Harm, injury, and affliction are one. They meant: There is no harm upon us in that, rather for us in it is the greatest benefit due to what we attain from patience upon it for the sake of Allah, from the expiation of sins and the great reward, along with the many compensations.

Or there is no harm upon us in what you threaten us with regarding killing, that we must inevitably turn to our Lord due to one of the causes of death. Killing is the least of its causes and the most hopeful. Or there is no harm upon us in your killing us; if you kill us, we will turn to our Lord, turning like one who hopes for His forgiveness and seeks His mercy, due to what we have been granted in being among the first to believe and the news that is not omitted. The meaning is: There is no harm in that, or upon us that we were, meaning: because we were, and they were the first group of believers from their people, or from the subjects of Pharaoh, or from the people of the scene. And it was recited: 'If we were,' with a kasra, which is from the condition that is brought by one who is certain of his matter, the one who is assured of its truth, and they were certain that they were the first believers. An example of this is the saying of the worker to one who delays his payment: 'If I have worked for you, then pay me my due.' And from it is His saying, 'If you have gone forth in jihad in My cause and seeking My pleasure,' while knowing that they did not go forth except for that.