The Quran

وَلَو أَنَّهُم صَبَروا حَتّىٰ تَخرُجَ إِلَيهِم لَكانَ خَيرًا لَهُم ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفورٌ رَحيمٌ

Ali Unal

If (instead of shouting to you to come out to them) they had been patient until you came out to them, it would certainly have been better for them (in respect of the manners due to you from them). However, God is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate (especially toward His believing servants, and may forgive ill-manners arising from ignorance).¹

The type of treatment toward God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, which is mentioned in the last two verses is different from the type condemned in the first three verses. The former is concerned with any ill manner arising from ignorance, while the latter is about disrespect to the Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, and treating oneself as being at par with him, or holding one’s views as having equal value to his. While the latter may cause one’s good deeds to go in vain and to perish, the former is forgivable. However, such actions, so explicitly condemned by this verse, should not be repeated.