Al-Qaffal said: **"Kallā"** (Nay!) is a word placed to refute something that has preceded. This is the most apparent meaning in speech. The meaning is: The matter is not as these people claim regarding the Great Tidings (An-Naba' al-'Azīm)—that it is false or that it will not happen.

Some scholars said that **"Kallā"** means "Truly" or "Indeed."

Then, the Almighty confirmed that refutation and warning by saying: **{Nay! They shall know!}** This is a threat to them that they will soon know that what they dispute about and mock is true, inescapable, and will undoubtedly occur.

As for the repetition of the warning, there are two aspects: 1. The purpose of the repetition is for emphasis and severity. The second warning implies that the subsequent threat is more potent and severe than the first. 2. This is not a mere repetition.

They mentioned several interpretations for the repetition: 1. **Al-Ḍaḥḥāk said:** The first verse is for the disbelievers, and the second is for the believers. Meaning, the disbelievers will know the consequence of their denial, and the believers will know the consequence of their affirmation. 2. **Al-Qāḍī said:** It is possible that the first **{They shall know!}** refers to knowing the Resurrection and Reckoning itself, and the second refers to knowing the punishment when they witness it. 3. **{Nay! They shall know!}** what Allāh will do to them on the Day of Resurrection. **{Then Nay! They shall know!}** that the matter is not as they imagined—that Allāh will not resurrect them. 4. **{Nay! They shall know!}** the punishment that will befall them in this world, as happened to the disbelievers of Quraysh on the Day of Badr. **{Then Nay! They shall know!}** what will befall them in the Hereafter.

The Third Issue: Recitation Variants

The majority of reciters read **{say'lamūna}** (they shall know) with the letter *Yā'* (ي) dotted from below. It is narrated that Ibn 'Āmir recited it with the letter *Tā'* (ت) dotted from above (**sa-ta'lamūna** - you [plural] shall know).

Al-Wāḥidī stated that the first reading (with *Yā'*) is preferable because what preceded in **{they are therein differing}** (An-Naba': 3) was in the third-person singular/plural (absence), whereas the reading with *Tā'* addresses them directly: "You [plural] shall know."

I (Al-Rāzī) say: It is possible that this shift is a form of **'iltifāt** (shift in perspective/address), which is well-established and effective here. It is like someone saying, "My servant says such and such," and then turning to his servant and saying, "Indeed, you will know the consequence of these words."