And when the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, had a strong love for their guidance; and sadness over their misguidance; and regret for their deviation and their impossibilities; and misguidance was with reason at first; then with the existence of the messengers - who are from truth; and miracles; and matters that compel towards guidance - secondly like impossibilities; Allah, glorified and exalted is He, reassured him with His saying - for the sake of emphasis; to increase the certainty -: "And certainly, many before them have gone astray"; meaning: before those whom he calls; in all the time that preceded them; "most of the former ones"; such that no century passed after Adam, peace be upon him, except that all of it; or most of it; was misguidance.