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dhālika bi-ʾannahum kānat taʾtīhim rusuluhum bi-l-bayyināti fa-kafarū fa-ʾakhadhahumu llāhu ʾinnahū qawiyyun shadīdu l-ʿiqābi
That was because their apostles used to bring them manifest proofs, but they defied [them]. So Allah seized them. Indeed He is all-strong, severe in retribution.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Ghafir - Verse 22
22. That [Divine Wrath] was because there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs but they disbelieved. Therefore, Allah seized them. Indeed He is All-Strong, Severe in chastisement.
Sending Prophets is a Divine tradition recorded in the history of mankind since God Almighty never chastises anyone without having given him the ultimatum. The blessed Verse in question tersely makes mention of the foregoing points by saying that such Divine excruciating chastisement was because there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs but they denied them all. They were not seized unaware nor were their disbelief and sin without warning, since Messengers recurrently (kanat ta’tihim) came to them but they failed to submit to Divine Commands. They shattered the lights of guidance, turned away from their compassionate Messengers, and at times they slew them.
Then God seized and chastised them since He is All-Strong and Severe in Chastisement. He is both the Most Compassionate of all the compassionate; however, at the time of Wrath, He is the Severest in Chastisement.