and connection. In the case of separation, it is put in the accusative, as in His saying, exalted is He: “their eyes humbled” (Surah al-Qamar 54:7); “and its shade will hang low over them” (Surah al-Insan 76:14); and “their hearts distracted.” In the case of connection, it takes the inflection of what precedes it, as in His saying: “deliver us from this town whose people are oppressors” (Surah al-Nisa’ 4:75).

“And those who do wrong conceal their private counsel”: that is, those who committed polytheism. The phrase “they conceal” is a verb preceding a plural subject, whereas its proper form would have been singular: “he concealed.” Al-Kisa’i said: “There is transposition here”; that is, its intended meaning is: “Those who do wrong concealed their private counsel.”

It was also said that “those who” is in the nominative as the subject of a new clause; the meaning being: “They concealed their private counsel,” then He said: “And they are those who do wrong.”

It was also said that it is in the nominative as a substitute for the pronoun in “they concealed.” Al-Mubarrad said: “This is like your saying: ‘Indeed, those in the house set out—the sons of Abd Allah,’” where the latter is a substitute for the pronoun contained in “set out.” He then explained the secret counsel which they exchanged, saying: “Is this anything but a human being like yourselves?” They rejected the sending of a human messenger and demanded that angels be sent.

“Will you then submit”: that is, will you attend to this magic and accept it, “while you can see?”—that is, while you know that it is magic.

“He said, ‘My Lord knows every word spoken in the heavens and the earth. And He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.’ (4) But they say, ‘These are confused dreams.’ Rather, he has fabricated it. Rather, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign, as the earlier messengers were sent.” (5) No town that We destroyed before them ever believed; so will they believe? (6)

Tell them, O Muhammad: “My Lord knows every word spoken in the heavens and the earth.” Hamzah, al-Kisa’i, and Hafs recited: “He said, ‘My Lord knows,’” as a report concerning Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. “He knows every word spoken in the heavens and the earth”: that is, nothing is hidden from Him. “And He is the All-Hearing,” of their words; “the All-Knowing,” of their deeds.

“But they say, ‘These are confused dreams’”: that is, falsehoods, [tales] (1), and terrors which he saw in sleep. “Rather, he has fabricated it”: that is, he invented it. “Rather, he is a poet”: meaning that the polytheists differed in what they said concerning it and concerning what he said. Some of them said, “These are confused dreams”; others said, “Rather, it is a fabrication”; and others said, “Rather, Muhammad is a poet, and what he has brought you is poetry.” “So let Muhammad bring us a sign,” if he is truthful, “as the earlier messengers were sent” with signs.

Allah, exalted is He, replied to them: “No town before them”—before the polytheists of Mecca—“ever believed”: that is, none of the inhabitants of