Tafsir of An-Naml 27:54

"And Lot" is in the accusative case due to an implied verb, coordinated with "We sent" at the beginning of the story of Salih, peace be upon him, and included with it within the scope of the narrative. [Meaning]: "And We sent Lot."

"When he said to his people" is an adverbial phrase for the sending, on the premise that what is intended is an extended span of time in which the sending occurred, along with the circumstances and statements that transpired between him and his people.

It has been permitted that it is in the accusative case due to an implied "remember," coordinated with what preceded—a coordination of one story with another. "When" would then be an appositive of substitution of inclusion (badal al-ishtimal) for that [implied "remember"], though this is not strong.

It is said: It is coordinated with "Salih," but this has been critiqued as being incorrect, because "Salih" is an appositive of substitution (badal) or an explanatory appositive ('atf bayan) for "their brother," and it has been restricted by a qualifier preceding it, which is "to Thamud." If it were coordinated with it, it would be restricted by that [same qualifier], which is invalid because Lot, peace be upon him, was not sent to Thamud. This is definitive when the qualifier precedes; it is otherwise if it follows. Some say that its designation is not undisputed, as it is permissible to coordinate it with the totality of the qualifier and the qualified—though this is contrary to the accustomed way in rhetorical address, and committing to such a thing is an imposition (ta'assuf) that is unbefitting.

It has been permitted that it is a coordination with "those who believed." This has been critiqued by noting that it does not suit the styles of narrating stories, which prefer coordinating one story with another, rather than with the completion and appendage of the first, as is not hidden.

"Do you commit the indecency?" Meaning: Do you perform the act that is ultimate in ugliness and obscenity? The interrogation is one of denial.

"While you see" is a circumstantial clause (hal) describing the subject of "do you commit," serving to emphasize the denial; for engaging in an ugly act while knowing its ugliness is uglier and more atrocious. "You see" refers to the vision of the heart (insight), meaning: Do you commit it while you know with certain knowledge that it is as such?

It is also permissible that it refers to the vision of the eye, meaning: while you see and witness it as an indecency, treating it as such because its manifestation is equivalent to that which is perceived by the senses. It is said that the object of "you see" refers to physical things in reality, meaning: while you see the remnants of the disobedient before you, or while you look at one another, neither concealing nor refraining from manifesting it due to your lack of concern for it. The aspect of how the sentence provides emphasis for the denial under both interpretations is also manifest.