وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٞ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامٗا وَأَجَلٞ مُّسَمّٗى
And had it not been for a Word that had gone before from your Lord and a stated term, indeed (torment) (i.e., torment for disobedience) would have been an imposition
Author: Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali