If they had been guided to a way of means by which they could repel the punishment. Or if they had been guided believers, they would not have seen it. Or they wished they had been guided. Or they were bewildered at seeing it and were confused. [The saying 'and were confused' means they were bewildered. This was indicated by Al-Sihah.] So they do not find a way. It first mentioned what they are reproached for, which is their taking partners with Allah, then what the devils or their leaders say to them when they are reproached. For when they are reproached for worshiping the idols, they excuse themselves by saying that the devils are the ones who led them astray and adorned for them the worship of it. Then what resembles mockery of them is their calling upon their gods and their abandonment of them and their inability to support them. Then what they are reproached with is the argument against them by sending the messengers and removing the excuses. So the news became blind to them, and the news became like blindness upon them all, not guiding them, so they do not ask each other as people ask in problems. For they are all equal in the blindness of the news upon them and their inability to respond. And it was read: 'So it became blind,' and the intended meaning of the news is the report about what the messenger was answered by. And if the prophets are bewildered by the horror of that day in answering such a question, and they entrust the matter to the knowledge of Allah, and that is the saying of Allah, the Exalted, 'On the Day Allah gathers the messengers and says, What were you answered?' They said, 'We have no knowledge. Indeed, You are the All-Knowing of the unseen.' So what do you think of the misguidance of their nations?