﴿ وَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍۢ ﴾

“Hence, turn thou aside for a while from them,”

The prophets used to warn their community about the consequences of denying God’s Message. But people did not attach any importance to their words and instead ridiculed them because their prophet did not seem important enough to invoke God’s punishment on their rejection of his call. However, in spite of their ridicule, God’s punishment was not meted out to them immediately, because before that can happen, the dawah work should have been brought to completion. That is why the prophets have been exhorted by God to exercise patience and avoid confrontation until the period of respite given to the people has been brought to an end at God’s instance.