Tafsir of Yusuf 12:103

{And most of the people} The apparent meaning is generality, though Ibn Abbas said: They are the people of Makkah.

{even if you were to strive} That is, for their faith, and were to go to extremes in presenting the decisive signs indicating your truthfulness.

{eagerly}—for they will not be {believers}—due to their determination upon disbelief and their persistence in obstinacy, as necessitated by their inherent dispositions. {Eagerness} (hirṣ) is used in the sense of both daraba (a verb of the first measure) and ‘alima (a verb of the fourth measure); both are eloquent linguistic forms. The answer to the conditional particle "if" (law) is omitted because it is understood. The clause is parenthetical between the subject and the predicate.

Al-Anbari said: The Quraysh and the Jews asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah exalt him and grant him peace) about the story of Yusuf (peace be upon him), so it was revealed explained in a comprehensive explanation. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) hoped that this would be the cause of their conversion to Islam. It has also been said that they promised him they would convert, and when they did not do so, Allah (Exalted is He) consoled him with this. Others have said it was revealed regarding the hypocrites; some said regarding the Christians; others said regarding the polytheists only; some said regarding the People of the Book only; and it has also been said regarding the dualists.