The word 'until' is related to something omitted, indicated by the speech, as if it were said: 'And We did not send before you except men.' Their victory was delayed until they despaired of victory and thought that they had been lied to, meaning their own selves lied to them. [Mawlid said: 'Its meaning is that they despaired of victory and thought that their own selves had lied to them... etc.'] Ahmad said: 'It is not necessary that Allah promised them victory in this world, but they thought and hoped for it not based on revelation or news.' When it was told to them that they would be aided, or their hope was due to their saying: 'A true hope,' and 'A false hope.' The meaning is that the duration of disbelief and enmity from the disbelievers and waiting for victory from Allah and hoping for it had prolonged and extended upon them, until they felt despair and imagined that there was no victory for them in this world. Then Our victory came to them suddenly without expectation.

And from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: 'And they thought when they were weakened and overwhelmed that they had failed what Allah promised them of victory.' [He returned to his words. He said: 'It was narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: So they thought when they were weakened and overwhelmed... etc.'] Ahmad said: 'This is also a good interpretation that reconciles between the two readings, because the thought of the nations is a denial of their messengers, which is a denial of them, and it leads to the meaning of the reading with emphasis.' He said: 'They were human beings,' and recited the verse: 'And they were shaken until the Messenger and those who believed with him said: When will the victory of Allah come?' If this is authentic from Ibn Abbas, then he meant by the thought: what comes to mind and whispers in the heart as it pertains to humanity. As for the thought that is the preference of one possibility over another, it is not permissible for a man among the Muslims, let alone the messengers of Allah who are the most knowledgeable of people regarding their Lord, who is exalted above breaking promises, and is free from all that is ugly. It was said: 'And the messengers thought that the people had lied to them,' meaning: they had failed. Or: 'And the messengers thought that they had lied to them from the messengers,' meaning: the messengers lied to them about being aided, and they did not believe them in it. It was read: 'They lied,' with emphasis on: 'And the messengers thought that their people had lied to them regarding what they promised them of punishment and victory over them.' Mujahid read: 'They lied,' with lightening, on the subject of the doer, on: 'And the messengers thought that they had lied regarding what they informed their people of victory,' either according to the interpretation of Ibn Abbas, or because their people, if they did not see any effect of their promise, would say to them: 'Indeed, you have lied to us,' and they would be considered liars among their people. Or the messengers thought that the people had lied to them.

And if this were read with emphasis, its meaning would be: 'And the messengers thought that their people had lied to them regarding their promise.' It was read: 'So We save,' with lightening and emphasis, from 'He saved him' and 'He saved him.' And 'We saved,' in the past tense, built for the passive.

Ibn Muhaisin read: 'He was saved.' And the intended meaning of 'Whom We will' is the believers, for they are the ones who deserve that their salvation be willed. This was clarified by His saying: 'And Our punishment is not turned away from the criminal people.'