Tafsir of Al-Qasas 28:82

{ And those who had wished for his position }—that is, for his standing and rank, because of what preceded of their statement: "Like what has been given to Qarun." It is permitted that this be taken at its literal meaning, and the word "like" there is redundant—though this is not a strong view.

{ Yesterday }—meaning a short time ago, which is a common metaphor. It is permitted to interpret it literally. The prepositional phrase is connected to "wished" or to "his position." It is said that the conjunction with the fa (in fakhasefna—"So We caused the earth to swallow him"), which necessitates immediate sequence, is evidence of this.

In Al-Bahr, it is indicated that asbaha (translated as "began to say" or "became"), when taken literally, suggests that the swallowing of him and his dwelling occurred at night, which is the most terrifying of punishments, as the night is the abode of rest and stillness. Some say it means "became," i.e., the wishers became [in a state of saying].

{ saying, "Ah! It is as if Allah extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it!" }—meaning He does both, the extending and the restricting (i.e., the narrowing and withholding), not for any honor that necessitates extension, nor for any disgrace that necessitates restriction.

"Woe" (Way), according to Al-Khalil and Sibawayh, is a verbal noun, the meaning of which is "I am amazed," though it is also used for expressing sorrow and regret, as they have clearly stated. From Al-Khalil: the people felt remorse, so they said Way in regret for what had previously transpired from them; anyone who feels regret and wishes to manifest it says Way. Perhaps the more apparent meaning is the expression of amazement, such that they were amazed first at what had occurred, and said second, "It is as if..."

The ka (as) in ka’anna (it is as if) is stripped of the meaning of similitude; it is brought for the sake of confirmation, as it is said in his saying: "The heart of Mecca became trembling / as if there were no Hisham in the land." Abu Ali recited: "As if I, when evening falls and you do not speak to me / am a lover desiring that which does not exist." It is said it is not stripped of that [similitude], and the intent is to liken the absolute state to that which is within its scope, signaling its verification and fame, making it suitable to be likened to everything—and this is as you see. Al-Hamadani claimed that Al-Khalil went to the view that Way is for regret and Ka’anna is for amazement, the meaning being: they regretted, being amazed that Allah extends [provision]. Yet, the fact that ka’anna would be for amazement is something unprecedented.

However it may be, the pause—as in Al-Bahr—is at Way. Analogy dictates writing it separated, but it was written attached to the ka due to frequency of use. It was written according to analogy in the saying of Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl: "Woe! It is as if whoever has wealth, he is loved / and whoever is poor, lives a life of hardship." Al-Akhfash said: The ka is attached to it, and it is a verbal noun meaning "I am amazed," and the ka is a letter of address that has no place in grammatical inflection, just as they said regarding dhalika (that) and its likes. The pause is at Wayk. On that came the saying of ‘Antara: "And it surely healed my soul and cured its malady / the saying of the knights: 'Woe! ‘Antara, advance!'" According to him, the alif in anna is with a fathah, based on the estimation of knowledge—i.e., "Know that Allah..."

Al-Kisa’i, Yunus, Abu Hatim, and others went to the view that its origin is waylaka (woe to you), which was lightened by dropping the lam, leaving wayka, which is for deterrence, rebuking, and urging the abandonment of what is not pleasing. Abu Hayyan said: It is a word of sadness. He recited in confirmation his saying: "Ah, woe! The harmful does not last / and blessings do not remain in the midst of misery." The ka, according to this, is in the genitive case by annexation, and the acting agent for anna is the implied verb of knowledge, as you have heard, or it is by estimation of li-anna (because), on the basis that it is an explanation for the cause for which wayka was said. Ibn Qutaybah narrated from some scholars that the meaning of wayka is "mercy upon you" in the dialect of Himyar. Al-Farra’ said: Wayka in the speech of the Arabs is like the saying of a man: "Do you not see the work of Allah, the Exalted is His glory?" Abu Zayd and a group with him said—and it is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both—that Wayka’anna is one single word in its entirety, meaning "Do you not see?"

{ If it had not been that Allah conferred favor upon us }—by not giving us what we wished for of giving us the likes of what was given to Qarun—{ He would have caused it to swallow us }—meaning the earth, just as He caused it to swallow him. Or: If not for Allah’s favor upon us by pardoning our shortcomings in wishing for that, He would have caused the earth to swallow us as a punishment for that, just as He caused it to swallow him as a punishment for what he was upon. Al-A‘mash recited lawla man by dropping anna, though it is intended. It is narrated from him: min Allah by elevating man (favor). The majority recited la-khusifa bina in the passive voice, and bina (us) is the one standing in the place of the subject. It is permitted that it be the pronoun of the verbal noun—i.e., "the swallowing would have occurred to us," in the sense of the act of swallowing happening to us. Ibn Mas‘ud, Talha, and Al-A‘mash recited la-nukhsafu bina also in the passive, with bina or a pronoun standing in place of the subject. From him also: li-tukhsa [the earth] swallowing us, in the passive, with the sin stressed.

{ It is as if the disbelievers do not succeed }—by a grace from Allah, or [referring to] those who deny His Messengers, peace be upon them, and what they were promised of the reward of the Hereafter. The discourse regarding Wayka’anna here is as preceded, except that it is permitted here that li-anna—according to some possibilities—is a justification for an omitted clause due to the context; i.e., "Because the disbelievers do not succeed, He did that," meaning He swallowed Qarun. [One should] consider its parallel in what preceded without considering this here. The pronoun in ka’annahu is for the state (al-sha'n).

This is [the interpretation]. In Majma’ al-Bayan, it is stated that the story of Qarun is connected to His saying: { We recite to you from the news of Moses } (peace be upon him). It is said it is connected to His, the Exalted’s, saying: { And whatever you have been given of anything is [but] for the enjoyment of worldly life and its adornment. And what is with Allah is better and more lasting }. It is also said that when the disgrace of the disbelievers and their exposure on the Day of Resurrection preceded, Allah, the Exalted, mentioned thereafter that Qarun is among them, and that he will be disgraced on the Day of Resurrection just as he was disgraced in the world.