Surah Al-'Adiyat: (2) Fa-l-mūriyāti qadḥan

Know that Īr\bar{a}' (إيراء) means bringing forth fire, and qadḥ (قدح) means striking. One says: qadaḥa fa-awrā (قدح فأورى) [he struck and produced fire], and sometimes fa-aṣlada (فأصلد) [he produced a spark].

Then, regarding the interpretation of this verse, there are several views:

First View: Ibn 'Abbas said: It refers to the horses striking the mountains with their hooves, producing fire from them, like the foam when it is struck.

Second View: Mujāhid said: It means the horses striking the stones with their hooves, producing fire like the fire of al-Ḥabāḥib. Al-Ḥabāḥib is the name of a stingy man who would only light a fire when people were asleep, and if someone woke up, he would extinguish his fire so no one could benefit from it. This fire produced by the horses' hooves is likened to that fire which offered no benefit. Some say it refers to the iron shoe striking the stone, causing fire to emerge. The first interpretation is more eloquent because, under that assumption, the very tips of the hooves (sanābik) are like iron.

Third View: A group said: These verses concern horses, but their Īr\bar{a}' (producing fire) is the kindling of war between their riders and their enemy, as stated in the Almighty's saying: {Whenever they kindled a fire for war, Allah extinguished it} (5:64). From this, when war intensifies, it is said: ḥamī waṭ-waṭīs (the furnace of war became hot).

Fourth View: They are those who go out on raids (ghazw) and light their fires at night out of necessity for food. Thus, al-Mūriyāt (the ones producing fire) are the group of raiders.

Fifth View: It refers to the tongues that ignite the fire of enmity due to the magnitude of what they speak.

Sixth View: It refers to the thoughts of men that ignite the fire of cunning and deceit, narrated from Ibn 'Abbas. It is said: La-aqdaḥanna laka thumma la-ūriyanna laka (I will surely strike for you and then ignite for you), meaning: I will stir up evil and war against you. Another opinion is that it is deceit, but it is deceit by lighting fires so the enemy sees them as numerous. It was the custom of the Arabs when approaching the enemy during a raid to light many fires so that when the enemy looked at them, they would think them to be many.

Seventh View: 'Ikrimah said: Al-Mūriyāt qadḥan refers to the spearheads (al-asinnah).

Eighth View: Fa-l-mūriyāti qadḥan means those who succeed in their endeavor, meaning those who find what they sought and achieve their goal of raiding or pilgrimage. It is said of one who succeeds in his need: wa-rawā zandahu (and he kindled his flint). This returns to the successful group, or it may refer to the horses whose riders succeed. Jareer said:

It is also said: So-and-so, when he strikes (qadaḥa), he produces fire (awrā), and when he is granted (manaḥa), he produces fire (awrā).

Know that the first view (horses striking stone) is closer because the term Īr\bar{a}' is literal regarding the production of fire, and metaphorical in other contexts. One should not abandon the literal meaning without proof.

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As for His Almighty saying: {Fa-l-mughīrāti ṣubḥan} (And those that charge forth at dawn)...