Tafsir of Ash-Shura 42:7

"And thus We have revealed to you" This is a reference to the meaning of the preceding verse: that Allah Almighty is the Watcher over them, while you are not a watcher over them, but rather a warner to them. This meaning has been repeated by Allah in His Book in numerous places. The Kaf (in kadhalika) is the object of awhayna (We have revealed).

"An Arabic Qur'an" This is a state (hal) of the object, meaning: We revealed it to you while it is a clear Arabic Qur'an, with no ambiguity for you, so that you may understand what is said to you and not exceed the limit of warning.

It is also possible that dhalika (that) refers to the verbal noun of awhayna, meaning: "And like that clear, understandable revelation, We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur'an in your own tongue."

"To warn" It is said: "I warned him of such-and-such" and "I warned him with such-and-such." The first instance—meaning "to warn the Mother of Cities"—is transitive to the first and second objects. The second instance—"and to warn of the Day of Gathering"—is transitive to the second object.

"The Mother of Cities" Meaning: the people of the Mother of Cities, just as in the Almighty’s saying: "And ask the city" (Yusuf: 82).

"And those around it" From the Arabs. It has been recited as li-yundhira (in the third person, referring to the Qur'an).

"The Day of Gathering" The Day of Resurrection, because the creatures are gathered therein. Allah Almighty said: "The Day He will gather you for the Day of Gathering" (At-Taghabun: 9). It is said: it is the gathering of souls and bodies. It is also said: it is the gathering of every worker and his work.

"There is no doubt in it" A parenthetical clause with no grammatical position.

"A party" It has been recited as fariqun (nominative) and fariqan (accusative). The nominative is based on: "Among them is a party, and among them is a party," with the pronoun referring to those gathered, as the meaning is "the day of the gathering of creatures." The accusative is a state (hal) of them, meaning: "divided," as in the Almighty’s saying: "And on the Day the Hour is established, that Day they will become separated" (Ar-Rum: 14).

If you ask: "How can they be gathered and separated at the same time?" I say: They are gathered on that day while being separated into the abodes of misery and bliss, just as people gather on Friday while being separated in two mosques. If "gathering" refers to their assembly at the standing place, then the separation refers to their impending division.

"And if Allah had willed, He could have made them one nation; but He admits whom He wills into His mercy. And the wrongdoers have no protector and no helper."