Tafsir of Abasa 80:24

After enumerating the blessings within the human self, He followed it with the mention of the blessings he requires, saying: {So let mankind look at his food}, meaning the nourishment by which he lives, and how We have arranged its affairs.

{That We poured down water}: Meaning the rain. It is read with a kasra (inna) as a new sentence, and with a fatha (anna) as a substitute for "food." Al-Husayn ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) read it as (annā) with imāla, meaning: "Let man look at how We poured down the water."

{And We split the earth}: From splitting the earth with plants. It is also permissible that it refers to splitting it with plowing using oxen; the act of splitting is attributed to Himself as the action is attributed to the cause.

{And grain}: Everything harvested, such as wheat, barley, and others.

{And fodder (qaḍb)}: Fresh vegetation. Miqḍāb is the land where it grows; it is named after the verbal noun qaḍb (cutting), because it is cut time after time.

{And gardens of thick foliage (ghulban)}: It is possible that every garden is described as ghalbā’, meaning its density, the abundance of its trees, and their size—just as you would say "a massive garden." It is also possible that the trees themselves are ghulban, meaning large and thick. The origin of the description ghalb is for necks; it was then used metaphorically. Amr ibn Ma'dīkarib said: Walking with them are those with thick necks, as if they were Mature camels draped in cloaks of Al-Kuḥayl.

{And fodder (abb)}: Pasture, because it is sought out (yu’ab) and traveled to. Abb and umm (mother) are siblings. It is said: Our root is Qays, and Najd is our home, And for us is the pasture therein and the watering place.

It is narrated that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the abb, and he said: "Which sky would shade me, and which earth would carry me, if I were to say about the Book of Allah that which I have no knowledge of?"

It is narrated that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) read this verse and said: "We have known all of this, but what is the abb?" Then he cast aside a stick that was in his hand and said: "By Allah, this is affectation (takalluf). What is it to you, O son of Umm Umar, if you do not know what the abb is?" Then he said: "Follow what is clear to you from this Book, and what is not, leave it."

If you ask: This resembles a prohibition against pursuing the meanings of the Qur’an and researching its difficult points. I say: He did not intend that. Rather, the greatest concern of those people was focused on action, and occupying oneself with knowledge that is not acted upon was considered affectation by them. He meant that the verse is driven by the intent of bestowing favor upon man through his food and calling him to gratitude. It is known from the context of the verse that the abb is some of what Allah has caused to grow for man as a provision for him or his livestock. Therefore, you should focus on what is more important: rising to thank Allah for what has been made clear to you and is not ambiguous among the blessings He has enumerated. Do not occupy yourself away from that by seeking the meaning of abb and identifying the specific plant it names. Be content with the general knowledge until it becomes clear to you at another time. He then advised people to follow this path regarding similar difficult points in the Qur’an.