"And We did not destroy any city but that it had a known record"—meaning: the time in which they are to be destroyed; that is: those who were destroyed from the past nations due to their rejection of their messengers.
﴿وَمَا أَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ إِلا وَلها كتاب مَعْلُوم﴾ يَعْنِي: الْوَقْتَ الَّذِي يُهْلَكُونَ فِيهِ؛ يَعْنِي: مِنْ أُهْلِكَ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ السالفة بتكذيبهم رسلهم
