(And they) i.e. the Banu Malih (say: If the Beneficent One had (so) willed) if the Beneficent one had repelled and warned us, (we should not have worshipped them) they said this out of mockery, “but He commanded us to worship them and never warned us against such a worship”. (They have no knowledge whatsoever of that) they have no proof or warrant for what they say. (They do but guess) they do but lie against Allah because they were forbidden from worshipping them.