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“117” “Your Lord would never destroy towns unjustly while their people were reformers.”
That is, Allah would never destroy the inhabitants of towns through any injustice on His part while they were reformers—that is, steadfastly adhering to righteousness and persevering in it. Allah would never destroy them unless they committed wrongdoing and Allah’s proof had been established against them.
It may also mean: Your Lord would never destroy towns because of their previous wrongdoing if their people repented and reformed their deeds, for Allah pardons them and effaces their past wrongdoing.
﴿١١٧﴾ ﴿وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ لِيُهْلِكَ الْقُرَى بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَ﴾ .
أي: وما كان الله ليهلك أهل القرى بظلم منه لهم، والحال أنهم مصلحون، أي: مقيمون على الصلاح، مستمرون عليه، فما كان الله ليهلكهم، إلا إذا ظلموا، وقامت عليهم حجة الله.
ويحتمل، أن المعنى: وما كان ربك ليهلك القرى بظلمهم السابق، إذا رجعوا وأصلحوا عملهم، فإن الله يعفو عنهم، ويمحو ما تقدم من ظلمهم.