Such that when they see hattā is for inceptiveness but also entailing a purposive sense to an implied preceding clause that is to say they persist in their disbelief until they come to see … what they are promised of chastisement they will then know at the moment that it befalls them either on the day of Badr or on the Day of Resurrection who is weaker in supporters and fewer in numbers in assistants is it them or the believers — according to the former reading? Or is it Me or them according to the latter. Some of them said ‘When will this promise be fulfilled?’ whereupon the following was revealed
