Tafsir of Sad 38:23

{أخي}: An appositive (badal) for "this" (hadha), or a predicate (khabar) for "inna."

The meaning of brotherhood: It refers to brotherhood in religion, friendship and intimacy, or partnership and association, as indicated by His saying: {And indeed, many associates (khulata’)} (Sad: 24). Each of these types of brotherhood provides a right that prevents aggression and injustice.

Readings:

• (Tis‘ wa-tis‘un): With a fatha on the ta’.
• (Na‘jah): With a kasra on the nun. This is a variation in dialects, like nit‘ and nat‘, or liqwah and laqwah.

{Akfilniha}: Make me its guardian (malikniha). Its literal meaning is: "Make me responsible for it just as I am responsible for what is under my care."

{Wa-‘azzani}: He overcame me (ghalabani). It is said: ‘azzahu ya‘izzuhu. A poet said:

A sand-grouse overcome by a snare, so it spent the night Struggling against it, while the wing was caught.

He means: He came to me with arguments I could not refute.

Regarding "al-khitab" (the address/dispute):

1. He meant the discourse of the disputant (muhaj).
2. Or he meant: I proposed to a woman, and he also proposed to her, so he "addressed" me—meaning he competed with me in the proposal and overcame me, marrying her instead of me.

• It is read as (wa-‘azani) from mu‘azzah (competition).
• Abu Haywah read it as (wa-‘azzani) with a light za’ for ease, a rare contraction, as if he analogized it to zallat and massat.

If you ask: What is the meaning of mentioning the ewes? I say: It is as if they were putting their case to him through a parable, and their speech was a parable. Parables are more effective in rebuke for the reasons we mentioned, and to alert one to a matter that is shameful to disclose explicitly—so it is alluded to, just as one alludes to things that are improper to state clearly. It also serves to protect David (peace be upon him) and preserve his sanctity.

The parable represents the story of Uriah and David through the story of a man with one ewe and his associate with ninety-nine. The associate wanted to complete his hundred, so he coveted his associate's ewe and pressured him to transfer ownership to him, arguing with the persistence of one eager to achieve his goal. The evidence for this is: {And indeed, many associates (khulata’)…} (Sad: 24). This specific story was chosen because of the symbolism of the ewe.

If you ask: The method of the parable is only sound if you interpret "the address" as a dispute. If you interpret it as competition in marriage, it does not hold. I say: The interpretation remains sound if we consider the ewe a metaphor for the woman, just as they used "ewe" (shah) for her in poetry.

If you ask: How is it valid for the angels (peace be upon them) to report about themselves something they were not involved in, nor was it their affair? I say: It is a depiction and a hypothetical scenario. They portrayed it among themselves while in human form, just as you say when posing a problem: "Zayd has forty sheep, and ‘Amr has forty," while pointing to them, "They mixed them, and a year passed; how much is due on them?"—even if Zayd and ‘Amr possess nothing.

If you ask: What is the meaning of Ibn Mas‘ud’s reading: (wa-li na‘jatun untha)? I say: One says "a female woman" (imra’ah untha) for a beautiful, lovely woman. The meaning is describing her with "femininity" in terms of softness and languor, which is more charming and adds to her grace and elegance. Consider how they describe her as "lazy" (kasul) or "languid" (miksal).