Tafsir of Al-Jinn 72:19

{The Servant of Allah} (i.e., the Prophet, peace be upon him).

If you ask: Why was it not said "The Messenger of Allah" or "The Prophet"? I reply: Because the implied meaning is: "And it was revealed to me that when the servant of Allah stood up." Since this occurs in the speech of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) regarding himself, it is phrased in a manner that necessitates humility and submissiveness. Alternatively, the meaning is that the worship of Allah by His servant is not something intellectually remote or objectionable, such that they would crowd upon him.

{Stood up calling upon Him} means: stood up worshipping Him. It refers to his standing for the dawn prayer at Nakhla when the Jinn came to him and listened to his recitation (peace be upon him).

{They almost became a compacted mass against him} means: they crowded upon him, piled one upon another, in astonishment at what they saw of his worship and the way his companions followed him—standing, bowing, and prostrating—and in admiration of what he recited of the Quran. This is because they saw what they had never seen the like of, and heard what they had never heard the equal of.

It is also said: The meaning is that when he stood up as a Messenger worshipping Allah alone, opposing the polytheists in their worship of gods besides Him, the polytheists—due to their banding together against him and cooperating in their enmity—almost crowded upon him, piled one upon another.

{Lubadan} is the plural of libdah, which is that which is matted or piled one part upon another; from this comes the libdah (mane) of a lion. It is also read as labadan, where labadah is synonymous with libdah. Lubadan is the plural of labid (like sajid and sujad), and lubudan (with two dammahs) is the plural of labud (like sabur and subur).

Qatadah said: Mankind and Jinn matted together against this matter to extinguish it, but Allah refused except to grant him victory and manifest him over those who opposed him.

Whoever reads {wa-innahu} with a kasrah (on the hamza): considers it part of the speech of the Jinn, which they said to their people when they returned to them, recounting what they had seen of his prayer and the crowding of his companions upon him as they followed him in prayer.

{Say: "I only call upon my Lord, and I associate none with Him." Say: "Indeed, I possess no power to harm you or bring you to right conduct." Say: "Indeed, there is none who can protect me from Allah, and I will never find a refuge other than Him. Except for a notification from Allah and His messages. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger—indeed, for him is the fire of Hell; they will abide therein forever." Until, when they see that which they are promised, they will know who is weaker in helpers and fewer in number. Say: "I do not know if what you are promised is near, or if my Lord will set for it a distant term." [He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone. Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before him and behind him observers. That He may know that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord; and He has encompassed whatever is with them and has enumerated all things in number.}