﴿ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا قَبْلُ فِىٓ أَهْلِنَا مُشْفِقِينَ ﴾

“They will say: “Behold, aforetime - when we were [still living] in the midst of our kith and kin - we were full of fear [at the thought of God’s dis­pleasure]:”

أي قال كل مسئول منهم لسائله : " إنا كنا قبل " أي في الدنيا خائفين وجلين من عذاب الله .