Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:168

(He said: "I am, of your work, of those who detest.")

That is, of those who hate it with the utmost hatred. Al-Raghib said: "And he detests it (yaqlihi)." Whoever considers it to be derived from the 'waw' (q-l-w) considers it to be from qaw, which means throwing, as in their saying: "The she-camel threw its rider (qalat)" and "I threw the she-camel (qalawtu)" if you throw it. It is as if the heart ejects the object of hatred because of its loathing, and does not accept it. Whoever considers it to be derived from the 'ya' (q-l-y) considers it to be from "I roasted the flour on the frying pan" (qalaitu al-sawiq), as if the intensity of the hatred fries the heart and liver and parches them.

Abu Hayyan's statement that "to detest (qaliya) in the sense of 'to hate' is of the 'ya' variety, while that which means to cook and roast is of the 'waw' variety," stems from a lack of research. The deviation from "my detesting (qali)" to what is in the Exalted Order [of the Quranic text] is because it is more eloquent. For if one says "my detesting" (qali), it conveys nothing more than his being currently engaged in the act. This is contrary to His saying: "of those who detest" (min al-qalina), as it conveys that, in addition to being engaged in it, he is among a people who have been known and become famous for it, thus he is firmly established and deeply rooted in it. Ibn Jinni and others have explicitly stated this.

It has been said that the 'lam' in "for your work" (li-'amalikum) is for clarification, as in "a drink for you" (suqyan laka), so it is linked to an omitted verb, meaning: "I mean your work." It is also said that it is for reinforcement, and its attachment, according to those who hold that the reinforcement particle is attached, is to an omitted term, meaning: "I am of those who detest for your work, of those who detest." It is also said that it is linked to the mentioned "detesters," and that there is more latitude regarding adverbs than there is for other things, so it is placed forward where others are not.

The intent behind their "work" is either that which the Prophet [Lut] peace be upon him denied of them: the approaching of males and the abandonment of what their Lord, glory be to Him, created for them; or it includes that and all other matters he forbade them from and commanded them with the opposite of, whether these were inward or outward acts.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, responded to their threats with what was mentioned, as an alert that he did not care for them, and that he was desirous of being rid of the evil of their neighborhood due to the intensity of his hatred for their work. For this reason, he turned away from arguing with them and directed himself toward Allah, the Exalted, saying: