Tafsir of Fatir 35:42

They longed for a Warner to come, but when He came, They disbelieved in Him Allah tells;

وأقسموا بالله جهد أيمانهم

And they swore by Allah their most binding oath Allah tells us how Quraysh and the Arabs swore by Allah their most binding oath before the Messenger came to them,

لين جاءهم نذير ليكونن أهدى من إحدى اﻻمم

that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations; i.e., than any of the nations to whom Messengers had been sent. This was the view of Ad-Dahhak and others. This is like the Ayat:

أن تقولوا إنما أنزل الكتب على طايفتين من قبلنا وإن كنا عن دراستهم لغفلين

أو تقولوا لو أنا أنزل علينا الكتب لكنا أهدى منهم فقد جاءكم بينة من ربكم وهدى ورحمة فمن أظلم ممن كذب بايت الله وصدف عنها

Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: "The Book was sent down only to two sects before us, and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied.'' Or lest you should say: "If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely have been better guided than they.'' So, now has come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat of Allah and turns away therefrom! (6:156-157)

وإن كانوا ليقولون

لو أن عندنا ذكرا من اﻻولين

لكنا عباد الله المخلصين

فكفروا به فسوف يعلمون

And indeed they (Arab pagans) used to say: "If we had a reminder as had the men of old, We would have indeed been the chosen servants of Allah!'' But they disbelieve therein, so they will come to know! (37:167-170) Allah says:

فلما جاءهم نذير

yet when a warner came to them, -- meaning, Muhammad with the Book revealed to him, i.e., the Clear Qur'an,

ما زادهم إﻻ نفورا

it increased in them nothing but flight (from the truth). means, they only increased in their disbelief. Then Allah explains this further: