7-94 And We did not send a prophet to a town but We seized its people with distress and affliction that they might humble themselves.a
وَما أَرسَلنا في قَريَةٍ مِن نَبِيٍّ إِلّا أَخَذنا أَهلَها بِالبَأساءِ وَالضَّرّاءِ لَعَلَّهُم يَضَّرَّعونَ (۹۴)
7-94a: يَضَّرَّعونَ – It is derived from یتضرعون . The meaning of ضرع is the udder of a she camel, goat etcetera. ضرع البُہم means a baby quadruped has taken the mother’s teat in its mouth. The meaning of ضرع الرجُل is that he became helpless or powerless (R), and in that state of helplessness seeks power from another. Thus تضرع is when a person stands in a totally humble state before God and seeks power from Him. After presenting several examples of prophets and their opponents, the Quran now describes the rationale of Allah’s law of punishment. Under this law, people are put through distress and difficulties so that they may humble themselves and turn to Allah. Thus, the whole process is designed for the benefit of man. This also proves that any calamity that comes from God is not only a punishment but is also meant for the reformation of people. Hence, the torment of hell can also be for rectification and treatment and not just for punishment.
7-95 Then We changed the evil for good, till they became affluent and said: Distress and happiness did indeed touch our fathers. So We took them by surprise while they perceived not.a
ثُمَّ بَدَّلنا مَكانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الحَسَنَةَ حَتّىٰ عَفَوا وَقالوا قَد مَسَّ آباءَنَا الضَّرّاءُ وَالسَّرّاءُ فَأَخَذناهُم بَغتَةً وَهُم لا يَشعُرونَ (۹۵)
7-95a: عَفَوا – عَفَی is used in the sense of erasing a mark and also for increase or growth, as in عَفَا النَّبۡتُ (the vegetation grew) (R). This is the meaning here. When distress afflicts a nation and it does not benefit from it and on the contrary grows in its hostility towards the truth, the consequence of this is its destruction so that some other nation should take its place.
7-96 And if the people of the towns had believed and kept their duty, We would certainly have opened for them blessings from the heavens and the earth. But they rejected, so We seized them for what they earned.
وَلَو أَنَّ أَهلَ القُرىٰ آمَنوا وَاتَّقَوا لَفَتَحنا عَلَيهِم بَرَكاتٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ وَلٰكِن كَذَّبوا فَأَخَذناهُم بِما كانوا يَكسِبونَ (۹۶)
7-97 Are the people of the towns, then, secure from Our punishment coming to them by night while they sleep?
أَفَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرىٰ أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا بَياتًا وَهُم نائِمونَ (۹۷)
7-98 Or, are the people of the towns secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they play?a
أَوَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرىٰ أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا ضُحًى وَهُم يَلعَبونَ (۹۸)
7-98a: In the previous verse, mention is made of نائِم or those who sleep and in the present verse of those who take this life as a play and the purport is those who are so absorbed in worldly activities and are oblivious of the real purpose of life. This is a clear warning to the Arabs.
7-99 Are they secure from Allah’s plan? But none feels secure from Allah’s plan except the people who perish.
أَفَأَمِنوا مَكرَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَلا يَأمَنُ مَكرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا القَومُ الخاسِرونَ (۹۹)
Bayan-ul-Quran 