Allah says to His Messenger, while comforting him in facing his people's denial of him,

﴿وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ﴾

`(And indeed (many) Messengers were mocked at before you), so you have a good example in them,

﴿فَأَمْلَيْتُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ﴾

(but I granted respite to those who disbelieved,) deferred their judgment for a term appointed,

﴿ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهُمْ﴾

(and finally I punished them.) with encompassing punishment. How did you obtain the news of how I gave them respite and then took them with punishment' Allah said in another Ayah,

﴿وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ ﴾

(And many a township did I give respite while it was given to wrongdoing. Then (in the end) I seized it (with punishment). And to Me is the (final) return (of all).)﴿22:48﴾ It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet said,

«إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه»

(Verily, Allah gives respite to the unjust until when He seizes him, He never lets go of him.) The Messenger next recited this Ayah,

﴿وَكَذلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ ﴾

(Such is the punishment of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful, (and) severe.)﴿11:102﴾

﴿أَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَآئِمٌ عَلَى كُلِّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَجَعَلُواْ للَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ قُلْ سَمُّوهُمْ أَمْ تُنَبِّئُونَهُ بِمَا لاَ يَعْلَمُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَم بِظَـهِرٍ مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ بَلْ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مَكْرُهُمْ وَصُدُّواْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ ﴾

(33. Is then He (Allah) Who takes charge of every person and knows all that he has earned (like any other deity who knows nothing) Yet, they ascribe partners to Allah. Say: "Name them! Is it that you will inform Him of something He knows not in the earth or is it (just) a show of false words.'' Nay! To those who disbelieved, their plotting is made fair-seeming, and they have been hindered from the right path; and whom Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide.)