وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٞ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامٗا وَأَجَلٞ مُّسَمّٗى
But for a word from your Lord that had passed earlier, and an appointed time that had been fixed, it (the punishment) would have been inevitable (for them)
Author: Mufti Taqi Usmani