The Destruction or Torment of all Disbelieving Towns before the Hour begins Allah tells;وَإِن مَّن قَرْيَةٍ إِلاَّ نَحْنُ مُهْلِكُوهَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُوهَا عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا كَانَ ذَلِك فِي الْكِتَابِ مَسْطُورًاAnd there is not a town (population) but We shall destroy it before the Day of Resurrection, or punish it with a severe torment. That is written in the Book (of Our decrees).Here Allah tells us that He has decreed and it is written in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet) which is with Him, that there is no town that He will not destroy by wiping out all its people or by punishing them, عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا (with a severe torment), either by killing them or sending calamities upon them as He wills.This will be because of their sins, as Allah says of the past nations:وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـهُمْ وَلَـكِن ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْWe wronged them not, but they wronged themselves. (11:101) فَذَاقَتْ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهَا وَكَانَ عَـقِبَةُ أَمْرِهَا خُسْراًSo it tasted the evil result of its affair (disbelief), and the consequence of its affair (disbelief) was loss. (65:9) وَكَأِيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ عَتَتْ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهَا وَرُسُلِهِAnd many a town (population) revolted against the command of its Lord and His Messengers; (65:8)and many Ayat