Tafsir of Al-Muddathir 74:35

(Indeed, it is one of the greatest [afflictions])

"Indeed, it is one of the greatest" is the answer to the oath. It is also permissible that "Nay" (Kalla) is a deterrent to one who denies that it is one of the greatest, given that "Indeed" (Inna) and the emphatic lam are expressions of denial used in responding to a denier. This would then be the reason for "Nay," and the oath would be parenthetical for the sake of emphasis, having no stated answer—or its answer is implied, indicated by "Nay." In this reasoning, there is a degree of obscurity, so reflect upon it.

The pronoun in "Indeed, it is" refers to Saqar (the Scorching Fire). Al-Kubar is the plural of al-kubra (the greatest). The feminine suffix alif has been treated like the ta suffix; just as fu‘lah is pluralized as fu‘al, fu‘la is pluralized in the same manner. Its counterparts are as-sawafi (plural of as-safiya) and al-qawasi (plural of al-qasi‘a). While the form fa‘ilah is regularly pluralized as fawa‘il and not fa‘ila, the form fa‘ila has been treated as fa‘ilah because the alif and the ta both share the function of indicating the feminine gender. Thus, both are pluralized as fawa‘il.

The statement of Ibn Atiyyah—that al-kubar is the plural of kabirah—is incorrect, as is evident.

The meaning is: Saqar is one of the greatest calamities, in the sense that great afflictions are many, and Saqar is one of them. It has been said that this contains an indication that their affliction is not confined to it alone, but that infinite calamities shall befall them.

Alternatively, it may mean that great afflictions are many, and Saqar is one among them that is unique in its magnitude, having no equal—similar to saying "one of the greatest" or "one of the virtuous." Zamakhshari limited himself to this, favoring the former (that it is one among many) as being more appropriate for the context—perhaps due to the indication it contains.

It is also said that the meaning is: it is one of the seven great levels of the Fire, which are Jahannam, Ladha, Al-Hutamah, Saqar, As-Sa‘ir, Al-Jahim, and Al-Hawiyah. This has been transmitted from the author of At-Taysir, though it is not strong.

It is further suggested that the pronoun in "it" may refer to the warning or the matter of the Hereafter; it is said in Al-Bahr that it refers to the situation and the narrative. Another view is that it refers to the Hour, thus returning to an unmentioned antecedent.

Nasr ibn Asim, Ibn Muhaysin, and Wahb ibn Jarir from Ibn Kathir read it as li-hda al-kubar, omitting the hamza of ihda. This is an irregular omission, and it is lighter to pronounce such a hamza by placing it between [a vowel sound].