If only there had been one town — meaning its inhabitants — that believed before chastisement befell it and profited by its belief — except for the people of Jonah when they believed after seeing a portent of the chastisement for they did not wait to believe until it came to pass We removed from upon them the chastisement of degradation in the life of this world and We gave them comfort for a while until the conclusion of their terms of life.