Tafsir of Ibraheem 14:45

(And you dwelt)—from al-sukna (residence), meaning to settle and inhabit. In this sense, the verb is usually transitive, as one says: "I dwelt in the house" (sakantu al-dar) or "I settled in it" (istawtantuha). However, it is constructed here with fi (in), as in "in the dwellings of those who wronged themselves," in adherence to the original meaning of the root sakana, which denotes "to remain still and be fixed." It is correct for this [root] to take the preposition fi. It is also possible that the meaning is: "And you remained settled in their dwellings, feeling secure, following their path of oppression through disbelief and disobedience, without yourselves considering what they encountered due to the destructive sins they committed." Attributing the oppression to their own selves—following its absolute use previously—is an indication that the calamity of oppression ultimately recoils upon the one who commits it. The intended [people] by this, as some researchers have said, are either all the past nations who were destroyed—assuming the previous request for respite and the address were specific to the warned—or their predecessors, such as the people of Noah and Hud—assuming [the address] is general to all. This address and what follows it [regards the state of] the latter generations.

(And it became clear to you)—that is, it appeared to you in the most complete way, through the remains [of their ruins] and the succession of reports—(how We dealt with them)—by way of destruction and punishment for what they committed of oppression and corruption. The subject of tabayyana (it became clear) is implied, referring to what the speech points to—meaning: "Our wonder-working with them," or "their state," or "the news of them," or something similar. Kayfa (how) is in the place of an accusative object for "We dealt with," and the interrogative sentence itself is not governed by tabayyana because it does not act as an interrogator. It has been said that the entire sentence is the subject of tabayyana, based on the permissibility of a sentence acting as a subject; this is a weak view held by the Kufans.

Abu Hayyan adhered to the view of the majority, then stated that it is not permissible for kayfa to be the subject, because what precedes it cannot govern it except in rare instances, such as the saying: "On how [at what price] do you sell the two red things?" and the saying: "Look at me, how you act." Al-Sulami recited—as related from him by Abu Amr al-Dani—(wa nubayyinu) with a nun of grandeur and the verb in the nominative case. The author of al-Lawamih also related from Umar that he recited it with the nun of grandeur, except that he rendered the verb jussive, conjoining it to takunu—meaning: "Have We not made clear to you?"

(And We set forth for you)—that is, in the Magnificent Qur'an, assuming the address is specific to the warned, or upon the tongues of the prophets (peace be upon them), assuming it is general to all oppressors—(the parables)—that is, the attributes of what they did and what was done to them, which are in their strangeness like the parables set forth, so that you may take heed and measure your deeds against their deeds, and your condition against their condition, and move from [contemplating] the descent of immediate torment to the impending torment, so that you may refrain from the disbelief and disobedience you are engaged in. It is also permissible that the intended meaning of al-amthal is the plural of mithl (likeness), meaning: "We have made clear to you that they are your likeness in disbelief and in deserving punishment." This is narrated from Mujahid.

The three sentences are in the position of a state (hal) from the pronoun in (you swore)—meaning: "You swore that you would have no decline, while you were dwelling in the dwellings of those who were destroyed by their oppression, and it became clear to you how We dealt with them strangely, and We alerted you to the clarity of the situation by setting forth parables."