And when He swore to the occurrence of the promise and the warning absolutely, it is more general than being in this world or in the Hereafter. This is because He is capable of all that He wills, with oaths that indicate His power over it clearly. He followed it with an even clearer indication by what is observed from the destruction of the worldly beings. He said, [denying] those who deny it, their denial along with what was from Him, glorified and exalted is He, to those who denied the messengers, and those who believed in them: ﴿Did We not destroy﴾, meaning by what We have of greatness, ﴿the former ones﴾, meaning the destruction of punishment and wrath due to their denial of the messengers, blessings and peace be upon them, like the people of Noah and those after them, one nation after another and one generation after another, We did not leave any of them.

And when the destruction of those in the time of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, did not decrease from the destruction of the former ones, nor did it increase, the answer to this estimation is: Yes, We have destroyed them. He said, adding to this which the context has clearly guided to, making it as if it is stated: Yes, We have destroyed them.