History was not kind with oppressors

Yes, the Quran recounts several historical examples where disbelievers threatened prophets with expulsion or uprooting from their lands, only for the disbelievers to face destruction or expulsion themselves as divine punishment. These narratives serve as lessons about rejecting prophets and divine guidance. Below are key verses and stories, using standard English translations (primarily Sahih International or similar for clarity).

1. The Story of Prophet Lut (Lot) and the People of Sodom

In Surah Al-A’raf (7:80-84), the people threaten to expel Lut and his followers for their moral stance, but Allah saves Lut and destroys the disbelievers with a rain of stones:

• 7:80: And [We had sent] Lot when he said to his people, “Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds?
• 7:81: Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people.”
• 7:82: But the answer of his people was only that they said, “Evict them from your city! Indeed, they are men who keep themselves pure.”
• 7:83: So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; she was of those who remained [with the evildoers].
• 7:84: And We rained upon them a rain [of stones]. Then see how was the end of the criminals. 20

A similar account appears in Surah Ash-Shu’ara (26:160-175), where the threat is explicit, and the disbelievers are destroyed:

• 26:160: The people of Lot denied the messengers
• 26:161: When their brother Lot said to them, “Will you not fear Allah?
• 26:162: Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger.
• 26:163: So fear Allah and obey me.
• 26:164: And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds.
• 26:165: Do you approach males among the worlds
• 26:166: And leave what your Lord has created for you as mates? But you are a people transgressing.”
• 26:167: They said, “If you do not desist, O Lot, you will surely be of those evicted.”
• 26:168: He said, “Indeed, I am, toward your deed, of those who detest [it].
• 26:169: My Lord, save me and my family from [the consequence of] what they do.”
• 26:170: So We saved him and his family, all,
• 26:171: Except an old woman among those who remained behind.
• 26:172: Then We destroyed the others.
• 26:173: And We rained upon them a rain [of stones], and evil was the rain of those who were warned.
• 26:174: Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.
• 26:175: And indeed, your Lord – He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful. 45

2. The Story of Prophet Shu’ayb (Shuaib) and the People of Midian

In Surah Al-A’raf (7:85-93), the arrogant leaders threaten to expel Shu’ayb and his believers unless they abandon their faith, but an earthquake destroys the disbelievers:

• 7:85: And to [the people of] Midian [We sent] their brother Shu’ayb. He said, “O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So fulfill the measure and weight and do not deprive people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers.
• 7:86: And do not sit on every path, threatening and averting from the way of Allah those who believe in Him, seeking to make it [seem] deviant. And remember when you were few and He increased you. And see how was the end of the corrupters.
• 7:87: And if there should be a group among you who has believed in that with which I have been sent and a group that has not believed, then be patient until Allah judges between us. And He is the best of judges.”
• 7:88: Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people, “We will surely evict you, O Shu’ayb, and those who have believed with you from our city, or you must return to our religion.” He said, “Even if we were unwilling?”
• 7:89: We would have invented against Allah a lie if we returned to your religion after Allah had saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it except that Allah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon Allah we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision.”
• 7:90: Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, “If you should follow Shu’ayb, indeed, you would then be losers.”
• 7:91: So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.
• 7:92: Those who denied Shu’ayb – it was as though they had never resided there. Those who denied Shu’ayb – it was they who were the losers.
• 7:93: And he turned away from them and said, “O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you, so how could I grieve for a disbelieving people?” 33

A variant in Surah Ash-Shu’ara (26:176-191) describes Shu’ayb’s people being destroyed by a “chastisement of the Day of Canopy” (a torment like a cloud or shadow leading to punishment), though the expulsion threat is not repeated here:

• 26:176: The companions of the thicket denied the messengers
• 26:177: When Shu’ayb said to them, “Will you not fear Allah?
• 26:178: Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger.
• 26:179: So fear Allah and obey me.
• 26:180: And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds.
• 26:181: Give full measure and do not be of those who cause loss.
• 26:182: And weigh with an even balance.
• 26:183: And do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on earth, spreading corruption.
• 26:184: And fear He who created you and the former creation.”
• 26:185: They said, “You are only of those affected by magic.
• 26:186: You are but a man like ourselves, and indeed, we think you are among the liars.
• 26:187: So cause to fall upon us fragments of the sky, if you should be of the truthful.”
• 26:188: He said, “My Lord is most knowing of what you do.”
• 26:189: And they denied him, so the punishment of the day of the black cloud seized them. Indeed, it was the punishment of a terrible day.
• 26:190: Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.
• 26:191: And indeed, your Lord – He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful. 55

