65وَلَئِن سَأَلتَهُم لَيَقولُنَّ إِنَّما كُنّا نَخوضُ وَنَلعَبُ ۚ قُل أَبِاللَّهِ وَآياتِهِ وَرَسولِهِ كُنتُم تَستَهزِئونَMuhammad AsadYet, indeed, if thou wert to question them. they would surely answer, "We were only indulging in idle talk, and were playing [with words]."1 Say: "Were you, then mocking at God and His messages and His Apostle?Most of the classical commentators assume that this refers to the derisive remarks made by some of the hypocrites about the alleged futility of the expedition to Tabuk. In view of the sequence, however. I am of the opinion that this is a further reference to those who "malign the Prophet by saying, 'He is all ear'" (verse 61)-i.e., accuse him of self-deception - and thus, by implication, "mock at God and His messages" (see next sentence).