So if they turn away and do not accept from you, then your excuse has been established after you have conveyed what was obligatory upon you of the message. So he mentions the reason for the excuse, which is the message, to indicate the cause. They know the favor of Allah that we have enumerated, as they acknowledge it and that it is from Allah. Then they deny it by worshiping others besides Him and saying: 'It is from Allah, but it is through the intercession of our deities.' It was said that their denial is in their saying: 'We inherited it from our forefathers.' It was also said that their saying: 'If it were not for so-and-so, I would not have obtained such-and-such of Allah's favors.' It is not permissible to speak in this manner if they do not believe that it is from Allah and that He has made it flow through the hand of so-and-so and made him a cause for obtaining it. And most of them are the disbelievers, meaning the deniers who do not acknowledge. It was said that the favor of Allah refers to the prophethood of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him. They knew it and then denied it out of stubbornness, and most of them are the deniers who deny in their hearts. If you say: What is the meaning of 'then'? I say: It indicates that their denial is something unlikely after having attained knowledge, for the right of one who knows the favor is to acknowledge it, not to deny it.