"But when good comes to them," meaning well-being and prosperity, "they say, 'This is ours,'" meaning: it has come to us, and we are more deserving of it. "But if an evil afflicts them," meaning hardship, "they attribute it to an evil omen associated with Moses and those with him." They said: "This has only afflicted us due to the misfortune of Moses and those with him." Allah said: "Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allah," meaning: their deeds are preserved for them, until He recompenses them for it.
Muhammad said: The meaning is: "Unquestionably, the evil omen that will befall them is that which they have been promised in the Hereafter, not what befalls them in this world"; and this is the meaning of the statement of Yahya.
﴿فَإِذا جَاءَتْهُم الْحَسَنَة﴾ الْعَافِيَةُ وَالرَّخَاءُ ﴿(قَالُوا لَنَا هَذِهِ﴾ أَيْ: لَنَا جَاءَتْ، وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بهَا ﴿وَإِن تصبهم سَيِّئَة﴾ أَيْ: شِدَّةٌ ﴿يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَه﴾ قَالُوا: إِنَّمَا أَصَابَنَا هَذَا مِنْ شُؤْمِ مُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَهُ، قَالَ اللَّهُ: ﴿أَلا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِنْدَ الله﴾ يَعْنِي: عَمَلَهُمْ هُوَ محفوظٌ عَلَيْهِمْ؛ حَتَّى يُجَازِيَهُمْ بِهِ.
قَالَ محمدٌ: الْمَعْنَى: أَلَا إِنَّمَا الشُّؤْمُ الَّذِي يَلْحَقُهُمْ هُوَ الَّذِي وُعِدُوا بِهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ، لَا مَا يَنَالُهُمْ بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا؛ وَهُوَ مَعْنَى قَول يحيى.
