And when the decree was: This has befallen them due to their mockery of you, it was followed by what indicates that the messengers are of one law in that, as a consolation for him, blessings and peace be upon him, and as a source of comfort. So he said, [adding to the saying ﴿And when they see you﴾ [Al-Anbiya: 36] -]: ﴿And indeed﴾ affirming it for him for further consolation by equating him with his brothers among the messengers and by punishing their enemies. And when the feared thing was the very mockery itself, not its being from a specific source, he based his saying for the acted upon: ﴿They were mocked at by messengers﴾ [that is -] many.

And when the meaning of the indefinite article is the lack of totality, he affirmed it with the preposition and said: ﴿Before you, then it surrounded﴾ that is, it encompassed ﴿those who mocked at them﴾ for their disbelief ﴿with what they were﴾ as if it were their nature ﴿by which they mock﴾ from the truthful promises, like some of those who asked him to bring forth something similar to their signs, like the people of Noah and those after them.