Then he was among those who believed. He came with 'then' to indicate the delay of faith and its distance in rank and virtue from emancipation and charity, not in time, because faith is the preceding and foremost over others, and no good deed is established except by it. And 'the mercy' refers to mercy, meaning: they advised each other to be patient in faith and to remain steadfast in it. Or to be patient against sins and in obedience and the trials that the believer is tested with, and to be compassionate and sympathetic towards one another. Or with what leads to the mercy of Allah. 'The right side' and 'the left side': the right and the left. Or good fortune and bad fortune, meaning: those who are fortunate for themselves and those who are unfortunate for them. It was read: 'muwasida', with a waw and an hamzah, from 'wasadat al-bab' and 'asadtuhu': when you closed and locked it. And from Abu Bakr ibn Ayyash: We have an imam who pronounces it 'muwasida', so I desired to stop my ears when I heard him. From the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him: 'Whoever recites 'I swear not by this city' will be granted safety from His anger on the Day of Resurrection.' [Narrated by Al-Thalabi, Al-Wahidi, and Ibn Mardawayh with the chain to Abu ibn Kab.]