His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "So if they turn away, then your duty is only to convey the clear message." "They know the favor of Allah, then they deny it, and most of them are disbelievers." "And the Day We will raise from every nation a witness, then they will not be permitted to make excuses, nor will they be asked to appease." "And when those who wronged see the punishment, it will not be lightened for them, nor will they be given respite." This verse contains a statement that has been abrogated by the verse of the sword. The meaning is: If they turn away, you are not able to create faith in their hearts. Your duty is only to clarify and convey Allah's command and prohibition. Then He reprimanded them and blamed them for knowing the favor of Allah in these mentioned things and saying that it is from Him, then they disbelieve in Him, glorified and exalted is He. This is the saying of Mujahid, who called them deniers of the favor, as a figure of speech; since they had the actions of deniers of disbelief in the Lord of the favors, and for their associating partners with Him in the favors, the idols in some way, which they believed the idols could perform actions of benefit and harm. Al-Suddi said: The favor here refers to Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him. He described them, glorified and exalted is He, as knowing His miracles and signs of prophethood and denying that by disbelieving. Al-Tabari preferred this view, then he judged that most of them were disbelievers, and they were the people of Mecca; because among them were those who had embraced Islam and those who converted after that. And His saying, exalted is He: "And the Day We will raise from every nation a witness" is a verse of warning. The implication is: Remember the Day We will raise and a witness will come against their disbelief and belief. The term "witness" means "one who witnesses." Al-Tabari mentioned that the meaning is: Then they will deny it today, and on the Day We will raise, meaning: they will deny their disbelief, and the witness will refute them. His saying: "Then they will not be permitted" means they will not be permitted for those who disbelieved, meaning in making excuses. This is in a place different from another place; because in the Qur'an, it is stated that every soul will come to argue for itself, and it is established that every soul will come to argue. When their statements are settled, Allah will raise the witnesses from the nations, and they will refute the disbelievers, and the liars will not be permitted afterward to make excuses. "Nor will they be asked to appease" means: they will not be appeased. You say: "I reproached the man" if you have relieved him of what he reproached him for, just as you say: "I complained to him what he complained about." As if he said: Nor will they be relieved of what they reproach themselves for and what is difficult for them. The Arabs say: "I sought to do something" means "I did something." You say: "I brought the man closer" and "I sought to bring him closer." Some say: They will not ask to return to what they were upon in the world. Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is a request for being appeased, and Al-Tabari said: Its meaning is: They will seek to return to the world, but they will not be granted, and repentance for their actions will not occur from them.

And His saying, exalted is He: "And when those who have wronged see the punishment." Allah, exalted is He, has informed in this verse that these disbelievers who have wronged in their disbelief, when Allah shows them the punishment of the Fire and they approach it and realize the severity of it, then that tremendous matter that has befallen them will not be alleviated in any way nor will it be delayed for them. The purpose of the verse is to distinguish between what befalls them and the calamities of this world. For a person does not expect a matter from the calamities of this world except that he has hope that it will be delayed from him, and that it will come to him in the lightest form he can imagine with his hopes. Likewise, whenever it befalls him, he is hopeful that it will be lightened. And this may often occur in the calamities of this world. So Allah, exalted is He, has informed that the punishment of the Hereafter - when the disbeliever witnesses it - has no hope for alleviation or delay.