Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (1/412)

Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“Have they not travelled through the land and looked to see how the fate of those before them turned out? They were mightier than them in strength, tilled the soil and populated the earth far more than these have ever done. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, yet Allah did not wrong them; rather, they wronged themselves.” ⦗Q 30:9⦘

Then,

“The ultimate end of those who committed evil was the very worst: they denied the signs of Allah and used to ridicule them.” ⦗Q 30:10⦘

Allah, Exalted is He, also says:

“None dispute the signs of Allah except those who have disbelieved, so do not let their movement about the land deceive you. Before them the people of Noah rejected the truth, as did the confederates after them. Every nation plotted against its messenger to seize him, and they argued with falsehood so as to refute the truth thereby; so I seized them—how terrible was My punishment!” ⦗Q 40:4 – 5⦘

And He, the Exalted, says:

“Have they not journeyed through the earth and observed how the fate of those before them ended? They were stronger than them in might and left deeper traces upon the land, yet Allah seized them for their sins, and they had no protector against Allah. That is because their messengers used to come to them with clear proofs, but they denied them, so Allah seized them. Indeed, He is Strong, Severe in punishment.” ⦗Q 40:21 – 22⦘

وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَثَارُوا الْأَرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ} [الروم: ٩] ثُمَّ {كَانَ عَاقِبَةَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا السُّوءَى أَنْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا بِهَا يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ} [الروم: ١٠] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {مَا يُجَادِلُ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلَا يَغْرُرْكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمْ فِي الْبِلَادِ - كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَالْأَحْزَابُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ وَجَادَلُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ} [غافر: ٤ - ٥] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَآثَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَاقٍ - ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانَتْ تَأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَكَفَرُوا فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ قَوِيٌّ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ} [غافر: ٢١ - ٢٢] .