Tafsir of Al-Qamar 54:15

Surah Al-Qamar (The Moon): Verse 15

وَلَقَد تَّرَكْنَاهَا آيَةً And indeed, We left it as a sign.

Regarding the pronoun in تَرَكْنَاهَا (We left it), there are two interpretations:

1. It refers to a previously mentioned entity: The Ark (the ship) which contained planks and nails.
   • Under this view, there are two sub-interpretations: a. God left the actual physical Ark for a period so that it could be seen and known. It was located on Mount Judi, which is said to be in the region of Al-Jazirah, or perhaps in the land of India. b. God left a similar instance/story among the people (as a warning).
   • The second sub-interpretation (b) is linked to the first (a) in that leaving the physical ark served as the basis for the story being remembered.

2. It refers to something understood (implied): That is, "We left the Ark as a sign." The first interpretation (referring to the physical ship) is more apparent.

Under the first interpretation (referring to the physical ship), it can be argued that تَرَكْنَاهَا means "We made it a sign" (جَعَلْنَاهَا آيَةً). This is because once the matter was concluded, it became left behind and established. A speaker might say, "I left so-and-so as an example" (تركت فلانا مثلا), meaning "I made him an example." Since we established that when one finishes a matter, they leave it and establish it, mentioning one of the actions (leaving) stands in place of the other (making/establishing).

فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ So is there any who will remember?

This statement indicates that the task from the Messengers' side is complete; nothing remains except for the side of those sent to them—that they should be mindful warners, reflective, and guided by God's grace. So, is there any who will remember and be guided? This speech serves both as an encouragement and as a warning/reprimand.

The First Issue: Here, the verse states وَلَقَد تَّرَكْنَاهَا (And indeed, We left it), whereas in Surah Al-Ankabut (The Spider), it states: وَجَعَلْنَاهَا آيَةً (And We made it a sign) (29:15).

We respond that although the meaning is the same, as previously explained, the word الترك (leaving) implies the act of making/establishing (الجعل) and the completion of the matter over time. It is as if the story is mentioned here in detail: God mentioned the rain from the sky, the bursting forth of the earth, and the Ark with its "planks and nails" (15:13). Then He mentioned its sailing by saying تَرَكْنَاهَا (We left it), pointing to the completion of the decreed act. In Al-Ankabut, He said وَجَعَلْنَاهَا (We made it), pointing to a part of that process.

If one asks: If this is the case, why did He say here وَحَمَلْنَاهُ (And We carried him) (15:13) and not "and his companions," whereas in the other narration it says فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَأَصْحَابَ السَّفِينَةِ (So We saved him and the companions of the ark)?

We reply that the salvation mentioned here is described in a more eloquent manner than what is mentioned there. This is because He said: تَجْرِي بِأَعْيُنِنَا (Sailing under Our Eyes) (15:14). This means "We protected it," and protecting the Ark implies protecting its companions, their wealth, their animals, and the creatures with them. The phrase فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَأَصْحَابَ السَّفِينَةِ does not necessarily imply the salvation of the wealth without another clarification.

The narration in Surah Hud is even more detailed and complete. That is why it states: قُلْنَا احْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ (We said, "Load upon it of every kind [of animal] two mates") (11:40), referring to what was carried. Then God Almighty said: وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ (And it settled upon [Mount] Judi) (11:44), explicitly confirming the salvation of the Ark and implicitly confirming the salvation of everyone in it.

Regarding the word آيَةً (as a sign):

1. It is in the accusative case (منصوب) as the second object of the verb to leave (الترك), because to leave here means to make (الجعل), which is the apparent meaning.
2. It could be a circumstantial adverb (حال), as you say: "I left it while it was a sign" (تركتها وهي آية). Even if it is not in the form of an active or passive participle, it carries that meaning, as if He said, "We left it as a demonstrator."
3. It could be accusative as a specification (تمييز), because it specifies one aspect of the leaving, similar to saying, "I struck him with a whip" (ضربته سوطا).

The Second Issue: مُّدَّكِرٍ (one who remembers) is derived from the verb dhakara (ذكر). Its original form was مُذْتَكِر (muztakir). Because the articulation point of the letter Dhal (ذ) is close to the articulation point of the letter Ta' (ت), it is difficult to pronounce adjacent letters with close articulation points consecutively. Therefore, when you observe the Dhal and the Ta' during pronunciation, the Dhal tends to become a Ta', and the Ta' tends to become a Dal. Thus, the Ta' was changed to a Dal, and then the two Dals were assimilated (idgham).

Some reciters read it in its original form: مُذْتَكِر (muztakir). Others changed the Ta' to a Dal and read مُذْدَكِر (muzdakir). Some linguists say مُذْدَكِر (muzdakir), changing the Ta' but not assimilating the letters. Each reading has its justification.

The مُدَّكِر intended here is the one who truly reflects (المعتبر المتفكر).

In the phrase فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ, there are two possibilities for what is being remembered:

1. It refers to what is mentioned in the verse: أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ (Am I not your Lord? They said, "Yes, indeed") (7:172). That is, "Is there anyone who remembers that state?"
2. It refers to the clarity of the event itself. It is as if God's signs became evident to everyone, yet they forgot them. So, "Is there any who will remember something of it?"

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ Then how [terrible] was My punishment and My warnings!