فَلَوۡلَا كَانَ مِنَ الۡقُرُوۡنِ مِنۡ قَبۡلِكُمۡ اُولُوۡا بَقِيَّةٍ يَّـنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ الۡفَسَادِ فِىۡ الۡاَرۡضِ اِلَّا قَلِيۡلاً مِّمَّنۡ اَنۡجَيۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡۚ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِيۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا مَاۤ اُتۡرِفُوۡا فِيۡهِ وَكَانُوۡا مُجۡرِمِيۡنَ
So why were there not among the communities that preceded you men of superior morality and wisdom who would stop people from mischief-mongering in the land, except a few of them whom We delivered? And the unjust stuck to (the same path of) luxury and lustfulness that they were addicted to. And they were (regular) criminals.