وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ (18)
(67:18) Those who came before them also gave the lie (to the Messengers): then how awesome was My chastisement! *28
*28) The allusion is to the communities who had belied the Messengers, who had come to them previously and consequently been afflicted with Divine punishment.