖ يَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡفَسَادِ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا مِّمَّنۡ أَنجَيۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَآ أُتۡرِفُواْ فِيهِ وَكَانُواْ مُجۡرِمِينَ ١١٦
English translation (Saheeh International)
So why were there not1 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.
- - Meaning "If only there had been..."
Brief commentary
If only there were, among the communities who were punished before you, remnants of the people of virtue and piety who prohibited those communities from disbelief and from corruption on earth through sins. But there were no such remnants among them, except for a few of them who used to prohibit corruption and whom I saved when I destroyed their people who did wrong. The wrongdoers from their people pursued the luxuries they had and were wrong in doing so.