Tafsir of Yunus 10:14

This is explicit evidence that this is a commencement of addressing their affairs, and that what was explained prior to this—the beginnings of their states—was for the purpose of testing the quality of their deeds in a manner that encourages them toward faith and obedience. It is impossible for this to be immediately after the explanation of the end of their affairs and the definitive declaration of their destruction due to the completeness of their crimes. The conjunction ( thumma - then) connects to the words of the Exalted: "And We certainly destroyed [generations]," not to what precedes it. The meaning is: Then We made you successors in the earth after the destruction of those generations whose reports you hear and whose ruins you observe, that We might see how you act.

"How" (kayfa) is an absolute object (maf‘ul mutlaq) for "you act" (ta‘malun). It has been explicitly stated in al-Mughni that kayfa can function in this way, and that among its examples is: "How your Lord dealt [with the companions of the elephant]." It is not governed by "that We might see" (li-nanzura) because an interrogative particle must occupy the initial position (sadr), which prevents what precedes it from governing it; hence, it is necessary here for it to precede its governing verb.

It is said that its place is accusative as a circumstantial qualifier (hal) from the pronoun in "you act," as is famous regarding it when a verb follows it, such as "How did Zayd strike?"—meaning: In what state do you perform the deeds befitting succession, in terms of good qualities? In this, there is an intense warning against evil deeds.

It is also said that its place is accusative as the object of "you act," meaning: What [kind of] deed do you act—good or evil? They have confirmed that it comes in this capacity as well, and they cite as an example: "How did you consider Zayd?" Al-Zamakhshari interpreted the verse based on what was mentioned, and al-Qutb critiqued him for what he critiqued, then said: "Perhaps he intended kayfa here metaphorically to mean 'what thing,' due to the context indicating it."

Some verifiers have mentioned that the investigation reveals that the meaning of kayfa is an inquiry into states and qualities, not into essences and other things. Thus, the inquiry here is regarding their states and deeds, and there is no meaning to an inquiry about a deed except regarding whether it is good or ugly, or whether it is righteousness or wickedness. Therefore, kayfa is not metaphorical, but rather remains upon its literal meaning.

Furthermore, the usage of "looking" (nazar) to mean "knowledge" is metaphorical, as it is likened to the looking of a viewer and the witnessing of an observer in its certainty. The statement is a representative metaphor built upon a derivative explicit metaphor. The intent is: He treats you with the treatment of one who seeks knowledge of your deeds in order to recompense you according to them, like His saying: "That He might test you [to see] which of you is best in deed."

It is said that it is possible to say: The intended meaning of "knowledge" is the "known object" (al-ma‘lum). In that case, this is a metaphor built upon a metaphor. Regardless, it does not necessitate that Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, was not cognizant of their deeds before He made them successors. The interpretation of "looking" as "knowledge" is not based on the negation of vision—as is the doctrine of some of the Qadariyyah who claim that He, the Almighty, does not see nor is He seen. For we, all praise be to Allah, are among those who say that He, Blessed and Exalted, sees and is seen, and that the conditions in the manifest world are not rational necessities, as has been verified in its place, and that vision is a quality distinct from knowledge, as is hearing. We are also among those who say that the forms of contingent essences are witnessed by Allah, the Exalted, eternally, even while they are non-existent in themselves, within the mirrors of the essences fixed with Him, the Almighty. Rather, this [interpretation] is based on what the meaning requires. If you say, "I honored you to see what you would do," the meaning is: "I honored you to test you and to know your action so that I may recompense you for it." From this, it is known that interpreting "looking" as "waiting" or "expecting," as is one of its meanings, is baseless. Some people attributed that to the words of certain scholars, committed an excess, and spoke erroneously.

There is a reading: li-nazzar (to look) with a single nun and a shaddah on the za'. The explanation for that is that the second nun was transformed into a za' and assimilated.