to forgive you your sins, if you believe. "And delay you to a specified term"—meaning: until their appointed times of death without punishment; thus, their death will not be through torment.
"They said, 'You are not but men like us'"—meaning: to whom revelation is not sent.
"Then bring us a clear authority"—meaning: with a manifest proof. "But Allah confers favor upon whom He wills of His servants"—through prophethood, by revealing to them.
لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ؛ إِنْ آمَنْتُمْ ﴿ويؤخركم إِلَى أجل مُسَمّى﴾ يَعْنِي: إِلَى آجَالِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ عَذَابٍ؛ فَلا يَكُونُ مَوْتُهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ.
﴿قَالُوا إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُنَا﴾ أَيْ: لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكُمْ.
﴿فَأْتُونَا بسُلْطَان مُبين﴾ بِحُجَّةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ ﴿وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ﴾ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ؛ فَيُوحِي إِلَيْهِ
