The word "ما" is an addition for emphasis and indicates that His gentleness towards them was only by the mercy of Allah and similar to it. (So because of their breaking of their covenant, We cursed them.) The meaning of mercy is: tying it to His heart and granting them success in being gentle and kind to them until He rewarded them with grief upon grief and consoled them with companionship after they opposed Him and disobeyed His command and fled and left Him. And if you had been harsh, hard-hearted, and severe, they would have dispersed from around you, so that not one of them would remain near you. So pardon them in what concerns you and seek forgiveness for them in what concerns the right of Allah, completing the compassion towards them. And consult them in the matter, meaning in the matter of war and similar things in which no revelation has come down upon you, so that you may seek their opinion and for the sake of soothing their souls and elevating their status. And from Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, Allah knew that they had no need of Him, but He wanted to establish a precedent for those after him. And from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: "No people ever consulted except that they were guided to their most prudent matter." [[This was repeated in the interpretation of Surah Ash-Shura from Al-Hasan, and it is preserved. And through him, Al-Tabari narrated it.]] And from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him: I have not seen anyone more consultative than the companions of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him. [[This contains an alteration. The correct version is from the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, to his companions. Likewise, Al-Shafi'i narrated it from Ibn 'Uyaynah from Az-Zuhri from him, and it is disconnected. It is an abbreviation of the long hadith regarding the story of Al-Hudaybiyyah and the conquest. Al-Bukhari narrated it from the narration of Abdul Razzaq from Ma'mar from Az-Zuhri from 'Urwah from Al-Maswar and Marwan. In it, Az-Zuhri said: And Abu Huraira used to say. So he mentioned it. And likewise, Abdul Razzaq narrated it in his compilation and at Ahmad and Ishaq, and Al-Tirmidhi referred to it at the end of Jihad, saying: It is narrated from Abu Huraira, so he mentioned it.]] It was said: The leaders of the Arabs, if they did not consult in a matter, it would be difficult for them. So Allah commanded His Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him, to consult his companions so that his imposition of his opinion upon them would not weigh heavily upon them. And it was recited: And consult them in some of the matter. So when you have decided, if you have made a firm decision on something after consultation, then put your trust in Allah in executing your matter in the most prudent and beneficial way, for what is best for you is known only by Allah, not by you nor by those you consulted. And it was recited (So when you have decided) with the "taa" being pronounced, meaning if I have guided you to something and you have made a firm decision regarding it, then put your trust in Me and do not consult anyone after that.