Had we annihilated them before this, they would have said, “Our Lord, had You sent a messenger to us, we would have followed Your revelations, and would have avoided this shame and humiliation.”
وَلَو أَنّا أَهلَكنٰهُم بِعَذابٍ مِن قَبلِهِ لَقالوا رَبَّنا لَولا أَرسَلتَ إِلَينا رَسولًا فَنَتَّبِعَ ءايٰتِكَ مِن قَبلِ أَن نَذِلَّ وَنَخزىٰ
wa law annaaa ahlaknaahum bi ‘azaabin min qablihee laqaaloo Rabbanaa law laaa arsalta ilainaa Rasoolan fanattabi’a Aayaatika min qabli an nazilla wa nakhzaa