Tafsir of Ar-Ra'd 13:10

{سارب}: One who goes forth in his sarab (path/way), meaning in his direction and course. It is said: "He saraba in the land," meaning he traveled.

The meaning: It is the same to Him whether one conceals himself—that is, seeks concealment in a hiding place in the darkness of night—or one who moves about openly on the roads during the day, visible to everyone.

If you ask: The proper phrasing should have been "He who conceals himself by night and he who goes forth by day," so that the meaning of equality between the concealer and the traveler is captured; otherwise, it only addresses one person who is both concealing and traveling.

I say: There are two interpretations:

1. That the phrase "by night and [one who] goes forth" is a conjunction linked to "whoever" (man), not to "conceals" (mustakhfin).
2. That it is a conjunction linked to "conceals," but the word "whoever" (man) carries the meaning of two, as in the verse: "Let us be like those two, O wolf, who keep company." It is as if it were said: "Equal among you are two: one who conceals by night, and one who goes forth by day."

The pronoun in {له} (to Him) refers back to "whoever" (man), as if it were said: "To Him belongs whoever conceals and whoever reveals, whoever hides and whoever goes forth."

{معقبات} (Successive ones): Groups of angels who succeed one another in guarding and protecting him. The original form is muʿtaqibāt (those who follow one another), but the tāʾ was assimilated into the qāf, similar to the usage in the verse: "And the excuse-makers came" (meaning those who offer excuses). It is also permissible to read it as miʿqabāt (with a kasra under the ʿayn), though it is not a standard recitation. Or, it is the mufʿilāt form from ʿaqabahu (to follow on one's heels), as one says qafāhu (he followed him), because some succeed others, or because they follow what he speaks and record it.

{خلفه يحفظونه من أمر الله}: Both are descriptions. "From the command of Allah" is not connected to "guarding." It is as if it were said: "He has successors from the command of Allah." Or, they guard him because of the command of Allah—meaning, because Allah commanded them to guard him. The evidence for this is the recitation of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibn Abbas, Zayd ibn Ali, Ja'far ibn Muhammad, and Ikrimah: "They guard him by the command of Allah."

Alternatively, they guard him from the punishment and wrath of Allah if he sins, by praying for him and asking their Lord to grant him respite, hoping he will repent and turn back, as in the verse: "Say, 'Who can protect you by night and by day from the Most Merciful?'" (Al-Anbiya: 42).

It is also said: The muʿaqqibāt are the guards and attendants around a ruler, guarding him—in his own estimation and assumption—from the command of Allah, meaning from His decrees and calamities. Or, this is said in mockery of him. It is also recited as maʿāqīb, the plural of muʿaqqib or muʿaqqibah; the yāʾ is a substitute for the dropped qāf in the broken plural.

{إن الله لا يغير ما بقوم}: Of well-being and blessing. {حتى يغيروا ما بأنفسهم}: Of their beautiful state, through an abundance of sins. {من والٍ}: From any protector who manages their affairs and defends them.

{هو الذي يريكم البرق خوفا وطمعا وينشئ السحاب الثقال * ويسبح الرعد بحمده والملائكة من خيفته ويرسل الصواعق فيصيب بها من يشاء وهم يجادلون في الله وهو شديد المحال}