Tafsir of Al-Ghashiyah 88:2

"Faces" is the subject in the nominative case. It is permissible to begin with it as a subject—even though it is indefinite—because it occurs in a position of categorization. It has also been said that the intended meaning of the speech is "possessors of faces," and the predicate is what follows it, with the adverbial phrase being related to it. The tanween (nunation) is a substitute for a sentence indicated by "the Overwhelming" (al-ghashiyah), meaning: on the day when it overwhelms.

The sentence, up to His, the Almighty’s, saying "spread abroad," is an inception that serves as an answer to a question arising from the evocative interrogation. It is as if it were said, on the part of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—"The news of it has not reached me; what is it?" So, it was said: "Faces," and so on. Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—said: "Its news had not reached him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, so He, the Glorified, informed him of it, saying, the Almighty and Majestic: 'Faces that day will be humbled.'"

"Humbled" means abased. They were not described with "abasement" initially, because in describing them with "humility" there is an indication of mockery, implying that they did not humble themselves at a time when humility would have been of benefit. Likewise is the case with describing them as "laboring" in His, the Glorified’s, saying: