Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:7

"Have they not seen..."

The term zawj (pair/kind) of plants is described as karim (noble/generous). Karim is an attribute for everything that is pleasing and praiseworthy in its category. It is said: "A noble (karim) face," meaning it is pleasing in its beauty and splendor; "A noble (karim) book," meaning it is pleasing in its meanings and benefits. It is said: "Until he cleaves the ranks by his nobility (karam)," meaning: by his being praiseworthy in his courage and might. Thus, "noble plants" are those that are praiseworthy regarding the benefits derived from them.

{Indeed, in that is a sign} That the One who causes them to grow is capable of resurrecting the dead. Yet, God knows that most of them have had their hearts sealed, and their faith is not to be hoped for.

{And indeed, your Lord is the Exalted in Might} In His retribution against the disbelievers.

{The Merciful} To those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds.

Question: What is the meaning of combining kam (how many) and kull (every)? If it were said, "How many pairs of noble plants have We grown therein?" would that not suffice?

Answer: Kull indicates the encompassing of all plant pairs in detail, while kam indicates that this encompassing is abundant and excessive. This is the meaning of combining them, and through it, He draws attention to the perfection of His power.

Question: What is the meaning of describing the zawj (pair) as karim (noble)?

Answer: It admits two meanings:

1. Plants are of two types: beneficial and harmful. He mentions the abundance of what He grew of all beneficial plant types, omitting the harmful ones.
2. It encompasses all plants, both beneficial and harmful, describing them all as karim. This alerts us that He did not grow anything except that it contains a benefit, for the Wise One does not perform an act except for a valid purpose and a profound wisdom, even if the heedless are unaware of it and the intelligent have not yet reached the knowledge of it.

Question: Since He mentioned the pairs and indicated them with words of abundance and encompassing—such that only the Knower of the Unseen could count them—how can He say {Indeed, in that is a sign} (singular) instead of "signs" (plural)?

Answer: There are two perspectives:

1. That "that" refers to the verbal noun of anbatna (We grew). It is as if He said: "Indeed, in the act of growing, there is a sign—what a sign it is!"
2. That it is intended that in each one of those pairs, there is a sign. Similar examples for this interpretation have preceded.

{And [mention] when your Lord called Moses, "Go to the wrongdoing people—the people of Pharaoh. Will they not fear God?"}