Tafsir of Al-Qamar 54:4-8

{Of the tidings} From the Qur’an, which contains the accounts of past generations or the accounts of the Hereafter, and what has been described of the punishment of the disbelievers.

{A deterrent} A deterrent, or a place of deterrence. The meaning is: it is in itself a place of deterrence and a source for it, similar to His saying: {There is for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern} (Al-Ahzab: 21), meaning: he is a pattern. It is also recited as muzjar, by changing the ta of the ifti‘al form into a zay and assimilating the zay into it.

{Profound wisdom} An appositive (badal) for ma (in "what has come to them"), or based on the meaning: "It is wisdom." It is also recited in the accusative case as a circumstantial qualifier (hal) for ma. If you ask: If ma is described by an adjective, it is permissible to make hikmah a circumstantial qualifier; how does it function if it is described? (And that is the apparent meaning). I say: The description specifies it, so it is appropriate to derive the circumstantial qualifier from it.

{But warnings avail not} A negation or a denial. Ma is in the accusative, meaning: "What avail do the warnings provide?"

{So turn away from them} Because you know that warning does not avail them.

{The Day the Caller calls} The accusative case is governed by "they emerge," or by an implied "remember." It is also recited with the omission of the ya (in al-da‘i), sufficing with the kasra. The "Caller" is Israfil or Gabriel, similar to His saying: {The Day the Caller calls from a near place} (Qaf: 41).

{To something unknown} Disapproved, terrible, which souls reject because they have never witnessed the like of it; it is the terror of the Day of Resurrection. It is also recited as nukr (with a light kaf), meaning ankar (denied/unknown).

{Their eyes humbled} A circumstantial qualifier for "those who emerge." It is a verb attributed to the eyes, and it is masculine, as you would say: yakhsha‘u absaruhum. It is also recited as khashi‘ah (feminine), based on: takhsha‘u absaruhum. And khusha‘an, based on: yakhsha‘na absaruhum—this is the dialect of those who say "the fleas ate me" (akaluni al-baraghit), which is the dialect of Tayy. It is also possible that the pronoun in khusha‘an refers to them, and absaruhum acts as a substitute for it. It is also recited as khusha‘un absaruhum, as a nominal sentence (subject and predicate), and the position of the sentence is in the accusative as a circumstantial qualifier, like the poet’s saying: "I found him, his generosity and nobility are present." The humbling of the eyes is a metonymy for humiliation and submissiveness, because the humiliation of the lowly and the pride of the mighty appear in their eyes.

{They emerge from the graves} As if they were locusts spreading. Locusts are a metaphor for multitude and surging. It is said of a large army surging into one another: "They came like locusts," and like daba (young locusts) spreading everywhere due to their multitude.

{Hastening toward the Caller} Moving quickly, stretching their necks toward him. It is said: looking at him, not turning their eyes away. The poet says: "Nimr ibn Sa‘d threatens me while I am watching, and Nimr ibn Sa‘d is obedient and hastening toward me."

{The people of Noah denied before them, and they denied Our servant and said, "A madman," and he was repelled. So he called to his Lord, "I am overpowered, so help me." So We opened the gates of the heaven with water pouring down. And We caused the earth to gush with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined. And We carried him on a [ship] made of planks and nails, sailing under Our eyes as a reward for him who had been denied. And We left it as a sign, so is there any who will remember? And how [severe] was My punishment and My warnings? And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?}