Tafsir of Al-Isra 17:52

(يوم يدعوكم) is in the accusative case due to an implied verb—meaning "remember"—or it is a substitute for (قريبًا) on the basis that it is a temporal adverb, or it is connected to (يكون) whether taken as a complete verb or an incomplete one (according to those who permit the incomplete verb to govern temporal adverbs). It may also be connected to (تبعثون), which is suppressed, or to the pronoun of the verbal noun hidden in (يكون) or (عسى) which refers to the "return" (al-awd), for example, based on the school of the Kufans who permit the verbal noun's pronoun to govern, as in the verse: “And what is war but what you have known and tasted; and it is not about it merely the reported speech.”

To make it a substitute for the hidden pronoun as a "substitute of inclusion" (badal ishtimal) and not elevating it—because when it is added to such a sentence it may be indeclinable on the fatḥa—is an affectation, an assertion of its emergence, and a stubborn denial.

As for the "call" (al-duʿāʾ), it is said: it is a metaphor for the resurrection (al-baʿth). Likewise, the "response" (al-istijābah) in His saying: (فتستجيبون) is a metaphor for the "rising" (al-inbiʿāth). That is, "the day He resurrects you, you shall rise." Thus, there is no literal call and no literal response. This is analogous to His saying: "Be, and it is," in that there is no speech and no addressee according to the well-known view. The usage of "call" and "response" for this is to indicate speed and ease; for the command "Stand up, O so-and-so" is a quick command with no slowness in it, and the mere summoning is not like the labor of creating as it pertains to us. This is also based on the premise that the purpose is summoning for judgment and recompense. For a master's call to his servant is only for his employment or to examine his state. The first is negated because there is no tasking (taklīf) in the Hereafter; therefore, the second is affirmed.

The Imam and Abu Hayyan said: "He calls you" refers to the voice that you will hear, which is the final blast, as the Almighty said: "The day the caller calls from a near place." It is said that Israfil—upon him peace—and in another report, Gabriel—upon him peace—will call out from a rock in Jerusalem: "O you decayed bodies, disintegrated bones, and scattered parts, return as you once were!"

Abu Dawud and Ibn Hibban narrated from Abu al-Dardaʾ that he said: The Prophet ﷺ said: "You will be called on the Day of Resurrection by your names and the names of your fathers, so make your names good." Perhaps this occurs when being summoned for judgment, which is after the resurrection from the graves. Many have limited themselves to the aforementioned metaphorical interpretation, saying that it contains an indication of the impossibility of taking it literally because that would necessitate addressing inanimate objects, which are the scattered parts. Even if the intention of the literal meaning were not impossible, it would be a metonymy (kināyah) for the resurrection and the rising, not a metaphor (majāz). Those who permit its literal meaning say that the call is a "constitutive command," which is something directed toward the non-existent, and a group has affirmed this regarding the word "Be" (kun) without resorting to metaphor. As for the claim that if the literal meaning were not impossible it would be metonymy rather than metaphor, it is a simple matter, as is not hidden. So reflect.

(بحمده) is a circumstantial qualifier (ḥāl) from the pronoun of those being addressed, who are the disbelievers as is apparent. The "Bāʾ" is for association (mulābasah); meaning: "You will respond while associated with His praise," i.e., praising Him—the Almighty—for the perfection of His power. It is also said that it means acknowledging that praise belongs to Him for His blessings, and you will not deny that, because knowledge there becomes self-evident.

Abd ibn Humayd and others narrated from Ibn Jarir that he said: They will emerge from their graves saying: "Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise." There is nothing far-fetched about the disbeliever saying this on the Day of Resurrection, even if it does not benefit him. Al-Zamakhshari took this as a metaphor, meaning "compulsion" in their compliance with the resurrection, like telling someone you command to ride something difficult and refusing: "You will ride it while you are praising and thanking." This means you are compelled and forced upon it until you soften with the softness of someone who is compliant, desiring it, and praising it. It is as if it were said: "You are compliant to His resurrection with the compliance of those who praise Him." Connecting the prepositional phrase to "He calls you" (yadʿūkum) is groundless.

From al-Tabari: (بحمده) is inserted between two coordinated clauses, like its insertion between the noun and the predicate of inna in the saying: "For I, by the praise of Allah, am a garment..." Thus, the discourse follows the pattern of his saying to a man he has defeated in an argument: "You have erred, by the praise of Allah." It is as if the Messenger ﷺ said: "Perhaps the resurrection is near, the day you are called and stand up, contrary to what you believe today; and this is by the praise of Allah for the truthfulness of my report." In summary: this will happen contrary to your belief, and praise belongs to Allah. It is not hidden that this is an affected meaning that can hardly be understood from the words, and we have no need to resort to it; and praise be to Allah.

It is said that the address is to the believers, and the address to the disbelievers ceases at His saying: (قريبًا), so they respond praising Him—the Almighty—for His benevolence toward them and His granting them success in believing in the resurrection. Al-Tirmidhi, al-Tabarani, and others narrated from Ibn Umar that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There is no fear for the people of 'There is no god but Allah' in their graves nor in their rising. It is as if I see the people of 'There is no god but Allah' shaking the dust from their heads and saying: 'Praise be to Allah who has removed from us [all] sorrow.'" In a report from Anas in a marfūʿ form: "...they emerge from their graves shaking the dust from their heads, saying: 'Praise be to Allah who has removed from us [all] sorrow.'" It is also said: The address is to both groups, and all of them say what was narrated from Ibn Jubayr.

(وتظنون) The apparent meaning is that it is coordinated with (تستجيبون), and al-Hufi and others leaned toward this. Abu al-Baqaʾ said: It is based on an implied subject (mubtadaʾ), and the sentence is in the position of a circumstantial qualifier (ḥāl), meaning: "while you think that you have tarried (إن لبثتم) but a little." (That is, you did not tarry in the graves but a little), like the one who passed by a village, or that you did not tarry in the world, as narrated by more than one from Qatadah and from Ibn Abbas—may Allah the Almighty be pleased with them. They will consider their tarrying between the two blasts short, as the torment is removed from them during that interval, and therefore they will say: "Who has raised us from our sleeping place?" It is also said that they consider their tarrying in the arena of the Resurrection short because the final outcome of their affair is entry into the Fire. This is extremely far-fetched, as is not hidden. The "thinking" (ẓann) can be taken in its literal sense, or it may mean certainty, and it is interrupted from acting by the negative particle "in" (أن), and few have mentioned it among the particles of interruption, as stated by Abu Hayyan. The accusative of (قليلا) is because it is an adjective for a suppressed time, i.e., "except a little time." It is also permitted that it be an adjective for a suppressed verbal noun, i.e., "a little tarrying," and the verb’s indication of its verbal noun is a strong indication.