if allah were to punish men for their wrongdoing he would not leave on the a single living creature but he gives them respite for a stated term when their term expires they would not be able to delay for a single hour just as they would not be able to anticipate it .
ولو يؤاخذ الله الناس بظلمهم ما ترك عليها من دابة ولكن يؤخرهم إلى أجل مسمى فإذا جاء أجلهم لا يستأخرون ساعة ولا يستقدمون