Tafsir of Al-Furqan 25:49

(That We may give life therewith) meaning, by what We have sent down of purifying water, (to a dead land) in which there is no vegetation, and this is through the sprouting of plants by it. The intended meaning of "land" (baldah) is the earth, as in the saying: "It settled, casting one land upon another; sounds are few in it, save for the bleating." It is permitted that it refers to its known meaning, and its indefiniteness is for the purpose of classification, while the masculine form of its adjective is because it carries the meaning of "territory" (al-balad), or because "dead" (maytan) is among the hyperbolic forms that do not resemble the present tense verb in their vowel and consonant patterns. It denotes persistence, so it is treated as a static noun. The lam in "that We may give life" (li-nuhyiya) is connected to "We sent down" (anzalna), and its connection to "purifying" (tahuran) is not sound. Isa and Abu Ja’far read "dead" (mayyitan) with a shaddah (doubling the letter). Abu Hayyan said: "With what resembles it, unlike the doubled form, for it is analogous to the fa'il form in terms of its acceptance of the ta (feminine marker), except in specific feminine instances such as tâmith (a menstruating woman)."

(And We give it to drink) meaning that purifying water, at the time of its flowing in valleys or its collection in basins, reservoirs, and wells, (from what We have created, livestock and many humans) or the people of the wilderness who live through rainfall; thus, "livestock" and "humans" are indefinite to denote classification.

The specification of these types for mention is because the people of villages and cities reside near rivers and springs, so they and their livestock have no need for water from the sky, while other animals wander far in search of water, yet they generally do not lack for drink. The context of these noble verses, just as it is for demonstrating the greatness of [Divine] power, is likewise for enumerating the types of blessings. Since livestock are possessions of man, and the general benefits and livelihoods of [humans] are dependent upon them, their watering is mentioned before the watering of humans, just as the revival of the land was mentioned before them, for it is the cause of their life and sustenance; thus, the precedence is of the order of causes before effects. It is also permitted that the mention of the aforementioned before the watering of humans is because, once they secure what serves to water their land and livestock, they will not lack for their own water. The gist is that it is a case of prioritizing what is most important and fundamental in the context of bestowing favors, and the mention of the watering of humans is subsequently an annex and completion for the sake of comprehensiveness. The particle "from" (min) is partitive or explanatory, and "many" (kathiran) is an adjective for both mentioned groups, not an appositive.

Abdullah, Abu Haywah, Ibn Abi 'Ablah, al-A'mash, 'Asim, and Abu 'Amr (in one narration from them) read "And We give it to drink" (wa-nasqiyahu) with a fatha on the nun. It has also been narrated from Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. Asqa and saqa are two dialects. It is said: asqahu means He provided the watering for him and prepared it. "Humans" (anasi) is the plural of "human" (insan) according to Sibawayh, and its root is anasin, then its nun was changed into a ya and assimilated into what preceded it. Al-Farra, al-Mubarrad, and al-Zajjaj held that it is the plural of insiy. The author of al-Bahr said: "The analogy is anasiyyah, just as they said for muhallabi (the plural) mahalabah, and for kursi (chair) karasi." In al-Durr al-Masun, it is stated that fa'ali is only a plural for what contains a doubled ya if it is not for attribution (nisba), like kursi and karasi, and that which contains the ya of attribution is pluralized as afa'ilah, such as azraqi and azariqah. The claim that the ya in insiy is not for attribution is far-fetched, so it should rightfully be pluralized as anasiyyah. It is stated in al-Tashil that it is the most frequent form, and upon that, what was mentioned [as an objection] does not apply.