Ash-Shu'ara 26:203

<h2>The Deniers will never believe until They see the Torment</h2><p>Allah says: `thus We caused denial, disbelief, rejection and stubbornness to enter the hearts of the sinners.'</p><div class="arabic uthmani">لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ</div><p>(They will not believe in it), i.e., the truth,</p><div class="arabic uthmani">حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ</div><p>(until they see the painful torment.) means, when their excuses will be of no avail, and the curse will be upon them, and theirs will be an evil abode.</p><div class="arabic uthmani">فَيَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً</div><p>(It shall come to them of a sudden,) means, the punishment of Allah will come upon them suddenly,</p><div class="arabic uthmani">وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَفَيَقُولُواْ هَلْ نَحْنُ مُنظَرُونَ </div><p>(while they perceive it not. Then they will say: "Can we be respited") means, when they see the punishment, then they will wish they had a little more time so that they can obey Allah -- or so they claim. This is like the Ayah:</p><div class="arabic uthmani">وَأَنذِرِ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمُ الْعَذَابُ</div><p>(And warn mankind of the Day when the torment will come unto them) until:</p><div class="arabic uthmani">مَا لَكُمْ مِّن زَوَالٍ</div><p>(that you would not leave) (14: 44). When every sinner and evildoer sees his punishment, he will feel intense regret. Such was the case of Fir`awn, when Musa prayed against him:</p><div class="arabic uthmani">رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ …

Then they will say: Are we to be reprieved?

Then they will say: "Shall we be respited?"

Then they will say: "Can we be respited?"

Then they will say, “Are we given any respite?”