55 Preface وَما مَنَعَ النّاسَ أَن يُؤمِنوا إِذ جاءَهُمُ الهُدىٰ وَيَستَغفِروا رَبَّهُم إِلّا أَن تَأتِيَهُم سُنَّةُ الأَوَّلينَ أَو يَأتِيَهُمُ العَذابُ قُبُلًاAli Quli QaraiPeople do not refuse to have faith when guidance comes to them and to plead to their Lord for forgiveness, without being overtaken by the precedent of the ancients, or confronting the punishment.1 Or, ‘being overtaken by diverse punishments.’