95 Preface ثُمَّ بَدَّلنا مَكانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الحَسَنَةَ حَتّىٰ عَفَوا وَقالوا قَد مَسَّ آباءَنَا الضَّرّاءُ وَالسَّرّاءُ فَأَخَذناهُم بَغتَةً وَهُم لا يَشعُرونَYusuf AliThen We changed their suffering into prosperity, until they grew1 and multiplied, and began to say: “Our fathers (too) were touched by suffering and affluence” ... Behold! We called them to account of a sudden, while they realised not (their peril).God gives enough rope to the sinful. They grow and multiply, and become scornful. Neither suffering nor affluence teaches them the lessons which they are meant to learn, viz., patience and humility, gratitude and kindness to others. They take adversity and prosperity alike as a matter of chance. “O yes!” they say, “Such things have happened in all ages! Our fathers had such experience before us, and our sons will have them after us. Thus goes on the world for all time!” But does it? What about the Plan of the Architect? They are found napping when Nemesis overtakes them in the midst of their impious tomfoolery!