The Sovereign (Al-Mulk): (22) Is he who walks stumbling on his face...

There are several issues concerning this verse:

Al-Wahidi stated that akabba (أكب) is the passive form of kabbahu (كبّه), meaning "I threw him down, and he fell prone."

The author of Al-Kashshaf disagrees, stating that this is not the case. He argues that verbs like ja'a (جاء - he came) are formed from the triliteral root plus the af'ala pattern, but they do not necessarily imply the passive form of the root action. Rather, saying akabba means "he entered into a state of falling prone (kabb)" or "he became prone." Similarly, aqsha'a (أقشع - the cloud dispersed) means "it entered into dispersal." Anfada (أنفض - he shook out) means "he entered into shaking out," which then becomes an expression for poverty. Alama (ألمّ) means "he entered into blame." However, the passive forms of kabba and qasha'a are inkabba (انكبّ - he fell prone) and inqasha'a (انقشع - it dispersed).

They mentioned several interpretations for this phrase:

1. Physical Stumbling: It means one who walks on uneven ground, full of ups and downs, causing him to stumble constantly and fall on his face. This state is the opposite of one who walks upright, safe from stumbling and falling.
2. Walking in Confusion: It refers to one who walks arbitrarily, driven by ignorance and bewilderment, unlike one who walks toward a known destination with knowledge and certainty.
3. The Blind Man: It refers to the blind person who cannot find the path and stumbles constantly, unlike the sighted person walking on a known road.

They then differed on whether this description applies to the disbeliever in the Hereafter or to people in this world:

• In the Hereafter: Some said this describes the state of the disbeliever on the Day of Resurrection. Qatadah said: The disbeliever walked prone due to his persistent sins against God, so God will resurrect him on his face on the Day of Judgment. Conversely, the believer followed the clear religion, so God will resurrect him on the straight path.
• In This World: Others said this describes the state of the believer and the disbeliever, or the knowledgeable and the ignorant, in this world.
• Specific Individuals: Some specified that the reference is to particular individuals:
  • Muqatil said: It refers to Abu Jahl and the Prophet (peace be upon him).
  • Ata, narrating from Ibn Abbas, said: It refers to Abu Jahl and Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib.
  • `Ikrimah said: It refers to Abu Jahl and Ammar ibn Yasir.

His saying, the Exalted: