Tafseer Ibn Kathir of YAA SIIN [18]

18. They (people) said: ”For us, we see an evil omen from you; if you cease not, we will surely stone you, and a painful torment will touch you from us.'' 19. They (Messengers) said: ”Your evil omens be with you! Because you are admonished Nay, but you are a people mischievous.'') Then the people of the city said to them,

(For us, we see an evil omen from you;) meaning, `we do not see in your faces any sign of good for our lives.' Qatadah said, ”They were saying, `if something bad befalls us, it will be because of you.''' Mujahid said, ”They were saying: People like you never enter a town, but its people are punished.''

(if you cease not, we will surely stone you,) Qatadah said, ”By throwing stones at you.''

(and a painful torment will touch you from us.) means, a severe punishment. Their Messengers said to them:

(Your evil omens be with you!) meaning, `they are thrown back at you.' This is like the Ayah where Allah describes the people of Fir`awn:

(But whenever good came to them, they said: ”Ours is this.'' And if evil afflicted them, they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Musa and those with him. Be informed! Verily, their evil omens are with Allah) (7:131). And the people of Salih said:

(”We augur ill omen from you and those with you.'' He said: ”Your ill omen is with Allah.'') (27:47) And Allah said:

(And if some good reaches them, they say, ”This is from Allah,'' but if some evil befalls them, they say, ”This is from you.'' Say: ”All things are from Allah,'' so what is wrong with these people that they fail to understand any word) (4:78)

((Do you call it ''evil omen'') because you are admonished Nay, but you are a people mischievous.) means, `because of us, because we admonished you and told you to worship Allah Alone and with all sincerity, and in return you said what you said and threatened us. Nay, but you are a mischievous people.' Qatadah said, ”This means, `Because we reminded you about Allah, you saw an evil omen in us. Nay, but you are a mischievous people'. ''