Tafsir of Sad 38:6

(Meaning: The nobles of Quraysh went forth from the gathering of Abu Talib after the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had admonished them, and they witnessed his firmness in religion, and despaired of what they had hoped for from him, peace and blessings be upon him, through his uncle. Among them were Abu Jahl, al-As ibn Wa'il, al-Aswad ibn al-Muttalib ibn Asad, and Uqbah ibn Abi Mu'ayt. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Abu Mijlaz that a man said on the day of Badr: "They are but women." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Rather, they are the eminent ones," and he recited: "And the eminent among them went forth.")

(Saying, "Go on...") The apparent meaning is a command to walk, signifying the movement of feet away from that assembly. The an (that) is explanatory (tafsiriyyah). It has been said that there is an ellipsis in the speech which functions as a state (hal) for the "eminent ones"—that is, they went forth while conversing, and this explanation covers the elliptical part. It contains the meaning of speech without its literal form. It is also said that there is no need to assume an ellipsis, for leaving a gathering of discourse habitually necessitates the negotiation and conversation of those leaving regarding what transpired therein. The inclusion of the explanatory particle for the meaning of speech is broader than it being via implication or other means, such as association, and that suffices for it. It is also said that "going forth" here means "impelled into speech," thus containing the meaning of speech by way of implication. Applying "going forth" to this is an apparent, well-known metaphor that has attained the status of literal usage. It is also permitted that the metaphor lies in the attribution, with the original phrase being "their tongues went forth," meaning they began to speak this statement.

Some have said: The meaning of "Go on" is "Continue upon your path and persevere in your way of life."

It is also said: It is derived from mashat al-mar'atu (a woman has frequent births); from this comes al-mashiyah (livestock), which is named as such because it is their nature to have many offspring, or as an expression of optimism regarding that. The intended meaning is to act according to its implication, i.e., "Increase and gather together."

It is also said: It is an invocation for the increase of livestock, with which they began their speech for the sake of glorification, as one might say, "May you be secure/prosper, O Prince." They chose it from among the invocations because of the greatness of the status of livestock among them. This is refuted by the fact that it is an error, for its verb is derived from the mazid form; one says amsha (he whose livestock increased). Thus, the hamza should be cut (qat'), and the reading is contrary to this. Moreover, this meaning is extremely far-fetched here. Regardless, some said it to others. It is also said that the nobles said it to their followers and commoners.

It was read (imshu) without an, implying speech rather than implying the particle, meaning: saying, "Go on."

(And be patient on [behalf of] your gods) Meaning: Remain steadfast in worshipping them, enduring what you hear against them of denigration. Ibn Mas’ud read: Wa-intalaqa al-mala'u minhum yamshuna an isbiru ("And the eminent among them went forth walking, [saying] 'Be patient'"). The sentence yamshuna (they were walking) is a state or an incipience. The discussion regarding an isbiru is the same as the discussion regarding an imshu, whether it relates to intalaqa (went forth) or what follows it.

(That this is a thing being intended) This is a justification for the command to be patient, or for the necessity of complying with it, and an indication of what had occurred and what they witnessed regarding the affair of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his firmness in the matter of monotheism and the negation of the divinity of their gods. It means: "Indeed, this is a grave thing, intended from his side—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to be fulfilled and executed inevitably, with no deterrent to bend it and no influencer to turn it aside. It is not a statement said merely with the tip of the tongue, nor a matter in which leniency or intercession by any human is expected. Therefore, sever your hopes of bringing him down to your own desires, and be patient in the worship of your gods."

It is said: "This matter is one of the calamities of time intended for us, so there is no remedy except to swallow the bitterness of patience."

It is said: "This thing which he claims regarding the matter of monotheism, or seeks regarding leadership and rising above the Arabs and non-Arabs, is something that everyone hopes for or wants, but not everyone attains what he hopes for or wants, so be patient."

It is said: "That this—i.e., your religion—is sought to be pulled away from you and cast aside, or its invalidation is intended."

It is said: The reference is to the patience understood from isbiru; i.e., "Patience is a thing that is sought, because its outcome is praiseworthy."

Al-Qaffal said: "This is a phrase mentioned for threat and intimidation. The meaning is that his goal in this statement is not to establish religion, but his goal is to overcome us and rule over our wealth and children as he wishes." Reflect upon this.