And nothing has prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them and from asking forgiveness of their Lord except that there [must] befall them the [accustomed] precedent of the former peoples1 or that the punishment should come [directly] before them.
Translation: Saheeh International (English)
1 Who denied the truth brought by Allāh's messengers.
وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُواْand they ask forgivenesswayastaghfirū
رَبَّهُمۡ(of) their Lordrabbahum
إِلَّآexceptillā
أَنthatan
تَأۡتِيَهُمۡcomes to themtatiyahum
سُنَّةُ(the) waysunnatu
ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ(of) the former (people)l-awalīna
أَوۡoraw
يَأۡتِيَهُمُcomes to themyatiyahumu
ٱلۡعَذَابُthe punishmentl-ʿadhābu
قُبُلٗاbefore (them)qubulan
Tafsir
Nothing prevented the obstinate disbelievers from having faith in what Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought from his Lord. Lack of explanation did not prevent them from seeking Allah’s forgiveness for their sins, for many examples were given to them in the Qur’ān and clear proofs came to them. The only thing that prevented them was their stubborn request for the punishment of the previous communities to be imposed on them and for them to see the punishment that they were promised.