and when a community among them said why preach ye to a folk whom allah is about to destroy or punish with an awful doom they said in order to be free from guilt before your lord and that haply they may ward off .
وإذ قالت أمة منهم لم تعظون قوما الله مهلكهم أو معذبهم عذابا شديدا قالوا معذرة إلى ربكم ولعلهم يتقون