Allah said next,
[أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ
فِى الاٌّرْضِ]
(Have they not traveled in the land), meaning, `Have not these people who
rejected you, O Muhammad, traveled in the land,'
[فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيْفَ
كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ]
(and seen what was the end of those who were before them) that is, the
earlier nations that rejected the Messengers, and how Allah destroyed them. A
similar end is awaiting all disbelievers. Allah said in another Ayah,
[أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ
فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَآ]
(Have they not traveled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to
understand) [22:46] When they hear this statement, they should realize that
Allah destroyed the disbelievers and saved the believers, and this is His way
with His creation. This is why Allah said,
[وَلَدَارُ
الاٌّخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ]
(And verily, the home of the Hereafter is the best for those who have Taqwa.)
Allah says, `Just as We saved the faithful in this life, We also wrote safety
for them in the Hereafter, which is far better for them than the life of the
present world.' Allah said in another Ayah,
[إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ
رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ
الاٌّشْهَـدُ - يَوْمَ لاَ يَنفَعُ الظَّـلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ
الْلَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ ]
(Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe
in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth (i.e.
Day of Resurrection). The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the
wrongdoers. Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode (in
Hellfire).) [40:51-52]
[حَتَّى إِذَا
اسْتَيْـَسَ الرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُواْ جَآءَهُمْ نَصْرُنَا
فَنُجِّىَ مَن نَّشَآءُ وَلاَ يُرَدُّ بَأْسُنَا عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ
]
(110. (They were reprieved) until, when the Messengers gave up hope and
thought that they were denied, then came to them Our help, and whomsoever We
willed were rescued. And Our punishment cannot be warded off from the people who
are criminals.)