Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:64

{So they denied him, so We saved him and those...}

{So they denied him}: That is, they persisted in denying him and remained obstinate after he had said to them what he said and called them to Allah, the Exalted, by night and by day.

{So We saved him} (from drowning, and the "saving" mentioned in [Surah] al-Shu'ara refers to his deliverance from the enmity of the enemies of Allah, the Exalted, and the wretchedness of what they harbored against him, peace be upon him) {and those with him} (among the believers. It is said they were forty men and forty women. Another opinion is that they were ten: his three sons and six others who believed in him, peace be upon him. The fa (so) is for causation in relation to the drowning, not for rhetorical amplification (fasihah). His saying, Glorified and Exalted is He, {in the ship} (that is, the vessel) is connected to that to which the adverbial phrase (which serves as the relative clause) is connected; meaning: they settled with him in the ship.

It is also permitted that it be the relative clause itself, with "with him" being connected to what that relative clause is connected to. It may also be connected to "We saved him," with "in" signifying container-ship or causation; or it may be connected to a deleted state (hal) from "those" or from its pronoun).

{And We drowned those who denied Our signs}: That is, those who persisted in denying them. The intended meaning encompasses both those specific chiefs and others who were persistent in their denial. The act of saving is mentioned before the act of drowning to hasten the news of it and to indicate that mercy precedes wrath.

{Indeed, they were a blind people}: That is, blind in heart, unable to perceive monotheism, prophethood, and the Resurrection, as narrated from Ibn Abbas; or blind to the impending descent of punishment upon them, as transmitted from Muqatil. It has also been recited as "‘aamin" (as an active participle). The first form is more eloquent, as it is an adjective representing a constant state, thereby indicating permanence. Its origin was "‘amiyin," which was then lightened. Some distinguish between ‘am and ‘aam by stating that the former refers to blindness of insight, while the latter refers to blindness of sight. They cite the poetry of Zuhayr: I know the knowledge of today and yesterday before it, But as for the knowledge of what happens tomorrow, I am blind (‘amin). It has been said that both are identical in both meanings.