Tafsir of Fatir 35:4

[Exegesis] With this, He rebukes the Quraysh for their poor reception of the signs of Allah and their denial of them. He consoles His Messenger (peace be upon him) by showing that he has a good example in the prophets who came before him. Then, He brings forth that which encompasses both promise and threat: the return of all matters to His wisdom, and the requital of the deniers with what they deserve. It is read as turjaʿu (passive: "are returned") with both the ta damma and fatha.

[Question] If you ask: What is the validity of the conditional response (jazaʾ) here? For it is the nature of the response to follow the condition, yet this precedes it.

[Answer] I say: Its meaning is: "And if they deny you, then take consolation in the denial of the messengers before you." He placed "{For messengers before you were denied}" in the position of "take consolation," using the cause to suffice for the effect—meaning, using the mention of denial to suffice for the mention of consolation.

[Question] If you ask: What is the meaning of the indefiniteness (tankir) in "messengers" (rusul)?

[Answer] I say: Its meaning is: "For messengers were denied," meaning messengers of great number, possessors of signs and warnings, people of long lives, and those endowed with patience and resolve, and the like. This is more consoling to him and more encouraging of steadfastness.