Every person, nation, society, party and group has an appointed term: it neither comes early nor is delayed. That term may be long or near at hand. Noah, for instance, called people to the truth for 950 years; while among some peoples, such as the Thamud and the people of Lot, divine punishment came swiftly. The wisdom behind the respite and its duration rests with God.
Al-Aʿrāf: 34 وَ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ فَإِذا جاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ ساعَةً وَ لا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
Every community has an appointed term. When its term comes, they can neither delay it by a single hour nor bring it forward.
Moreover, the form and nature of punishment differ. It may well be that the conditions of life in this world themselves constitute the severest punishment for a rebellious people.
In one respect, the presence of the Imam of the Age (peace be upon him) among the people of the earth has kept the inhabitants of the earth from a punishment like that which befell the peoples of ʿĀd, Thamud and Lot, the people of Shuʿayb, and Pharaoh. The station of God’s Proof is like that of God’s Messenger.
Al-Anfāl: 33 وَ ما كانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَ أَنْتَ فيهِمْ وَ ما كانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
But God would not punish them while you were among them, nor would He punish them while they sought forgiveness.
Respite and gradual entrapment are not a blessing or benefit for the polytheists!
Al-Tawbah: 55 فَلا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوالُهُمْ وَ لا أَوْلادُهُمْ إِنَّما يُريدُ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ بِها فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا وَ تَزْهَقَ أَنْفُسُهُمْ وَ هُمْ كافِرُونَ
Do not let their wealth and children impress you. God intends to punish them through these in the life of this world, and for them to die while they are disbelievers!
Al-Raʿd: 34 لَهُمْ عَذابٌ فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا وَ لَعَذابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَشَقُّ وَ ما لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ واقٍ
For them there is punishment in this world, and the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe. No one can shield them from God’s punishment!
Āl ʿImrān: 178 وَ لا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّما نُمْلي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ إِنَّما نُمْلي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدادُوا إِثْماً وَ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ مُهينٌ
Those who disbelieve must not suppose that the respite We grant them is to their advantage. We grant them respite only so that they may increase in sin; and a humiliating punishment awaits them!
ولِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولٌ فَإِذَا جَاءَ رَسُولُهُمْ قُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْقِسْطِ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ ﴿47﴾Yūnus
Every nation has a messenger. When their messenger comes, judgment is passed between them with justice, and they are not wronged. (47)
ويَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿48﴾
They say, “If you are truthful, when will this promise be fulfilled?” (48)
قلْ لَا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ إِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَلَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ﴿49﴾
Say, “I have no power to bring myself either benefit or harm, except as God wills. Every nation has an appointed term. When its term comes to an end, they can neither delay it by a single hour nor bring it forward.” (49)
قلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَتَاكُمْ عَذَابُهُ بَيَاتًا أَوْ نَهَارًا مَاذَا يَسْتَعْجِلُ مِنْهُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿50﴾
Say, “Tell me: if His punishment were to come upon you by night or by day, what part of it would the guilty wish to hasten?” (50)
أثُمَّ إِذَا مَا وَقَعَ آمَنْتُمْ بِهِ آلْآنَ وَقَدْ كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ ﴿51﴾
Then, when it has come to pass, will you believe in it now? Yet you were seeking to hasten it! (51)
ثمَّ قِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْخُلْدِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ ﴿52﴾
Then it will be said to those who did wrong, “Taste the everlasting punishment. Are you being repaid for anything other than what you used to do?” (52)
وَيَسْتَنْبِئُونَكَ أَحَقٌّ هُوَ قُلْ إِي وَرَبِّي إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ ﴿53﴾
They ask you, “Is it true?” Say, “Yes, by my Lord, it is certainly true, and you cannot escape God.” (53)
Another reason a sudden, collective punishment does not descend is that believers are scattered among the nation and society.