Tafsir of Al-An'am 6:105

"And thus": i.e., like this wonderful diversification, "We diversify the verses" that signify refined meanings and reveal transcendent truths, in a manner of diversification to which no other is inferior. It is also said: the intended meaning is "just as We have diversified verses before, We now diversify these verses," and that which is most worthy of acceptance has already been presented to you.

The root of tasrif (diversification/inflection), as Ali ibn Isa said, is the causing of a meaning to circulate through successive meanings. It is derived from sarf, which is the shifting of a thing from one state to another. Al-Raghib said: Tasrif is like sarf, except that it implies intensification; it is mostly used when referring to shifting a thing from one state to another and one affair to another.

"(And so that they may say, 'You have studied [darasta]')": This is the cause for a verb that has been omitted, relying on the context for its indication. That is, "And so that they may say, 'You have studied,' We do what We do of the aforementioned diversification." Some have construed the omitted verb as being in the past tense, but the matter is simple. The 'lam' is the 'lam' of consequence (result).

It is also permitted that it be for causation in the literal sense, because the revelation of verses results in the misguidance of the wretched and the guidance of the blessed. The Almighty said: "He misguides many thereby and guides many thereby." The 'waw' is for objection (parenthetical). It is also said: It is a conjunction to an omitted cause, and the 'lam' is linked to "We diversify." That is, "Like this diversification, We diversify the verses so that the proof may be binding upon them, and so that they may say [this]," which is more appropriate than estimating "so that they may deny, and so that they may say..."

It is also said: The 'lam' is the 'lam' of command, supported by the recitation with the 'lam' being vowelless (sukūn). It is as if it were said: "And thus We diversify the verses, and let them say [it] as they wish, for they are of no consequence and no regard is paid to their words." It is a command that signifies threat, intimidation, and indifference. This was refuted in al-Durr al-Masun on the grounds that what follows it rejects it, for the 'lam' therein is explicitly the 'lam' of causation (li-kay).

Its origin, according to al-Asma'i, is from their saying: "He threshed (darasa) the grain," meaning he trampled it, as if the reciter tramples the speech until it becomes easy upon his tongue. Abu al-Haytham said: It is said, "You have studied (darasta) the book," meaning you have mastered it through frequent reading until memorizing it became easy, from their saying: "You have worn out (darasta) the garment," meaning you have rendered it threadbare. From this, a worn-out garment is called darīs because it has become soft. Darsa is exercise, and from this is "I studied the Surah until I memorized it." This—as al-Wahidi said—is close to what al-Asma'i said, or is the same thing, because the meaning returns to mastering and softening.

Al-Raghib said: It is said, "The house has vanished (darasa)," meaning its trace has remained; and the remaining of a trace necessitates an effacement of the thing itself. Therefore, durūs (study/vanishing) is interpreted as effacement. Likewise, "The book has vanished" and "The knowledge has vanished" [refer to] grasping its trace through memory. Since grasping this occurs through constant reading, he expressed the continuation of reading as dars. This is far from the former, as is not hidden.

Ibn Kathir and Abu Amr recited it as dālasta (with an alif and a fatha on the ta'). This is the recitation of Ibn Abbas and Mujahid, meaning: "You have studied with others, O Muhammad, those who know the past reports," and you have mentioned them. He intended by this similar to what they intended by their saying: "It is only a human who teaches him." The Imam said: This recitation is strengthened by the words of the Almighty recounting their claim: "This is nothing but a falsehood he has fabricated, and other people have helped him with it."

Ibn Amir, Ya'qub, and Sahl recited darasta (with a fatha on the sin and a sukun on the ta'). It is also narrated from Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, Ubayy, Ibn Mas'ud, and al-Hasan—may God the Almighty be pleased with them. The meaning is: "You have brought forth these verses and effaced them," which is like their saying, "Legends of the ancients." It was also recited as durist (with a damma on the ra') as an intensification of darasta, because the damma-form is for natures and instincts—that is, its vanishing intensified.

And durist (passive voice) meaning "it was read" or "it was effaced." It is authentically proven that 'afa (to efface) can be transitive just as it can be intransitive. And dālasta (with the feminine 'ta') also occurs. The pronoun refers either to the Jews, due to their fame for study—that is, the Jews studied with Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace)—or to the verses, and in reality, it is to the people of the verses, the People of the Scripture. There is also darasta (with the passive voice), darasti (with the ta' of address and shaddah), darasta (attributed to Ibn Zayd), and idālasta (with shaddah, active voice), attributed to Ibn Abbas. In another narration from Ubayy, it is darasa (ascribed to the pronoun of the Prophet—may God bless him and grant him peace—or the Book, meaning "it vanished"). Also darasna (with the feminine nun, lightened or with shaddah), and dārisāt (meaning ancient, or possessing the quality of study). Its nominative case is due to it being a predicate of an omitted subject, i.e., "They are ancient."

"(And so that We may clarify it)": A conjunction to "that they may say." The 'lam' in it is for causation, interpreted as the clarification of the benefit resulting from the action, according to many of the Sunni scholars. There is no doubt that clarification is a benefit resulting from diversification. The disagreement over whether the actions of God the Almighty are caused by purposes is well-known, and we have indicated it previously. The pronoun refers to the verses, in consideration of interpreting them as "the Book," or to the Quran, even if it was not explicitly mentioned, because it is understood; or to the source of nusarrifu (We diversify), as it has been said—i.e., "And We shall perform the clarification."

"(For a people who know)": They are those who benefit from it. This is the reason for specifically mentioning them. They are, as narrated from Ibn Abbas, His friends whom He has guided to the path of rectitude. He described them as "knowing" to signal the extreme ignorance of others and their total lack of knowledge.