16 Preface وَقالوا رَبَّنا عَجِّل لَنا قِطَّنا قَبلَ يَومِ الحِسابِYusuf AliThey say: “Our Lord! hasten to us our sentence1 (even) before the Day of Account!”Cf. 26:204 and n. 3230. Those who do not believe in the Hereafter say ironically: “Let us have our punishment and sentence now: why delay it?” The last verse and the next verse supply the commentary. As to those who mock, they will find out the truth soon enough, when it is too late for repentance or mercy. As to the prophets of God, who are mocked, they must wait patiently for God to fulfil His Plan: even men who had worldly strength and power, like David, had to exercise infinite patience when mocked by their contemporaries.