And when they were described as inclined, it was said by someone: Indeed, their calling mentioned earlier is a behavior on the path, while there is no regard for it due to its occurrences. So he said: ﴿And if We had mercy on them﴾ meaning We treated them with the treatment of the merciful in removing their harm, and this is the meaning of ﴿And We removed﴾ meaning by what We have of greatness ﴿the harm from them﴾ and it is that which exposed their calling because of it ﴿they would have persisted﴾ meaning they continued in a great persistence ﴿in their transgression﴾ which they were upon before the calling, and it is their excess in opposing the truth and righteousness. ﴿They wander﴾ meaning they act with confusion and hesitation like one who has no insight in the way that deviates from the goal and is unjust in straying from righteousness. Ibn Kathir said: This is from the knowledge of what will not be if it were to be how it would be. Al-Dahhak said from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them: Everything that contains 'if' is something that will never be.