And it was part of His wisdom and mercy—magnified and exalted is He—that when He sent Muhammad He did not annihilate his people with a punishment of total eradication, as He had wiped out the nations before them. Rather, He chastised some of them with various kinds of torment, just as He afflicted certain groups who denied him with different punishments, such as the scoffers about whom Allah said:

“Indeed, We are sufficient for you against those who mock.” ⦗Surah al-Ḥijr, 95⦘ (95)

“Those who set up another god alongside Allah; they will soon come to know.” ⦗Surah al-Ḥijr, 96⦘ (96)

Allah punished each one of them with a specific, well-known punishment. One man, for instance, the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—invoked against, asking that Allah unleash upon him one of His dogs. Though the man tried to shield himself among his people, a lion came, seized him from their midst, and killed him— and there are other examples like this, mentioned earlier.

The Exalted also said:

“Say, ‘Are you waiting for anything to befall us except one of the two splendid outcomes? Whereas we are waiting for you to be struck by Allah with a punishment from Himself or at our hands.’” ⦗Surah al-Tawbah, 52⦘ (52)