And when they informed them of the Book and clarified that it is from Allah and that it is the closest means to Him, their people were deserving of saying: So what should we do? They answered them by saying: "O our people" those who have the strength of knowledge and action, "respond to the caller of Allah" meaning: the Greatest King, encompassing in His attributes of majesty, beauty, and perfection. For the call of this caller is general for all creation, so the response is obligatory upon everyone who has received His command.

And when the responder may respond in one matter and not in another, as was the case with Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, they turned in their address to them in the call to say: "And believe in Him" meaning: affirm the truth because of the caller and not for any other reason. For the action done with him is done with the one who sent him, and that is Allah, glorified and exalted is He, and believe in Him from all denial, or the pronoun refers to the one added to it [and that is Allah] as evidenced by their saying: "He will forgive you" for indeed, He conceals and pardons "from your sins" meaning: polytheism and what resembles it, which is a right for Allah, the Exalted. And that concealment will not occur except if you achieve complete response and complete affirmation. And they included [the word 'from'] to indicate that the injustices of the servants are not forgiven except by satisfying their people, and likewise what is recompensed to its owner in this world by punishments, calamities, and worries, and so on, as indicated by His saying, the Exalted: "And whatever strikes you of calamity is for what your own hands have earned, and He pardons much" [Ash-Shura: 30].

"And He will protect you" meaning: He will prevent you "if you respond" the prevention of a neighbor for his neighbor, for by your allegiance to His caller, you have become one of his party "from a painful punishment" and their limitation to forgiveness is a reminder of their sins, for their purpose is warning, which does not contradict His explicit statement in this [Surah]: "And for all are degrees of what they have done" [Al-Ahqaf: 19] in establishing reward. Abu Hayyan transmitted it from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, who said: They have reward and upon them is punishment, they will meet in Paradise and crowd at its gates.