Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord1 ˹O Prophet˺ and a term already set, their ˹instant˺ doom would have been inevitable.
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
And if not for a word1 that preceded from your Lord, it [i.e., punishment] would have been an obligation [due immediately],2 and [if not for] a specified term [decreed].
— Saheeh International