Tafsir of An-Najm 53:54

Al-Najm (The Star): (54) And covered it was what covered it.

It is probable that mā (what) is the object (of the verb ghashshā), and this is the apparent meaning.

It is also probable that the one who covered (ghashshā) is Allah, the Exalted. This would be like His saying: {And by the heaven and He Who constructed it} (An-Najm 53:5).

Alternatively, mā could be the subject (the doer). This is like saying, "He struck him with what struck him" (meaning, his own words struck him).

Based on this latter interpretation, it is possible that mā refers to the cause of Allah's wrath upon them. That is, the cause covered them, meaning Allah became angry with them because of that cause. It is said to someone who angered a king with his speech, and the king struck him: "Your speech is what struck you."

Then Allah, the Exalted, said: