"No nation can hasten its appointed time nor can they delay it," meaning: the past nations, their appointed time is the time of the torment, "and they cannot delay" it.
﴿مَا تَسْبِقُ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا﴾ يَعْنِي: الأُمَمَ الْخَالِيَةَ أَجَلُهَا وَقْتُ الْعَذَاب ﴿وَمَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ﴾ عَنهُ.
