Surah Al-A'raf
وَإِذْ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا ۙ ٱللَّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا ۖ قَالُوا۟ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
Wa iż qālat ummatum minhum lima ta‘iẓūna qaumā(n), allāhu muhlikuhum au mu‘ażżibuhum ‘ażāban syadīdā(n), qālū ma‘żiratan ilā rabbikum wa la‘allahum yattaqūn(a).
And when a community among them said, "Why do you advise [or warn] a people whom Allah is [about] to destroy or to punish with a severe punishment?" they [the advisors] said, "To be absolved before your Lord and perhaps they may fear Him."
📝 Footnotes
294) Meaning, the excuse that they have fulfilled the command of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, to convey the warning.