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They, that is, the disbelievers of Mecca, have sworn by Allahu ta’ālā the most earnest oaths that if there came to them a sign, of what they requested, they will believe in it. Say, to them: 'Signs are only with Allahu ta’ālā', and He sends them down as [and when] He wills; I am but a warner. But what will make you realise?, how would you know if they have believed, if these [signs] did come [to them]? In other words, you would not know this; truly, when they come, they will not believe, because of what I already know (a variant reading [for lā yu'minūna, 'they will not believe'] has lā tu'minūna, 'you will not believe', making the address to the disbelievers; another [variant reading] has annahā [instead of innahā, 'that truly'] as meaning la'alla, 'that perhaps', or as governed by the preceding clause [la'in jā'athum āyatun, 'if there came to them a sign').⁶