According to this exegete, there is disagreement among the commentators regarding whom is meant by the expression 'lâ ya'lemûn' (those who do not know) in the verse: some have said it refers to Christians, some to Jews, and some to Arab polytheists. Taberî stated that the view he preferred was that it refers to Arab polytheists; however, he reports that the identity in the expression 'those who speak similar words' encompasses Jews and Christians, because those meant by 'lâ ya'lemûn' are the Arabs. Furthermore, he reports that the expression 'levlâ yükellimunâ' is a form of wish/interrogative desire meaning 'if only he had spoken to us,' and that an example from Arab poetry is provided for this.

وأولى هذه الأقوال بالصحة والصواب قول القائل: إن الله تعالى عنى بقوله: يعني جل ثناؤه بقوله: العرب، فإنه قائل قولا لا خبر بصحته ولا برهان على حقيقته في ظاهر الكتاب.

Zemahşerî presents two possibilities regarding whom the expression 'before them' in the verse refers to: either it refers to males who have reached the age of maturity, or it is a repetition for the purpose of emphasis and reinforcement of those mentioned earlier. According to this latter view, the priority of the emigrants stems from the fact that they settled in the land of emigration and in faith before others. Furthermore, according to another view, the expression 'before them' points to the time before the emigration of the emigrants.

أو الذين ذكروا من قبلهم في قوله : من باب التكرير والتوكيد ، كقوله تعالى : من قبل المهاجرين ؛ لأنهم سبقوهم في تبوىء دار الهجرة والإيمان

In this text, Râzî explains the concepts of muhkam and mutashâbih from their linguistic origin. If a word does not carry the possibility of meaning other than one meaning, it is nass; if it is inclined toward one meaning but also possible in another, it is zâhir/mu'awwal; if it is equally possible in two meanings, it is mushtarak/mujmal; the common name of nass and zâhir that are inclined is muhkam, while the common name of mujmal and mu'awwal is called mutashâbih. This equality or ambiguity that is the cause of unintelligibility is expressed through the term 'mutashâbih' by means of giving the name of the cause to the thing caused.

فقد خرج من التقسيم الذي ذكرناه أن اللفظ إما أن يكون نصا ، أو ظاهرا ، أو مؤولا ، أو مشتركا ، أو مجملا ، أما النص والظاهر فيشتركان في حصول الترجيح ، إلا أن النص راجح مانع من الغير ، والظاهر راجح غير مانع من الغير ، فهذا القدر المشترك هو المسمى بالمحكم

Kurtubî reports the different views of exegetes such as Ibn Abbas, Mujâhid, Rabî', Suddî, and Katâde regarding whom the expression 'al-ladhîna lâ ya'lamûn' refers to: according to some, it refers to Jews, according to some to Christians, and according to some to Arab polytheists. Furthermore, he explains that the particle 'lâ wlâ' is used here in the sense of 'halâ' (urging/encouragement), different from the lâ wlâ that indicates prevention, from a linguistic perspective. The meaning of the text is interpreted as a statement demanding God's direct speech about the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad or the bringing of a miracle/sign.

وليست هذه لولا التي تعطى منع الشيء لوجود غيره والفرق بينهما عند علماء اللسان أن لولا بمعنى التحضيض لا يليها إلا الفعل مظهرا أو مقدرا والتي للامتناع يليها الابتداء وجرت العادة بحذف الخبر

According to Ibn Kesîr, this verse indicates that the proofs regarding the truthfulness of the prophets are explained in such a way that they do not leave room for further questions or additions for those who believe and confirm and follow the messengers. Those whose hearts are sealed, upon whose hearing and sight a veil is placed, are the group that cannot benefit from these proofs. Furthermore, it is stated that the hearts of polytheist Arabs resemble the hearts of those before them in disbelief, stubbornness, and rebelliousness.

أي قد أوضحنا الدلالات على صدق الرسل بما لا يحتاج معها إلى سؤال آخر وزيادة أخرى لمن أيقن وصدق واتبع الرسل وفهم ماجاءوا به عن الله تبارك وتعالى

Beydâvî notes that the demands of the polytheists or the obstinate among the People of the Book—such as 'Would God not speak with us?' or 'Would a miracle not come to us?'—resemble the demands of previous nations from Moses, such as asking God to appear openly or requesting that a table be sent down from heaven. This resemblance stems from the similarity of their hearts in blindness and stubbornness. The expression 'for those who bring certainty' refers to those who truly seek certainty or those who are free from doubt and stubbornness; it is stated that the verse points to the fact that such objections arise not from the concealment of the verses, but solely from stubbornness and transgression.

كذلك قال الذين من قبلهم من الأمم الماضية مثل قولهم فقالوا: أرنا الله جهرة. هل يستطيع ربك أن ينزل علينا مائدة من السماء تشابهت قلوبهم قلوب هؤلاء ومن قبلهم في العمى والعناد.