32 Preface وَلَقَدِ استُهزِئَ بِرُسُلٍ مِن قَبلِكَ فَأَملَيتُ لِلَّذينَ كَفَروا ثُمَّ أَخَذتُهُم ۖ فَكَيفَ كانَ عِقابِYusuf AliMocked were (many) Messengers1 before thee: but I granted respite to the unbelievers, and finally I punished them: Then how (terrible) was my requital!2Cf. 6:10 and 36:30.The punishment was in many cases deferred. But when it did come, how terrible and exemplary it was?