And when it has been established that whoever is decreed to be wretched will not be able to believe in any of the signs until his might descends upon him and he experiences His wrath and punishment. The Qur'an is the greatest sign that has been revealed to the people, as is evident. This is followed by an addition to His saying: ﴿The disbelievers said, 'This is clearly a magician'﴾ [Yunus: 2] with His words clarifying that: ﴿And when it is recited﴾, which is built for the passive, indicating their denial at the recitation of any reciter. He presented it in the present tense to indicate that they say this even if the recitation is repeated ﴿upon them﴾, meaning upon these people ﴿Our signs﴾, meaning regarding their greatness by being attributed to us ﴿clear proofs﴾. For indeed, with what it contains that necessitates their acknowledgment of its truth, they said about it what has no meaning except for playing around and obstinacy. It is permissible to connect it to ﴿Then We made you successors﴾ [Yunus: 14] - the verse - and to turn to the state of being absent to indicate that they, due to their wrongdoing, have neglected the succession. The connection is with its relation in His saying: ﴿Those who do not expect to meet Us﴾, in the place of the pronoun, indicating that this description is the reason for their saying. Perhaps he expressed it with 'hope' to encourage them, for hope is the focus of their matter in seeking the hastening of good and the repelling of the burden. It was their right to hope for meeting Him, glorified and exalted is He, desiring something like what He has prepared for those who respond to Him. And he hinted at fear with the pronoun of greatness to make that more likely for them to turn towards Him. ﴿Bring﴾, meaning from You ﴿a Qur'an﴾, meaning a discourse that is comprehensive of what you want ﴿other than this﴾ in its structure and meaning ﴿or replace it﴾, meaning with other words while the meanings remain. And they were aware that he ﷺ was like them in being unable to do that, but they intended that he would take to expressing it, eager to fulfill their request so that his claim would be invalidated or he would perish.

And when it was as if it was said: So what should I say to them? He said: ﴿Say, 'What is to me'﴾, meaning: it is correct and can be conceived in one of the ways ﴿for me﴾. And when the replacement encompasses the two previous categories, he said: ﴿that I should replace it﴾. And he said: ﴿from my own accord﴾, meaning at the time and in front of ﴿myself﴾, indicating the response to them in denying the replacement of what has been revealed by abrogation according to the interests, just as its origin was revealed for the benefit of the servants along with the abrogation of the previous laws by it. This resulted in his decisive statement: ﴿Indeed, I follow﴾, meaning to the best of my ability ﴿except what﴾. And when it has been known that the one who reveals to him is Allah, he said: ﴿It is revealed to me﴾ [meaning] whether it is a substitute or an origin; then he justified that with his words, confirming his denial of their implied meaning: ﴿Indeed, I fear﴾, meaning in a manner of renewal and continuity ﴿if I disobey my Lord﴾, meaning the One who has done good to me, the One who created me, the One who nurtures me, and the One who manages my affairs by doing other than what He has legislated for me ﴿the punishment of a great day﴾. For indeed, I believe in it, not denying or doubting, unlike others who speak nonsense without fearing the consequences on that day. And if I fear it - while being mindful of the attribute of goodness - this fear, how would my fear be while being mindful of the attribute of majesty.