A dissenter might say that the meaning of “abuse Allah” is interpreted metaphorically to mean they inflict harm upon His Messenger and the believers.
We respond that this expression does not hold true with the reality, because the verse itself included the mention of the abuse of the Messenger—Exalted is His might—by them, and the one that follows it included the mention of their abuse of the believers. The Exalted said: [“And those who abuse believing men and believing women without them having earned it, have certainly borne upon themselves a slander and manifest sin."] 1 And with the mention of the abuse of the Messenger and the believers, this metaphorical interpretation has no validity.
❖ From Surah Saba’ ❖
The First Verse: [“But those who disbelieve say, ‘The Hour will not come to us.’ Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [He is] the Knower of the Unseen. Not absent from Him is an atom’s weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear Register.’”] 2