Surah Al-Mu'minun, Ayah 83

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَـهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ

(And indeed We seized them with punishment,) means, `We tried and tested them with difficulties and calamities.' His saying:

فَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ لِرَبِّهِمْ وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ

(but they humbled not themselves to their Lord, nor did they invoke with submission to Him.) means, that did not deter them from their disbelief and resistance, rather they persisted in their sin and misguidance,

فَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ

(but they humbled not themselves)

وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ

(nor did they invoke (Allah) with submission to Him. ) they did not call on Him. This is like the Ayah:

فَلَوْلا إِذْ جَآءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ وَلَـكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْعَذَابِ فَمَا اسْتَكَانُوا لِرَ‌بِّهِمْ وَمَا يَتَضَرَّ‌عُونَ

And We have already seized them with punishment, but they did not turn humble to their Lord, nor do they supplicate in humility. (23:76)

In the preceding verse it has been stated that when the unbelievers are subjected to chastisement for their sins, they plead to Allah and the Holy Prophet ﷺ for mercy and when Allah who is Merciful relieves their suffering, they return to their evil practices and wicked deeds. This verse relates a similar instance when the unbelievers were punished for their misdeeds. However when they were delivered from their sufferings as a result of the intercession by the Holy Prophet ﷺ on their behalf, they did not humble themselves before Allah but persisted in idolatry and unbelief.

Man has been endowed with wisdom, which gives him the capacity to go deep into matters and discover the underlying reality. But, it seldom happens that man uses his wisdom in the real sense. He forms opinions on the basis of outward appearances. There are very few who consciously and openly deny the existence of the life hereafter. However, many can in fact be said to reject this belief. These are such as only formally accept the existence of the life hereafter, but in practice lead their lives as if they have no belief that they will be resurrected after death and presented before God to account for their deeds.