Tafsir of An-Naml 27:67

"And those who disbelieved said..."

The operative factor (‘amil) for idha (when) is what is indicated by a-inna lamukhrajun (shall we indeed be brought forth?), which is nukhraj (we are brought forth).

This is because the active participle (ism al-fa’il) is preceded by the interrogative particle (hamzat al-istifham), inna, and the lam of inception (lam al-ibtida’). Any one of these would be sufficient to block it, so how much more so when they are all combined?

The intended meaning is: being brought forth from the earth, or from the state of annihilation into life.

The repetition of the interrogative particle by attaching it to both idha and inna is a denial upon a denial, and a rejection following a rejection; it is evidence of an emphasized, hyperbolic disbelief.

The pronoun in aba’una (our forefathers) refers to them and their ancestors, because the state of being dust encompasses both them and their forefathers.

If you ask: Why is hadha (this) placed before nahnu wa-aba’una (we and our forefathers) in this verse, while in another verse nahnu wa-aba’una is placed before hadha?

I reply: The placement is evidence that the one placed first is the intended focus of the mention, and that the speech was driven by it. In one of the two verses, it indicates that the act of resurrection is what is intended by the speech, and in the other, it indicates that the one being resurrected is the focus of that context.

"Say: 'Travel through the earth and observe how was the end of the criminals.' And do not grieve over them, and do not be in distress from what they plot."