Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: “Allah did not punish any town until its Prophet and those who believed departed from it and joined the place to which he had been commanded.” He then cited: “But Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness” (1)—meaning the Muslims. When they departed, Allah, Exalted is He, said: “But why should Allah not punish them?” Thus Allah punished them on the day of Badr.

Abu Musa al-Ashari said: “There were two safeguards among you: ‘But Allah would not punish them while you are among them,’ and, ‘Nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness.’ As for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he has passed on, but seeking forgiveness will remain among you until the Day of Resurrection.” (2)

Some said: This seeking of forgiveness refers to the idolaters, for after circumambulating the Ka'bah they would say: “Your forgiveness, Your forgiveness.” (3)

Yazid ibn Ruman said: Quraysh said, “If this is indeed the truth from You, then rain down upon us stones from the sky.” But when evening came, they regretted what they had said and exclaimed, “Your forgiveness, O Allah!” So Allah, Mighty and Majestic is He, said: “Nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness.” (4)

Qatadah and al-Suddi said: Its meaning is: “Nor would Allah punish them if they sought forgiveness.” Yet they did not seek forgiveness; had they acknowledged their sin and sought forgiveness, they would have become believers. (5)

It was also said: This is an invitation to Islam and to seek forgiveness through these words, like a man saying to another, “I will not punish you while you obey me”—that is, obey me so that I will not punish you.

Mujahid and Ikrimah said: “While they seek forgiveness” means: while they embrace Islam. That is, if they had embraced Islam, they would not have been punished. (6) Al-Walibi narrated from Ibn Abbas: That is, among them were those for whom Allah had already decreed that they would embrace Islam, believe, and seek forgiveness, (7) such as Abu Sufyan, Safwan ibn Umayyah, Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, Suhayl ibn Amr, Hakim ibn Hizam, and others.