How do we reconcile the statement of Allah the Exalted, “And We were not to punish until We sent a messenger,” with His statement (peace and blessings be upon him) to the one who asked about his father?

Question:
This questioner says: May Allah reward you. How do we reconcile the saying of Allah the Exalted, , or the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to the one who asked about his father, “My father and your father are in the Fire,” with the fact that these people are from the people of the period of ignorance (al-fatra) to whom no messenger was sent? Please inform us, and may Allah reward you.

Answer:
Messengers were sent to them. The messengers, from the sending of Noah (peace be upon him) to the sending of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the laws existed; the laws existed, the laws of the prophets. The religion of our father Isma'il (peace be upon him) exists in this land, in the land of the Hijaz. The religion of our father Isma'il exists, and shirk (associating partners with Allah) entered it because of 'Amr ibn Luhay al-Khuza'i and the polytheists who followed him. Otherwise, they were upon the religion of Ibrahim and Isma'il. They perform Hajj, give charity, and do acts of worship.