Tafsir of Az-Zumar 39:31

"They were waiting for the death of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)," so He informed them that death encompasses them all. Thus, there is no meaning in waiting or for the survivor to gloat over the one who perishes.

Qatadah said: "He announced to His Prophet his own death, and He announced to you your own deaths."

Regarding the recitation of ma'it (dying) and ma'itun (the dying): The difference between mayyit (dead) and ma'it (dying) is that mayyit is a permanent attribute, like sayyid (master). As for ma'it, it is an emergent attribute. You say, "Zayd is ma'it (dying) tomorrow," just as you say, "He is sa'id (becoming a master) tomorrow," meaning he will die and he will become a master. If you say, "Zayd is mayyit (dead)," it is like saying "alive" in its opposite, regarding necessity and stability.

"Then, indeed, you..." Meaning: You and them. The pronoun of the addressee (you) takes precedence over the pronoun of the absent (them).

"...will dispute" You will argue against them, saying that you conveyed the message but they denied it, and that you strove in the call but they persisted in obstinacy. They will offer excuses that have no substance. The followers will say: "We obeyed our masters and our elders," and the masters will say: "The devils and our forefathers led us astray."

It has also been interpreted as a dispute among all, where the disbelievers dispute with one another—until it is said to them: "Do not dispute before Me" (Qaf: 28)—and the believers dispute with the disbelievers, rebuking them with arguments. It also applies to the people of the Qiblah (Muslims) having disputes among themselves.

Abdullah ibn Umar said: "We lived for a period of our time thinking this verse was revealed regarding us and the People of the Book. We said: 'How can we dispute when our Prophet is one, our religion is one, and our Book is one?' Until I saw some of us striking the faces of others with swords, then I knew it was revealed regarding us."

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said: "We used to say: 'Our Lord is one, our Prophet is one, and our religion is one, so what is this dispute?' But when the day of Siffin came and we attacked one another with swords, we said: 'Yes, this is it.'"

Ibrahim al-Nakha'i narrated: The Companions said: "What is our dispute when we are brothers?" When Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was killed, they said: "This is our dispute."

Abu al-'Aliyah said: "It was revealed regarding the people of the Qiblah."

The interpretation that the Word of Allah points to is what I presented first. Do you not see His saying: "Who is more unjust than one who lies about Allah?" and His saying: "And the one who has brought the truth and [they who] believed in it" (Az-Zumar: 33)? This is nothing but an explanation and clarification of those between whom the dispute occurs.

"Lies about Allah" He fabricated against Him by attributing a child and a partner to Him.

"And denies the truth" The matter which is truth itself, which is what Muhammad (ﷺ) brought.

"When it comes to him" He surprised it with denial as soon as he heard it, without pause, without exercising reflection, and without concern for distinguishing between truth and falsehood, as fair-minded people do regarding what they hear.

"A dwelling for the disbelievers" Meaning: For those who lied about Allah and denied the truth. The "lam" in "for the disbelievers" points to them.

"And the one who has brought the truth and [they who] believed in it—those are the righteous. For them is whatever they desire with their Lord. That is the reward of the doers of good. That Allah may remove from them the worst of what they did and reward them their reward for the best of what they used to do."