Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:15-19

"And they said, 'Is this...'"

{And our forefathers}: This is conjoined to the position of {inna} and its noun. Alternatively, it is conjoined to the pronoun in {mab‘uthun} (are we to be resurrected). The justification for conjoining to it, despite the separation by the interrogative hamza, is the meaning: "Are our forefathers also to be resurrected?" This is to emphasize their disbelief, implying that since they are more ancient, their resurrection is even more remote and impossible.

It is recited: {Aw-aba’una} (Or our forefathers).

{Say, "Yes"}: It is also recited as {na‘im} with a kasra under the ‘ayn; these are two linguistic dialects. It is also recited as {qala na‘am} (He said, "Yes"), meaning either Allah the Exalted or the Messenger (peace be upon him). The meaning is: "Yes, you will be resurrected."

{And you will be humiliated}: Meaning, lowly and abased.

{For it is only}: This is the response to an implied conditional clause, the estimation of which is: "If that is the case, then it is only..."

{A single shout}: The pronoun "it" does not refer to a specific antecedent; it is indefinite, clarified by its predicate. It is also permissible that "the resurrection" is the implied subject. The zajra (shout) is a cry, derived from the saying: "The shepherd zajara (shouted at) the camels or sheep," meaning he cried out at them so they were startled by his voice. From this is the poet’s saying: The shout of Abu ‘Urwa at the beasts, when he feared they would mix with the sheep. He means his driving them with it.

{And behold, they}: Alive and seeing.

{Are looking on}.

{And they will say, "Woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense. This is the Day of Judgment which you used to deny."}