Tafsir of Sad 38:11

( جند ما هنالك مهزوم من الأحزاب )

(i.e., they are a host, etc.). Thus, jund (a host) is the predicate of a deleted subject implied to precede it, as is apparent. Ma is an intensive particle (za’idah). It is said to be for diminution and disparagement, such as in "I ate something (ma);" and it is said to be for aggrandizement and multiplication. This has been objected to on the grounds that it does not harmonize with "defeated" (mahzum). It was answered that describing them with greatness and multitude is by way of mockery; thus, in terms of wording, it is greatness and multitude, but in reality, it is lowliness and paucity.

It is held as more probable that in their speech it is most commonly for aggrandizement, such as: "For a certain matter (li-amrin ma) did Qasir cut off his nose," and "For a certain matter he who becomes a master does so," and the words of Imru’ al-Qays: "And the talk of the caravan on this day, and the talk of something (ma), despite its brevity." Moreover, the discourse is for the consolation of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and to bring him the glad tidings of their defeat. This is more complete under this interpretation. Indeed, it has been said that bringing glad tidings of the defeat of a trivial number might imply an insult and belittlement. "Do you not see that the sword loses its value if it is said that the sword is sharper than a stick?" There is, however, some consideration in this.

(Hunālika) (there) is an adjective for jund (host) or an adverb for mahzum (defeated). It is a deictic referring to a distant place. It is intended by it, according to one opinion, the place where they negotiated with the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—using those aforementioned words, which is Mecca. This is rendered as an informing of the unseen regarding their defeat on the Day of the Conquest, or, as it is said, the Day of Badr. This has been narrated from Mujahid and Qatadah. You are aware that if hunālika is a deictic for Mecca and relates to mahzum, this only holds if Mecca is intended to encompass Badr.

Mahzum is a predicate after a predicate. The origin of hazm is the pressing of a dry object until it breaks, such as the collapsing of a water skin, or the crushing of cucumbers or melons. From this comes hazimah (defeat), as it is expressed by crushing and breaking. Expressing what has not yet occurred using the passive participle, which signifies occurrence—as mentioned in some commentaries on al-Kashshaf—is to signify its extreme proximity, as if it were a reality.

(Min al-ahzab) (from the confederates) is an adjective for jund (host). That is: they are a few, lowly hosts, or many, great ones—existing there—from among the disbelievers who confederated against the messengers, defeated shortly; or they are a host from the confederates, defeated shortly in their place where they spoke what they spoke. Therefore, do not be concerned with what they say, and do not pay heed to their ravings.

Abu al-Baqa’ said: Jund is the subject, ma is intensive, and hunālika is an adjective, as is min al-ahzab, and mahzum is the predicate. Abu Hayyan critiqued this, saying it contains a remoteness from the speech that preceded it. Al-Zamakhshari considered the restriction (hasr), i.e., they are but a host from among the confederates, defeated shortly; they do not exceed the aforementioned status of being a host to divine matters. This is sound, though there is disagreement regarding its origin. It is said: It would have been proper for jund to be definite because it is known, but it was made indefinite, bringing the known into the context of the unknown, as if nothing of them is known except this extent: that they are a host with this attribute.

The author of al-Kashf said: It is for the aggrandizement indicated by the indefiniteness and the addition of ma, which signifies proliferation and the pinnacle of greatness, because both indicate the restriction of the description to "hostliness" among all other attributes, as if they have no description other than that. In this, there is an apparent prohibition. From the words of the second scholar, it is understood that it is an interpretation of jund being a fronted predicate for a deleted subject, because the context requires restriction. So, ponder and do not be heedless.

Al-Zamakhshari made hunālika, which is meant for pointing to a distant place, a metaphor for a station of status and honor, on the basis that it is a deictic for where they placed themselves by volunteering for such a great statement, just as they say to one who volunteers for a matter for which he is not fit: "You are not hunālika (there [not in that position/rank])." In this, there is an allusion to the cause of the blame. Based on this, it is permitted that ma be negative, i.e., they are a host who are not where they placed themselves. This has been critiqued as something no one among the experts of Arabic has said, and it does not befit the context. There is debate in this.

It is permitted that hunālika be a deictic for a distant time, as Ibn Malik said, for it may sometimes point to it, such as His saying: "There (hunālika) every soul will test what it has put forth." It would relate to mahzum, and the discourse is an informing of the unseen, either about their defeat on the Day of the Conquest, or the Day of Badr, as the report of it was previously mentioned, or the Day of the Trench. The implications of this are not hidden. It is said: It is a deictic for the time of ascent in the means, i.e., these people are a defeated host if they ascend in the means. This is not satisfactory. It is said: Ma is a relative pronoun acting as the subject, hunālika is in the place of the connection, jund is the fronted predicate, and mahzum and min al-ahzab are two adjectives, and they are the ones intended for information. Ma hunālika is a deictic for Mecca, and what is intended by those within it are the polytheists. Expressing them with ma is because they are like cattle, or rather, they are further astray. It is also said that it refers to the idols and their worshippers. Regarding the expression with ma, the matter is more apparent, and one says regarding it similar to what Abu Hayyan said regarding the words of Abu al-Baqa’, with an addition that is not hidden.