Sura al-Aʿrāf 7:164

وَإِذْ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا ٱللَّـهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا قَالُوا۟ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

wa-idh qālat ummatun minhum lima taʿiẓūna qawman allāhu muhlikuhum aw muʿadhdhibuhum ʿadhāban shadīdan qālū maʿdhiratan ilā rabbikum walaʿallahum yattaqūna

When some of them said: "Why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?"- said the preachers:" To discharge our duty to your Lord, and perchance they may fear Him."