Taha Verse 51

Pharaoh asked, “And what about previous peoples?”

Pharaoh said, “Then what about the former [disbelieving] nations?”

Pharaoh said, 'And what of the former generations?'

He said, ‘What about former generations?’

He said: then what happened to the former generations?

(Pharaoh) said; "What then is the condition of previous generations?"

Pharaoh asked: "Then, what is the state of the former generations?"

(The Pharaoh) said: "And what about the former generations?"

Said Firaun, “What is the state of the former generations?”

He said, ‘What about the former generations?’

(The Pharaoh) said: "Then, what is the case with the earlier generations (all of whom have passed away, how are they recompensed for their beliefs and deeds)?"

(Pharaoh) said, `What will be the fate of the former generations (who did not believe in these things)?´

He said: "So what (about the) affair/condition (of) the first/beginning generations/centuries ?"

Said Firaun, "What is the state of the former generations?"

He said, "Our Lord is He who gave everything its form, nature and existence, then guided it right."

[Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] said: "What about the generations of old?"

He said: Our Lord is He Who gives to everything its creation, then guides (it).

He said: Then what is the state of the former generations?

He said: What then is the state of the generations of old?

He then asked, "What do you know about the past generations?"

He (Pharaoh) asked: 'How was it then, with the former generations'

[Fir`awn] said: "What about the generations of old"

Pharaoh asked, "What about the previous generations?"

He said, “What about the first generations?”

He, Pharaoh, said, `So what of, the status [of], the generations, the communities, of old?', such as the people of Noah, Hd, Lot and Slih, with regard to their having worshipped graven images.

(Fir`awn) said;"What about the generations of old!"

The most correct opinion concerning the meaning of this, is that when Musa informed Fir`awn that his Lord Who sent him is the One Who creates, sustains, ordains and guides, Fir`awn began to argue, using the previous generations as a proof. He was referring to those people of old who did not worship Allah. In other words, "If the matter is as you say, then what happened to those people! They did not worship your Lord. Instead they worshipped other gods besides Him.