Yasin: (70) "That He may warn whoever is alive..."

(That He may warn): Meaning the Quran or the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. This is supported by the recitation of Nafi’ and Ibn ‘Amir as (litundhira) with the letter ta (indicating the second person). Al-Yamani recited it as (liyundhara) in the passive voice. Ibn Khalawayh reported it from al-Jahdari, and stated that Abu al-Sammal and al-Yamani both recited it as (liyandhara) with the ya and dhal opened (vocalized with a fatha), as the imperfect tense of nadha (to know something), when one is made aware of it.

(Whoever is alive): Meaning whoever possesses intellect, as Ibn Jarir and al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman reported from al-Dahhak. In this there is an explicit metaphor (isti’arah musarrahah) likening intellect to life; or it may mean "whoever is a believer," based on the context of its opposition to the disbelievers. In this case, there is also an explicit metaphor likening faith to life. It is also permissible to view it as a synecdoche (majaz mursal), as faith is the cause of true, eternal life. The use of the past tense in (kana) ("was") is with regard to what is in the knowledge of the Mighty and Majestic, signifying its certainty. It has been said that kana here means "is" (yakunu). It has also been said that the speech contains a metaphor of anticipation (majaz al-musharafa), where the future is treated as the past, though this is questionable. The warning is specified to them because they are the ones who benefit from it.

(And the word may be justified): Meaning the word of punishment becomes inevitable.

(Against the disbelievers): Those marked with this brand, who persist in disbelief. In presenting them in opposition to "whoever is alive," there is an indication that due to their lack of the signs and rulings of life—such as knowledge—they are, in reality, dead. It is also permissible that the speech contains an implicit metaphor (isti’arah makniyyah), its signifier being the other metaphor. It is as if His statement, the Exalted, "(That He may warn)..." is a return to what the Surah began with, in His statement, the Mighty and Majestic: "That you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned." If you were to contemplate this transition from the discourse on the Resurrection to the discourse on the Quran and the warning, you would be struck with wonder at how well-placed it is.