And when the absence of their warning before him, blessings and peace be upon him, negates the proof in their punishment by what Allah has made obligatory - and He has the ultimate proof and is not questioned about what He does - upon His noble self, as a favor from Him and a mercy, He mentioned that sending him is something that must happen for that reason. So He said: "And if it were not for" meaning: if it were not for this which we have mentioned, we would not have sent you to warn them. However, He omitted this answer out of reverence for him, blessings and peace be upon him, from facing it. And that which concluded the sending is "that a calamity should befall them" meaning: at a time from the times "a great calamity" meaning: severe "for what their hands have sent forth" meaning: from the sins which we have decreed are not to be forgiven. "So they would say, Our Lord" meaning: O You who are gracious to us, "if only" meaning: why not, "You had sent to us" meaning: in a manner of honoring us, so that we would be aware that we are among those whom the Most High King cares for. "A messenger" and He answered the specification which they likened to the command, for each of them is a motivator for action by His saying: "So we would follow" meaning: it would result from sending Your messenger that we would follow "Your signs and be" meaning: a state that is in the utmost firmness "of the believers" meaning: those who believe in You in all that Your messenger, blessings and peace be upon him, has brought from You, with profound belief. So when they say that, it is on the assumption of the absence of sending, a proof stands for them in the course of your customs, even though we have the ultimate proof.