164 Preface وَإِذ قالَت أُمَّةٌ مِنهُم لِمَ تَعِظونَ قَومًا ۙ اللَّهُ مُهلِكُهُم أَو مُعَذِّبُهُم عَذابًا شَديدًا ۖ قالوا مَعذِرَةً إِلىٰ رَبِّكُم وَلَعَلَّهُم يَتَّقونَYusuf AliWhen some of them said: “Why do ye preach to a people whom God will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?”-1 said the preachers:” To discharge our duty to your Lord, and perchance they may fear Him.” There are always people who wonder, no doubt sincerely, what good it is to preach to the wicked. The answer is given to them here: (1) every man who sees evil must speak out against it; it is his duty and responsibility to God; (2) there is always a chance that the warning may have effect and save a precious soul. This passage has a special meaning for the times when our Holy Prophet was preaching in Mecca, apparently without results. But it applies to all times.