Tafsir of Al-Qiyamah 75:25

"...Tazunnu (expecting/fearing) that there will be done to them faqirah," meaning a great calamity that breaks the vertebrae of the back, derived from faqara (to break the spine). Abu ‘Ubaydah said: Faqirah is derived from faqartu the camel, meaning when you brand its nose with fire.

The subject of tazunnu (expecting) is the pronoun referring to "the faces," with an implied genitive construct—meaning, the possessors of those faces. It has also been suggested that the pronoun refers back to the faces themselves, on the basis that "face" here implies the "self" (by way of metaphorical usage), though this is far-fetched.

Regarding the word al-zann (expectation/thought): It has been said that what is intended here is certainty (al-yaqin), a view preferred by al-Tibi. This is because the particle an (that), when acting as a nominalizer, does not follow a verb of pure conviction, unlike a verb of thought or one that conveys the meaning of knowledge; it may follow the latter, whether the particle is emphasized (ann) or lightened (an), as stipulated by al-Radi. Others have said that it carries its well-known, literal meaning, intending that they "expect" that outcome; this view was preferred by those who hold it.

There is no evidence in the juxtaposition [with the previous verses] to suggest that al-nazar (looking) here is in the aforementioned sense [of certainty/waiting], as claimed by some. The verification of this matter is that what is done to them is in contrast to the nazar (gazing/looking) at the Lord, Exalted is He, for that gaze is the ultimate blessing, while this is the ultimate affliction. The verb of expectation (al-zann) was brought here to signify that even though what they are in is the ultimate evil, they expect something even more severe after it, and so on, forever. This is because the intended meaning of al-faqirah is an uncontainable torment; thus, every time something is done to them, they infer from it another, more severe event, expecting it.

When one is in a state of expectation, it is more severe upon them than if they were certain and had braced themselves for the matter. Furthermore, knowledge pertains to what has already occurred, not to what renews itself moment by moment. This is the reason for using a verb of expectation rather than a verb of knowledge in this context, for the latter leads to an ultimate state beyond which nothing is sought or tasted. Subsequently, there is a variation in that [blessed] nazar (gazing) in terms of strength and weakness relative to the gazer, according to what has been established. Perhaps this is an argument against the one who made the claim, not for him. May Allah bestow upon us His grace through the sight of Him.