Tafsir of Al-Anbiya' 21:2

"There does not come to them from a Reminder" — that is, from a portion of the Qur’an descended [upon them] that reminds them in the most complete manner and clarifies the matter to them in the most perfect clarification, as if it were the Reminder itself. The word "from" (min) is a particle for intensification (sifat al-khatib), and what follows it is in the nominative position as the subject [of the verb]. The claim that it signifies partitivity (tab’idiyyah) is far-fetched.

The "from" (min) in His saying, "from their Lord," is for the beginning of the end-point (ibtida’ al-ghayah) metaphorically; it is linked to "comes to them" or to an omitted [adjective] that serves as an attribute for "Reminder." In either case, it contains an indication of its excellence, its honor, and the complete abominableness of what they did with it. The mention of the title of Lordship (Rububiyyah) is to emphasize the gravity of the offense.

"Newly revealed" (muhdathin) — in the genitive case, it is an adjective for "Reminder." Ibn Abi ‘Ablah read it in the nominative case, also as an adjective for it, based on its position. Zayd ibn ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) read it in the accusative case as a circumstantial qualifier (hal) from it, based on its being described by His saying, "from their Lord."

His saying, "except that they listen to it," is an exception from an empty construction (istithna’ mufragh), its place is the accusative as a circumstantial qualifier from the object of "comes to them," with an implied "qad" or without it, according to the well-known scholarly disagreement. As the leader of grammarians, al-Radi, stated: "When the past tense comes after 'except' (illa), its sufficiency with the pronoun—without the 'wa'—is frequent, such as 'I did not meet him except he honored me' (ma laqaytuhu illa akramani), because the entry of 'illa' is mostly upon nouns, so it is interpreted as 'except having honored me,' thus becoming like an affirmative present tense."

It is also permissible that it be a circumstantial qualifier from the object because it is also a state of its pronoun, and the meaning does not reject this, though it is contrary to the apparent meaning. Further from that is what has been said: that it is possible for it to be an adjective for "Reminder." Yet, the word "illa" is restrictive according to the majority, since the empty construction (tafrigh) in adjectives is not permissible according to them; however, it is permissible to assume another "Reminder" after "illa," making this sentence an attribute for it, which would be equivalent to describing the aforementioned—that is, "There does not come to them from a Reminder except a Reminder they listen to."

And His saying, "while they are playing," is a circumstantial qualifier from the subject of "they listen to it."