Al-Kahf: (54)

"And We have certainly varied"—meaning We have repeated and presented in many styles—"in this Quran"—the majestic in status—"for the people"—for their benefit and advantage—"every kind of example." This is interpreted as: every example, assuming "from" (min) is hyperbolic, according to the view of al-Akhfash, with the prepositional phrase serving as the object of "We have varied." Or, it means "an example from every kind of example," assuming the "from" is original, in which case the object is the described, and the prepositional phrase is elliptical. It has also been said that the object is the content of "every kind of example," meaning some of every genus of example. Regardless, what is intended by the "example" is either its well-known meaning or the extraordinary attribute—which, in its beauty and ability to capture the soul, acts like a proverb. The intent is that Allah—Exalted is He—has varied the types of parables, mentioned extraordinary attributes, and provided—from every genus needed and conducive to faith—an example that is beneficial to them; not that He, Glorified be He, mentioned every possible example. It is as if there is an omission in the verse, or it conveys the meaning: "We have done this so they might accept, yet they did not."

"And man is, by his very nature, ever most argumentative"—meaning the most argumentative of things from whom disputation originates. As al-Raghib and others have stated, it is the contention of exchanging words. What is most appropriate for this context is to intend by it disputation by way of falsehood and wrangling, which is the most common usage. Many have mentioned that it is derived from jadl (twisting), which is the act of braiding and contending, because each of the two disputants "twists" against the other. Its accusative case is for specification (tamyiz). The meaning is that man’s disputation is greater than the disputation of any other disputant. This is explained by the breadth of his fickleness, for he exists between the zenith of angelhood and the abyss of beastliness; he has no fixed station in either the upward or downward directions.

It is apparent that no specific person is intended. It has been said it refers to al-Nadr ibn al-Harith; others say Ibn al-Ziba'ra; and Ibn al-Sa'ib said Ubayy ibn Khalaf, whose disputation regarding the Resurrection occurred when he brought a decayed bone and said, "Is Allah capable of restoring this?" while crumbling it with his hand. The first interpretation [that it is general] is more appropriate. This is supported by what the two Shaykhs [al-Bukhari and Muslim], Ibn al-Mundhir, and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded on the authority of Ali—may Allah ennoble his countenance—that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to him and Fatimah at night and said, "Will you not pray?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah, our souls are in the hand of Allah; if He wills to awaken us, He will awaken us." He turned away when I said that and said nothing in response. Then I heard him striking his thigh and saying, "And man is ever most argumentative." This is evident in applying "man" to the general sense. There is no doubt about the authenticity of the hadith, although it contains a complexity known through reflection. It is not dispelled by what al-Nawawi mentioned, where he said: "The chosen view on its meaning is that he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was astonished by the swiftness of his [Ali's] reply and his lack of concurrence with him [the Prophet] regarding the excuse; that is why he struck his thigh." It is also said that he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said it in acceptance of their excuse and that there was no reproach. So, reflect upon this.