Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:219

(And your turning): That is, He—glorified be He—sees your changing from one state to another, such as from sitting and prostrating to another state, such as standing, (among those who prostrate): meaning, among the worshippers when you lead them in prayer. He expressed this through "those who prostrate" because prostration is the state of the servant’s utmost closeness to his Lord—the Almighty and Majestic—and it is the most excellent of the pillars, as established by a group of Imams.

The interpretation of this sentence as mentioned is narrated from Ibn Abbas and a group of exegetes. However, some of them said: the meaning is when you stand for congregational prayer with the people. It is also said: the meaning is that He sees you when you stand for the night vigil (tahajjud) and sees your "turning"—that is, your coming and going—among those who are performing the night vigil, in order to survey their conditions and become aware of them from where they do not perceive, and to grasp their inner secrets and how they labor for their Hereafter. This is as it is narrated that when the obligation of the night prayer was abrogated, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—walked that night among the houses of his Companions to observe what they were doing, out of eagerness for the abundance of their obedience. He found them like the houses of bees, due to the humming sound he heard from them in the remembrance of Allah—the Exalted—and in their recitation.

According to Mujahid, the meaning of His saying—the Exalted—"And your turning among those who prostrate" is the turning of his vision—upon him be peace and prayer—among those who pray behind him, for he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—used to see behind him. It is in Sahih al-Bukhari on the authority of Anas who said: "The prayer was established, so the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—turned toward us with his face and said: 'Straighten your rows and stand close together, for I see you from behind my back.'" In a narration by Abu Dawood on the authority of Abu Hurairah, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—used to say: "Align, align, align; by Him in whose hand is my soul, I see you from behind me just as I see you from in front of me." It is not hidden that carrying the verse to this meaning is far-fetched.

It is said: The meaning of "those who prostrate" is the believers. The meaning is: He sees you when you stand to fulfill the Message, and He sees your turning and frequenting among the believers, or with them, in that which involves the proclamation of the command of Allah—glorified be He—and the exaltation of His word. Interpreting "those who prostrate" as the believers is narrated from Ibn Abbas and Qatadah, though the meaning being as stated is not free from obscurity.

It is narrated from Ibn Jubayr that they are the Prophets—upon them be peace—and the meaning is that He sees your turning just as other Prophets—upon them be peace—turn in conveying that which they were commanded to convey. This is as you see. Interpreting "those who prostrate" as the Prophets is narrated by a group, including al-Tabarani, al-Bazzar, and Abu Nu'aym, also on the authority of Ibn Abbas—though he—may Allah be pleased with him—interpreted the "turning" among them as the transition through their loins until his mother gave birth to him—upon him be peace and prayer.

Based on the interpretation of "turning" as transitioning through the loins, it is permissible that "those who prostrate" refers to the believers. The verse has been used as evidence for the faith of his parents—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—as many of the eminent scholars of the Sunnah have held. I fear disbelief for anyone who says the opposite regarding them—may Allah be pleased with them—despite the nose of al-Qari and his ilk. However, I do not claim the evidence of the verse is conclusive for this matter.

The vision of Allah is an unveiling (inkishaf) appropriate to His Majesty—glorified be His Majesty—other than the scientific unveiling, and according to the gnostics, it relates to the existing and the non-existent external thing. They said: The vision of Allah for the non-existent is similar to a person seeing the Resurrection and the like in a dream. Many theologians denied its relation to the non-existent, and some of them reduced it to the attribute of knowledge. The verification of this is in its proper place. In His description—the Exalted—of His vision of his state—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—by which he deserves His guardianship, after describing him with what preceded, there is a verification of reliance (tawakkul) and a settling for his noble heart—upon him be peace and prayer.

Jannah ibn Hubaysh read "And He turns you" (yuqallibuka) as the imperfect tense of qallaba in the intensive form. Abu Hayyan explained this as being conjoined to "He sees you" (yaraaka). It is also permissible to conjoin it to "you stand" (taquumu). In this reading, there is an indication that his turning—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—among those who prostrate occurs in a state of perfection. The perfection of "turning" in prayer is that it is with a humility (khushu') through which one becomes oblivious to anything other than Allah—the Exalted.