MERCY AND RUINATION H 440 "When Allah determines mercy for a nation He takes their Prophet before it and makes him a herald as an early representative for them. When He determines the ruin of a nation He punishes and destroys it while its Prophet is alive; watching and satisfying his eyes with its destruction because they rejected and disobeyed his commands." R 440 Muslim with a chain up to Abu Musa Ash'ari who related that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said this
439- وعن أَبي موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه ، عن النَّبيّ صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ، قَالَ : "إِذَا أرادَ الله تَعَالَى رَحمةَ أُمَّةٍ ، قَبَضَ نَبيَّهَا قَبْلَها ، فَجعلهُ لَهَا فَرطاً وسلَفاً بَيْنَ يَديْهَا ، وإذَا أرادَ هَلَكَةَ أُمَّةٍ ، عَذَّبَهَا وَنَبِيُّهَا حَيٌّ ، فَأهلكَها وَهُوَ حيٌّ يَنظُرُ ، فَأقرّ عَينَهُ بهلاكِها حِينَ كَذَّبُوهُ وَعَصَوا أمْرَهُ" رواه مسلم .