Tafseer Ibn Kathir of HUUD [32]

32. They said: ”O Nuh! You have disputed with us, and much have you prolonged the dispute with us, now bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful.'' 33. He said: ”Only Allah will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He wills, and then you will escape not. 34. ”And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return.'' Allah, the Exalted, informs that the people of Nuh sought to hasten Allah's vengeance, torment, anger and the trial (His punishment). This is based on their saying,

(They said: ”O Nuh! You have disputed with us and much have you prolonged the dispute with us...'') They meant by this, ”You (Nuh) have argued with us long enough, and we are still not going to follow you.''

(now bring upon us what you threaten us with,) What he (Nuh) promised is referring to the vengeance and torment (from Allah). They were actually saying, ”Supplicate against us however you wish, and let whatever you have supplicated come to us.''

(”...if you are of the truthful.'' (In reply to this,) He said: ”Only Allah will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He wills, and then you will escape not.)﴿11:32-33﴾ This means, `It is only Allah Who can punish you and hasten your punishment for you. He is the One from Whom nothing escapes. '

(And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: something that could be useful to you (in acceptance) of my preaching to you, warning you and advising you.

(if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: your deception and your ultimate destruction.

(He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return.) He is the Owner of the finality of all matters. He is the Controller, the Judge, the Most Just and He does not do any injustice. Unto Him belongs the creation and the command. He is the Originator and the Repeater (of the creation). He is the Owner of this life and the Hereafter.