Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:167

"And indeed, they used to say:"

They are the polytheists of Quraysh. They used to say: "If we had a reminder"—meaning a scripture—"from the ancients"—those to whom the Torah and the Gospel were revealed—"we would have been sincere servants of Allah."

They meant: We would not have denied as they denied, nor would we have opposed as they opposed. Then, the Reminder came to them—the master of all reminders and the Book that is miraculous above all other books—yet they disbelieved in it.

This is similar to the verse: "But when a warner came to them, it increased them only in aversion" (Fatir: 42).

"But they are going to know"—the consequence of their denial and the retribution that will befall them.

The 'in' (in wa-in) is the lightened form of the heavy 'inna', and the lam is the separator (al-fariqah). This indicates that they used to say this while emphasizing their statement and being serious about it. How great is the difference between the beginning of their affair and its end!

"And Our word has already preceded for Our servants, the messengers: [That] indeed, they would be those given victory, and [that] indeed, Our soldiers will be those who are the victors."