Allah tells them how much they wasted in their short lives in this world by failing to obey Allah and worship Him Alone. If they had been patient during their short stay in this world, they would have attained victory just like His pious close friends.قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِي الاْاَرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَHe will say:"What number of years did you stay on earth!"means, how long did you stay in this world.قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلْ الْعَادِّينَ