Tafsir of Al-Qamar 54:28

Meaning: Divided, described by the verbal noun (masdar) intending the derived meaning (ism maf'ul), like saying "salty water" (*ma'un milh*) or "falsehood" (*zur*).

There is an element of hyperbole here. One might say of a generous person: "He is generosity itself" (*karamun*) as if he is the very essence of generosity, or "So-and-so is pure kindness" (*lutfun maḥḍ*).

It is possible that the division occurred between **them** (the people) and **her** (the she-camel) because the she-camel was enormous, and the people's animals would shy away from the water when she was present, not drinking until she left. This was difficult for them. So, the water was divided between them: one day for the she-camel and one day for the people.

It is also possible that due to the scarcity of water, it was divided so that the she-camel drank one day and the animals drank another.

Another possibility is that the water was divided by turns between different groups of people. When God created the she-camel, she would come to drink on a day allocated to a specific group. Those whose day it was *not* when she drank would say: "The water today belongs entirely to us, as your day was yesterday, and the she-camel did not hold anything back, so we will not allow you to drink today either." Thus, the shortage would affect everyone, as the she-camel drank all the water. This interpretation is also apparent and narrated.

The most common view here is the middle interpretation. We say: Some people used to suffice with her milk on the day she came to drink the water, and everyone was capable (of drinking on their turn). No established, frequently transmitted report (*khabar mutawātir*) has been found regarding any specific detail.

The third interpretation is definitive, as the division is established by the Book of God Almighty. However, the manner of the division and the reason for it are not specified.

The Almighty's saying: **{Every share is attended}** (*kullu shirbin muḥtaḍar*) supports the third interpretation. Meaning, every share is attended by **all** the people. If this were merely to state that the drinking turn was attended by the people or the she-camel, it would be self-evident, as water would not be left unattended. If it meant that the she-camel attended one day and the people another, the wording does not explicitly indicate that.

However, if the custom before the she-camel was that one group of people would come to drink on one day and another group on another day, and then when the she-camel was created, she would reduce the share of some groups and leave the share of others undiminished—then the command **{Every share is attended}** means: O people, come every day, and divide among yourselves every diminished share and every complete share.

**{But they called their companion}**: They summoned the one among them who was designated to carry out the task.

**{and he undertook (the task)}**: He agreed to do it.

**{and hamstrung (her)}**: He cut the hamstring tendons of the she-camel's legs.