13لا يُؤمِنونَ بِهِ ۖ وَقَد خَلَت سُنَّةُ الأَوَّلينَMuhammad Asadwho do not believe in it,1 although the way which those [evildoers] of olden times had to go has long been within their ken.2Cf. 6:10 and the corresponding note 9. My interpolation of the words "derision of Our message" is based on Tabari's and Zamakhshari's interpretations of the above passage. Regarding God's "causing" the deniers of the truth to sin, see surah 2, note 7, as well as surah 14, note 4.Lit., "although the way of life (sunnah) of those of olden times has already passed"- i.e., although the manner in which God has dealt with them has long since become a matter of common knowledge (Ibn Kathir).