﴿So drop upon us pieces﴾ with the consonant 's' being silent according to the reading of the majority and pronounced with a vowel in the narration of Hafs. Both are plural forms of 'piece', meaning: pieces ﴿from the sky﴾ meaning: the clouds, or the reality. This request is due to their insistence on denial. If there had been the slightest inclination towards belief in them, they would not have even thought of it, let alone request it, especially since it was in the form of mockery. Therefore, they said: ﴿If you are﴾ meaning: if it is for you as a natural disposition ﴿among the truthful﴾ meaning: those deeply rooted in truth, well-known among their people, [so that we may believe you] in what is necessary from your matter for us regarding taking precautions against the punishment from the threat of punishment. How excellent is his consideration of their threat to them regarding what Allah has over them of power in their creation and the creation of those who were stronger than them, and His destruction of them with various punishments when they disobeyed Him by denying His messengers.