Al-'Adiyat (The Chargers): (5) Then they charged into the midst of them.

First Point: Al-Layth said: Wasata an-nahr wal-mafāzah asṭuhā wasṭan wa wasṭatan (He entered the river and the desert, he entered it completely), meaning he became in the middle of it. Similarly, wasatuhā and tawassaṭtuhā carry this meaning.

Second Point (Regarding the pronoun in {به} - bihi): Al-Farrā' mentioned that there are several interpretations for what the pronoun refers to:

1. Muqatil's View: It refers to the enemy. Since the ‘ādiyāt (chargers) imply the enemy, it is permissible to use a pronoun for them. The phrase {جمعا} (jam‘an) means the enemy's gathering. The meaning is: they (the horses) entered the midst of the enemy's gathering after their charge. If one interprets the verses as referring to camels (as some do), then {جمعا} means a gathering of men.
2. Reference to Dust: The pronoun refers back to the dust (an-naq‘ mentioned in the previous verse), meaning: they charged into the gathering with the dust.
3. The Horses Covered in Dust: The intended meaning is that the chargers entered the midst of a gathering of enemies, being covered/veiled by the dust (mulabbasan bin-naq‘).

First Point (Recitation): The verse was also recited as {فَوَسَّطْنَ} (fawassaṭna) with a shaddah (doubling) on the sīn, indicating the transitive form (making it mean "they caused [something] to enter the midst"). The preposition bā’ (in bihi) is considered superfluous for emphasis, similar to the verse {وَأَتُوا بِهِ} (wa ātū bihi - and bring him forth). This recitation implies a greater intensity in their charging into the midst.

Second Point (The Virtue of Horses): People have elaborated extensively on describing horses, but what Allah has mentioned here is sufficient and excellent. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Goodness is tied to the forelocks of horses." He also said: "Their backs are a fortress (ḥirz), and their bellies are a treasure (kanz)."

Third Point (The Oath and the Response): After mentioning what He swore by (the horses), Allah mentions what He is swearing about, which consists of three matters:

The first of these is:

1. His statement: {إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ} (Inna al-insāna li-rabbihī la-kanūd) - Indeed, mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful/unappreciative.