Mujahid said that by «وتر» is meant Allah, the Exalted. By «إرم ذات العماد‏» is meant the ancient people of ‘Ad. The meaning of «عماد‏» is tents; these people were nomads. Wherever they found water and pasture, they would pitch their tents and stay there. The meaning of «سوط عذاب‏» is that they were punished. «أكلا لما‏» means to consume everything completely. «حبا جما‏» means to have great love. Mujahid said that whatever Allah has created ( «شفع» ) is in pairs; the sky is also the pair of the earth, and «وتر» is only Allah, the Pure. Others said that «سوط عذاب‏» is an Arabic idiom which refers to every kind of punishment, including the punishment of a single lash. «لبالمرصاد‏» means that everyone will return to Allah. «لا تحاضون‏» (with an alif, as is the famous recitation) means“do you not guard?”Some have read it as «متحضون» , meaning“do you not command?” «المطمئنة‏» is the soul that has faith in Allah’s reward, a believer, perfect in faith. Imam Hasan al-Basri said «نفس‏ المطمئنة‏» is the soul that, when Allah wishes to call it (death comes), finds peace with Allah, Allah is pleased with it, and it is pleased with Allah. Then Allah commands its soul to be taken and admits it to Paradise, including it among His righteous servants. Others said the meaning of «جابوا‏» is to dig and build a house; this is derived from «جيب» , and when «جيب» is added to it, in the same way the Arabs say «فلان يجوب الفلاة» meaning“he cuts the forest,”and «لما» the Arabs say «لممته» in the plural, meaning“he reached the end of it.”