According to Taberî, the Prophet was sent as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner with the truth (Islam and the religious rules that Allah has made obligatory); he gives glad tidings to those who follow him with reward in this world and the hereafter, and warns those who oppose him with punishment. He also points out that there are differences in the reading of the word 'تسأل'; according to the voweled reading of most reciters, the Prophet is not held responsible for the condition of the disbelievers, while according to the voweled reading of some Medina reciters, it carries the meaning of a prohibition (do not ask!).

ومعنى ذلك على قراءة هؤلاء: إنا أرسلناك بالحق بشيرا ونذيرا لتبلغ ما أرسلت به، لا لتسأل عن أصحاب الجحيم، فلا تسأل عن حالهم

According to this exegete, the phrase 'bi'l-hakk' can be explained in three different ways: attached to the verb irsal meaning 'we sent you with the truth', or attached to the words beshîr and nadhîr meaning 'you are the bringer of glad tidings and warner with the truth', or by interpreting the word haqq as religion or the Qur'an. Furthermore, it is stated that it is more appropriate (awlâ) that the qualities of beshîr and nadhîr are attributes that belong to the Prophet himself; accordingly, Allah informed that He sent the Prophet with the truth to be a bringer of glad tidings for those who follow him and find guidance, and a warner for those who deny him and go astray.

والأولى أن يكون البشير والنذير صفة للرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم فكأنه تعالى قال : إنا أرسلناك يا محمد بالحق لتكون مبشرا لمن اتبعك واهتدى بدينك ومنذرا لمن كفر بك وضل عن دينك

According to Kurtubî, the word 'beshîran' is in the nominative case as a condition, and 'nadhîran' is in coordination with it; their meanings have been mentioned before. Accordingly, Allah revealed a book that gives glad tidings to the people of obedience with paradise (beshîr) and warns the people of disobedience with fire (nadhîr), and these two are conditions derived from the verses, while the governing verb is the word 'fussila'. According to another view, these two words are attributes for the Qur'an: beshîr for Allah's friends, and nadhîr for His enemies. Furthermore, the reading as 'beshîr' and 'nadhîr' has also been transmitted, in which case it is evaluated as an attribute to the Book or as the predicate of an omitted subject.

بشيرا نصب على الحال ونذيرا عطف عليه قد تقدم معناهما أي بشيرا بالجنة أهل طاعته ونذيرا بالنار أهل معصيته حالات من الآيات والعامل فيه فصلت وقيل : هما نعتان للقرآن بشيرا لأولياء الله نذيرا لأعدائه

Ibn Kathîr explains the phrase 'lâ tus'alû' in the verse to mean that one will not be asked about the inhabitants of hellfire, that the condition of the People of the Book or the disbelievers should not be questioned; in this context, he transmits and evaluates weak hadîths that are reported about the Prophet asking about the fate of his parents. He then transmits the famous narration from Abdullah ibn 'Amr regarding the Prophet's descriptions in the Torah; here it is stated that the Prophet is described as a prophet who gives glad tidings to the believers, warns the disbelievers, is not rude, does not shout in the marketplaces, and does not repay evil with evil.

وقد رد ابن جرير هذا القول المروي عن محمد بن كعب وغيره في ذلك لاستحالة الشك من الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم في أمر أبويه واختار القراءة الأولى وهذا الذي سلكه ههنا فيه نظر لاحتمال أن هذا كان في حال استغفاره لأبويه قبل أن يعلم أمرهما فلما علم ذلك تبرأ منهما وأخبر عنهما أنهما من أهل النار كما ثبت هذا في الصحيح

According to Beydâwî, the fact that the Prophet is not questioned about the inhabitants of hellfire in verse 119 means that they are not held responsible for why they still did not believe; moreover, with the different reading of Nâfi' and Ya'kûb, this can be read as a prohibition for the Prophet not to ask about his parents' condition, or as a reference to the fact that the punishment of the disbelievers is inexpressible/inaudible due to its horror. In verse 120, the statement that the Jews and Christians will not be satisfied with the Prophet is a hyperbolic expression intended to cut off hope for their conversion to Islam; for if their satisfaction with him requires him to follow their own religions, then their following Islam is absolutely impossible.

مبالغة في إقناط الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم من إسلامهم، فإنهم إذا لم يرضوا عنه حتى يتبع ملتهم، فكيف يتبعون ملته