"And you were not by the side of the Mount when We called out." Some of them said: It was called out, "O nation of Muhammad: I answered you before you called upon Me, and I gave to you before you asked of Me." "But as a mercy from your Lord, that you may warn a people," meaning: Quraysh, according to the interpretation of al-Suddi. "That they may receive admonition," meaning: so that they might receive admonition.
Muhammad said: Whoever reads (rahmatan - mercy) with the nasb (accusative) case, the meaning is: We did that out of mercy, just as you say: "I did that to seek the good," meaning: for the sake of seeking the good.
﴿وَمَا كُنْتَ بِجَانِبِ الطُّورِ إِذْ نادينا﴾ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: نُودِيَ: يَا أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ: أَجَبْتُكُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَدْعُونِي، وَأَعْطَيْتُكُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُونِي ﴿وَلَكِنْ رَحْمَةً مِنْ رَبِّكَ لِتُنْذِرَ قَوْمًا﴾ يَعْنِي: قُرَيْشًا؛ فِي تَفْسِيرِ السُّدِّيِّ ﴿لَعَلَّهُم يتذكرون﴾ لكَي يتذكروا.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: مَنْ قَرَأَ (رَحْمَةً) بِالنَّصْبِ، فَالْمَعْنَى: فَعَلْنَا ذَلِكَ لِلرَّحْمَةِ؛ كَمَا تَقُولُ: فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ الْخَيْر؛ أَي: لابتغاء الْخَيْر.
