Tafsir of Al-Waqi'ah 56:75

Regarding His saying, the Almighty: "Nay, I swear" (fa-la uqsimu), the "la" (nay) is augmentative for emphasis, similar to His saying, the Almighty: "So that the People of the Scripture may know" (li-alla ya’lama ahl al-kitab). Or, it is the oath-taking 'lam' (of emphasis) which has had its vowel lengthened until an alif was generated from it, analogous to the saying: "I seek refuge in Allah from the scorpion" (a’udhu billahi min al-’aqraba). Abu Hayyan favored this, then said: "Even if it is rare, its counterpart exists in His saying, the Almighty: 'So make hearts among the people incline towards them' (taj’alu af’idatan min al-nasi tahwi ilayhim), with a ya’ after the hamza, in the recitation of Hisham."

Supporting the recitation of al-Hasan and ‘Isa—"So I swear" (fa-la aqsamu)—is the school of thought held by some grammarians that it is permissible to swear by a verb in the present tense (hal). It is said: "By Allah, the Almighty, Zayd goes out" (wa-llahi ta’ala la-yakhruju Zayd), and the poet’s line supports this: "Let my Lord know that my house is spacious." In such a case, it is not correct to couple the verb with the emphatic nun (al-nun al-mu’akkada), because that would restrict it to the future tense, which is contrary to the intended meaning.

Ibn ‘Usfur and the Basrians chose the view that if the verb is in the present tense, as it is here, it is permissible to swear by it. However, when the future tense is intended by the verb, the emphatic nun becomes necessary, thus one says: "I shall swear" (la-uqsimanna), and omitting it is very weak. From this perspective, they interpreted the recitation of al-Hasan and ‘Isa by positing that the 'lam' is the 'lam' of the beginning (lam al-ibtida’), and the subject is omitted because the 'lam' does not enter upon verbs; the implied meaning being: "Therefore, I am one who swears." It has been said: "The same applies to the recitation of the majority, assuming the alif was generated from the lengthening of the vowel." This is countered by the argument that when the 'lam' of the beginning enters upon a subject, its omission is forbidden or deemed ugly, because its entry is for the sake of emphasis, which necessitates attention to the subject; omitting it indicates the opposite.

Sa’id ibn Jubayr and some grammarians said: "The 'la' (nay) is a negation, a rebuttal to what the disbelievers say about the Quran—that it is magic, poetry, or divination. As if it were said: 'There is no truth in what they say about it,' then the speech resumes: 'I swear,' etc." Abu Hayyan countered this by saying it is not permissible because it involves the omission of the subject and predicate of "la" outside of the answer to a question (like "no" in answer to "is there a man in the house?"). It is said that in cases where 'la' is used for the negation of an implied idea and a resumption of what follows in the utterance, it is preferable to use the 'wa' (waw), as in: "Nay, and may Allah prolong your life."

Some say that 'la' is often used before an oath as a preamble, as in the saying: "Nay, by your father, O daughter of the ‘Amiri, the people shall not claim that I flee." Abu Muslim and a group of others said: "The speech is to be taken at its apparent, literal meaning, and the sense is: 'I do not swear,' because the matter is too clear to require an oath; that is, it does not even require an oath, let alone this great oath." Consequently, the claim of the Mufti of the Ottoman lands that this is rejected by the specific nature of the object sworn by and its magnification, is a conclusion born of negligence, as is not hidden to one of sound judgment.

(By the falling places of the stars): Meaning, the places where the stars of the sky descend and set, as came in a narration from Qatadah and al-Hasan, based on "falling" (wuqu’) meaning setting and disappearance. They are singled out for the oath because their setting represents the vanishing of their effect and serves as proof of the existence of an Everlasting Influencer who does not change. Thus, the Friend (Abraham), peace be upon him, used the setting of the stars as evidence for the existence of the Creator, the Glorified and Exalted. Or, because that is the time for the diligent worshippers and those who beseech Him, the Almighty, and the first moment of the descent of mercy and pleasure upon them.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah, in a marfu’ narration: "Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and says: 'Who calls upon Me so that I may answer him? Who asks of Me so that I may give him? Who seeks My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?'"

From al-Hasan, it is also said that it refers to their falling at the time of darkening on the Day of Judgment. It is said that the "falling" there refers to the event, whether it is a noun of place or a noun of time. Perhaps their falling on that day is not all at once, and they are singled out because it represents the manifestation of His greatness, the Almighty, and the realization of what the disbelievers deny regarding the Resurrection. From Abu Ja’far and Abu ‘Abd Allah—upon their fathers and them be peace—it is said that it means their falling at the moment of being struck by shooting stars after those demons who eavesdrop on the heavens. The verification of this matter of shooting stars has already passed, so do not be negligent.

It is said that the "falling places of the stars" refers to the anwa’ (constellations) which the people of the Age of Ignorance claimed brought them rain. Perhaps this is taken from some reports regarding the occasion of revelation; we will mention it, God willing, but it is not a textual authority mandating that anwa’ is intended. Rather, it is permissible that it generally refers to their settings.

‘Abd al-Razzaq and Ibn Jarir recorded from Qatadah that it means their stations and orbits, as "falling" is used for descent, just as one says: "You have fallen upon an expert," which is common. They are singled out because in them there is proof of His, the Almighty’s, great power and perfect wisdom that the scope of description cannot encompass. A group, including Ibn ‘Abbas, said: "The stars are the nujum (portions) of the Quran, and their 'falling places' are the times of their revelation." An-Nasa’i, Ibn Jarir, and al-Hakim (who authenticated it), and al-Bayhaqi in al-Shu’ab, recorded from him that he said: "The Quran was sent down in one night from the highest heaven to the lowest heaven entirely, then it was separated over the years." In one wording: "Then it descended from the lowest heaven to the earth in portions (nujuman)." Then he recited: "Nay, I swear by the falling places of the stars." This view is supported by the fact that the pronoun in His saying later, "Indeed, it is a noble Quran," then refers to what is understood from the "falling places of the stars," such that it is almost as if it were mentioned explicitly, and there is no need to say "the context explains it" as in other views. The reason for its being singled out is too apparent to be hidden. Perhaps the speech is of the category: "And your teeth are like white flowers." Ibn ‘Abbas, the people of Medina, Hamzah, and al-Kisa’i recited it as "falling place" (mawqi’) in the singular, intending the plural.