Surah Al-Qamar (The Moon): (6) So turn away from them...

His saying, the Exalted, {So turn away from them}

We have previously mentioned that the commentators say that the command to tawallā (turn away) is abrogated. This is not the case. Rather, what is meant is: Do not engage them in debate or speech.

Then His saying, the Exalted: {The Day the Caller calls to a dreadful thing}

We have also mentioned that when someone advises a person and the advice has no effect, one turns away from them and says to others: "There is no benefit in advising this person," and this also carries the intention of guiding them. Thus, after saying: {So turn away from them, the Day the Caller calls...}, He said: {They will come forth from the graves} as a warning.

The operative element for the word {Day} is what follows it, which is His saying: {They will come forth from the graves}.

The {Caller} (al-Dā‘ī) is definite, like the crier in His saying: {The Day the Crier calls} (Q 41), because he is known, as it has been foretold. It is as if it is said: A crier cries out and a caller calls.

There are several interpretations regarding the {Caller}:

1. That he is Israfil.
2. That he is Jibril (Gabriel).
3. That he is an angel appointed for that task.

In the third case, the definiteness does not negate the knowledge of his identity; rather, it is like our saying: "A man came," and then saying, "The man [spoke]," or His saying, the Exalted: {The Day the Crier calls...}.

And His saying, the Exalted: {to a dreadful thing} (ilā shay’in nukur)

This means a thing that is denounced/rejected. This carries several interpretations:

1. To a thing that is dreadful in this day of ours, because they denied it. That is, the Day the Caller calls to the thing they denied, they will come forth.
2. Nukur meaning something that ought not to be. The speaker means that this thing is of a nature that should not exist. It is said: "So-and-so forbids the reprehensible (al-munkar)," meaning that which ought not to occur, because it leads them to the Abyss.

If it is asked: What is that dreadful thing? We reply: The Reckoning, or the Gathering for it, or the Resurrection for the Gathering. This last one is the closest.

If it is argued: Resurrection is not dreadful, as it is life itself, and how would the disbeliever know the time of the Resurrection and what will happen to him so that he would deny it? We reply: He knows and is aware, as evidenced by His saying about them: {They will say, "Oh, woe to us! Who has raised us from our sleeping place?"} (Ya-Sin 52).

[Then His saying, the Exalted:]

{Their eyes humbled, they will come forth from the graves as if they were scattered locusts.}