3. General Reference to Past Nations and Prophets

In Surah Ibrahim (14:9-15), the Quran generalizes this pattern across multiple prophets (like Noah, Hud, Salih), where disbelievers threaten expulsion, but Allah promises to destroy them and let the believers inherit the land:

• 14:9: Has there not reached you the news of those before you – the people of Noah and ‘Aad and Thamud and those after them? No one knows them but Allah. Their messengers brought them clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths and said, “Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt.”
• 14:10: Their messengers said, “Can there be doubt about Allah, Creator of the heavens and earth? He invites you that He may forgive you of your sins, and He delays your death for a specified term.” They said, “You are not but men like us who wish to avert us from what our fathers were worshipping. So bring us a clear authority.”
• 14:11: Their messengers said to them, “We are only men like you, but Allah confers favor upon whom He wills of His servants. It has never been for us to bring you evidence except by permission of Allah. And upon Allah let the believers rely.
• 14:12: And why should we not rely upon Allah while He has guided us to our [good] ways. And we will surely be patient against whatever harm you should cause us. And upon Allah let those who would rely [indeed] rely.”
• 14:13: And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, “We will surely drive you out of our land, or you must return to our religion.” So their Lord inspired to them, “We will surely destroy the wrongdoers.
• 14:14: And We will surely cause you to dwell in the land after them. That is for he who fears My position and fears My threat.”
• 14:15: And they requested victory from Allah, and disappointed, [therefore], was every obstinate tyrant. 38

These are the primary examples matching your query. Other surahs (e.g., Hud or Al-Ankabut) mention destructions of nations but not always with explicit threats of uprooting the prophets. If you’d like more context, tafsir (explanations), or verses from specific translations, let me know!

Yes, there is a specific incident in the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that is directly referenced in the Quran, where the leaders of Quraysh threatened to uproot or expel him and his followers from Mecca.

The key verse is in Surah Al-Isra’ (17:76):

وَإِن كَادُوا۟ لَيَسْتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُخْرِجُوكَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَإِذًۭا لَّا يَلْبَثُونَ خِلَٰفَكَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا
“And indeed, they were about to tempt you (or frighten you) away from the land to expel you from it. But then they would not have remained after you except for a little while.” (Quran 17:76)

Explanation and context from Tafsir (classical commentaries):

• The word used is لَيَسْتَفِزُّونَكَ from the root ف-ز-ع, which means to scare, frighten, unsettle, or drive someone out through intimidation.
• Classical scholars (such as Ibn Kathir, Al-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi) explain this verse as referring to the intense pressure and plots by the Quraysh leaders (especially Abu Jahl and others) in the late Meccan period to force the Prophet to leave Mecca. They tried multiple ways:
  • Threats of assassination
  • Economic and social boycott
  • Direct pressure to make him abandon his mission or leave the city

Although the Hijrah (migration to Medina) had not yet happened when this verse was revealed, Allah is informing the Prophet that the Quraysh were very close to succeeding in driving him out, but Allah protected him, and had they managed to expel him, their own destruction would have followed shortly afterward (as indeed happened after the conquest of Mecca and the eventual decline of those who opposed him).

Supporting verse (related context):

Another verse that reflects the same pressure is Surah Al-Anfal (8:30):

وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ ۚ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ خَيْرُ ٱلْمَٰكِرِينَ
“And [remember] when the disbelievers plotted against you to restrain you, or kill you, or expel you [from Mecca]. They plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.” (Quran 8:30)

This verse explicitly lists the three options the Quraysh considered: imprison/restrain him, kill him, or expel him. The third option (يُخْرِجُوكَ = expel/drive you out) is exactly what is referenced in 17:76.

Summary:

Yes, the Prophet Muhammad was repeatedly threatened with being driven out (uprooted/expelled) from Mecca. The Quran directly refers to this in 17:76 and 8:30, confirming that the Quraysh tried to intimidate and expel him from his hometown, but Allah protected him and promised that any success they might have had in expelling him would have been short-lived for them.