And when there has preceded in these verses a warning to them of punishment in this world or in the Hereafter, He, glorified and exalted is He, narrated their response to that, in connection with His saying: ﴿And they say, 'Why has a sign not been sent down to him from his Lord?'﴾ [Yunus: 20]. He said: ﴿And they say﴾, meaning: these polytheists are renewing this saying, continuing in it, mocking: ﴿When is this promise﴾, meaning: of punishment in this world or in the Hereafter. And they inflamed and provoked with their saying: ﴿If you are﴾, meaning: you and whoever has said your words ﴿truthful﴾. And the saying is a speech implied in its mention by narration, and it may be a speech that is not expressed, so there is no mention of it implied in the narration, thus it would not be a saying [because it is only a saying] due to the implication of its mention by narration - as stated by Al-Rummani. And for the implication of placing something in a container; and the promise is news of what is given of good, and the warning is news of what is given of evil. And it may be intended to be general, as here, so the promise is applied to both meanings: the promise of the doer of good with reward and the doer of evil with punishment; and truthfulness is the news about something as it truly is; and falsehood is the news about it contrary to what it truly is.