Then he resumed recounting their response and said: ﴿They said﴾ with harshness and severity, indicating by the merging that what they say is understood only by the skilled, with knowledge of the reprimand. [Even though the apparent meaning is contrary to this, due to what was brought to them by the she-camel, which was a great blessing in its presence]: ﴿We have taken omens﴾ meaning: we have been pessimistic ﴿because of you and those with you﴾ meaning: and they are those who believed in you. Indeed, a disagreement occurred among us because of you, and there was much talk and gossip, and we faced hardships and oppression, because we made you like the bird that passes from the left side - as will come in the verses of the ones lined up: ﴿Your omen is with you﴾ meaning: what you take as a good omen that brings forth what pleases you, or what you take as a bad omen that results in what displeases you. This is your action of good or evil ﴿with Allah﴾ meaning: the Greatest King, who encompasses all things with knowledge and power, and nothing of it is in the hands of others nor is it attributed to them. [If He wills, He makes us the cause of it, and if He wills, He makes others.] (p-176) And when the [meaning] of attributing it to Allah is that this which is now with you of evil is not from us, he said: ﴿But you are a people being tested﴾ meaning: you are being examined by the Most High King regarding what you attribute to the bird of good and evil, meaning: you are dealing with it as a test to see if you are worthy of good by turning away from sin, so that it may be alleviated from you, or not, and you will be tested.