“How many generations have We destroyed before them,” meaning before your people, O Muhammad. “And they called out,” for repentance, “but there was no time for escape,” meaning there is no time to flee, nor a time in which repentance is accepted. “And there was no time for escape,” means no time to flee. An-naws (evasion/retreat) means falling back in the speech of the Arabs, and al-baws means advancing. Imru’ al-Qays said:

(Is it because of the memory of Layla, when she distanced herself from you, that you retreat... And shorten your stride away from her and advance?)

Ibn Abbas said: It is not a time for jumping away nor for fleeing.