فَمَا زَالَت تِّلْكَ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَعَلْنَٰهُمْ حَصِيدًا خَٰمِدِينَ
Important Words:
خامدین (reduced to ashes) is the plural of خامد which is active participle from خمد. They say خمدت النار i.e. the fire subsided. خمدت الـحمی means, the vehemence of the fever became allayed. خمد also means, he (a sick man) fainted or swooned; or he died. خامد means, silent; from whom no voice is heard; silent and dead or silent, having died, and become like extinguished ashes (Lane).
حصیدا (mown down). See 10:25.
Commentary:
The verse gives a graphic description of the people who are visited by the wrath of God. They are completely ruined. They lose all power and capacity for revival. The surest sign that the decline and downfall of a people has begun is that all their ambitions and aspirations become extinguished. The very will to live dies in them. They despair of their future and lose all initiative and thus to all intents and purposes become a dead people.
The verse gives a graphic description of the people upon whom descends Divine punishment. They are completely ruined, and all their ambitions and aspirations become extinguished. The very will to live dies in them and they despair of their future and lose all initiative and thus to all intents and purposes they become defunct and dead.