Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
Hafiz Ibn KathirThe Destruction or Torment of all Disbelieving Towns before the Hour begins
Here Allah tells us that He has decreed and it is written in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet) which is with Him, that there is no town that He will not destroy by wiping out all its people or by punishing them,عَذَاباً شَدِيداً(with a severe torment.) either by killing them or sending calamities upon them as He wills. This will be because of their sins, as Allah says of the past nations:وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـهُمْ وَلَـكِن ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ(We wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.) 11:101فَذَاقَتْ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهَا وَكَانَ عَـقِبَةُ أَمْرِهَا خُسْراً (So it tasted the evil result of its affair (disbelief), and the consequence of its affair (disbelief) was loss.) 65:9وَكَأِيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ عَتَتْ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهَا وَرُسُلِهِ(And many a town (population) revolted against the command of its Lord and His Messengers;) 65:8 and many Ayat.