And he pointed to their exaggeration in ignorance and their pride in it, which they caused by saying: "So what was the response of his people?" That is, to this good speech, when they had no proof to refute it, nor any doubt, "except that they acknowledged him in attributing it to ignorance." They said, "Drive out the family of Lut," thus revealing what they concealed in Al-A'raf, for revealing is more suitable for the chapter of knowledge and wisdom and revealing the hidden. And they said: "From your town," as a favor to him by housing him among them. They justified that by saying: "Indeed, they..." And perhaps they expressed by saying: "People" with the correctness of the meaning without it, mockingly towards him, when they understood that he had lowered them to the level of animals. "They purify themselves," meaning: they consider our actions to be impure and they refrain from them.