Narrated `Abdullah: There gathered near the House (i.e. the Ka`ba) two Quraishi persons and a person from Thaqif (or two persons from Thaqif and one from Quraish), and all of them with very fat bellies but very little intelligence. One of them said, "Do you think that Allah hears what we say?" Another said, "He hears us when we talk in a loud voice, but He doesn't hear us when we talk in a low tone." The third said, "If He can hear when we talk in a loud tone, then He can also hear when we speak in a low tone." Then Allah, the Honorable, the Majestic revealed: 'And you have not been screening against yourself lest your ears, and eyes and your skins should testify against you....' (41.22-23)

Narrated `Abdullah bin Mas`ud: (As above, Hadith No. 341).

The meaning of «عقيما‏» has been transmitted from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) as "barren." In «روحا من أمرنا‏» , by «روح» , the Holy Qur'an is meant. And Mujahid said, the meaning of «يذرؤكم فيه‏» is that one generation after another will continue to spread. «لا حجة بيننا‏» means that now there is no dispute left between us and you. «طرف خفي‏» means from the view of the weak, from a furtive glance. Others have said, the meaning of «فيظللن رواكد على ظهره‏» is that they keep moving at their place due to the blows of the waves, neither advancing nor retreating. «شرعوا‏» means to invent a new religion.

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: That he was asked (regarding): "Except to be kind to me for my Kinship with you.' (42.23) Sa`id bin Zubair (who was present then) said, "It means here (to show what is due for) the relatives of Muhammad." On that Ibn `Abbas said: you have hurried in giving the answer! There was no branch of the tribe of Quraish but the Prophet had relatives therein. The Prophet said, "I do not want anything from (you) except to be Kind to me for my Kinship with you."

Mujahid said that the meaning of «على أمة‏» is: upon one Imam, or one community, or one religion. The meaning of «وقيله يا رب‏» is: Do the disbelievers think that We do not hear their secret talk, their whisperings, and their conversations? (This is the interpretation according to the recitation in which «وقیله» is read with a nasb on the laam. In this case, it will be connected to «وسرهم ونجواهم» . The well-known recitation is with «وقیله» with a kasr on the laam. In this case, it will be connected to «الساعة» , meaning Allah knows and hears their conversation as well.) And Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The meaning of «ولولا أن يكون الناس أمة واحدة‏» is: If it were not that all people would become disbelievers, I would have made the roofs and stairs of the disbelievers' houses of silver. The meaning of «معارج» is: stairs, thrones, etc. «مقرنين‏» means strong ones. «آسفونا‏» means: they angered us. «يعش‏» means: to become blind. Mujahid said: The meaning of «أفنضرب عنكم الذكر‏» is: Do you think that you will continue to deny the Qur'an and We will not send punishment upon you? (You will surely be punished.) «ومضى مثل الأولين‏» means: the stories of the former people spread. «وما کنا له مقرنين‏» means: over camels, horses, mules, and donkeys, we would not have had power and control. By «ينشأ في الحلية‏» , daughters are meant, i.e., you have attributed daughters as Allah's offspring—what a strange judgment you make! In «لو شاء الرحمن ما عبدناهم‏» , the pronoun in «هم‏» refers to idols, because it is said ahead: «ما لهم بذلك من علم‏» , meaning the idols which they worship have no knowledge at all; they are completely lifeless. «في عقبه‏» means: among his offspring. «مقترنين‏» means: walking alongside. «سلفا‏» refers to the people of Pharaoh. Those who are disbelievers in the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him), their leaders were the former people. «ومثلا‏ للاخرین» means: a lesson and example for the later ones. «يصدون‏» means: they began to shout, make noise. «مبرمون‏» means: those who resolve, those who decide. «أول العابدين» means: the first to believe. «إنني براء مما تعبدون‏» : The Arabs say: We are «براء» from you, we are «خلاء» from you, meaning we are disassociated, separate, we have nothing to do with you. In singular, dual, plural, masculine and feminine, the word «براء» is used, because «براء» is a verbal noun. And if «بريء» is read, as in the recitation of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), then in the dual it should be «بريئان» and in the plural «بريئون‏» . The meaning of «الزخرف» is: gold. «ملائكة يخلفون» means: angels who come one after another.

Narrated Ya`la: I heard the Prophet reciting when on the pulpit: 'They will cry, "O Malik (Keeper of Hell) Let your Lord make an end of us.' (43.77)

By «مسرفين‏» is meant the polytheists. By Allah, if this Qur'an had been taken away when at the beginning the Quraysh had rejected it, then all would have perished. In «فأهلكنا أشد منهم بطشا ومضى مثل الأولين‏» , by «مثل» is meant punishment. «جزءا‏» means «عدلا‏» , that is, partner.

Mujahid said «رهوا‏» means "path." By «على العالمين‏» is meant the people of their time. «فاعتلوه‏» means "push them away." «وزوجناهم بحور‏» means "We paired them with large-eyed houris whose beauty astonishes the eyes." «ترجمون‏» means "Kill me." «رهوا» means "still" or "motionless." Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said «كالمهل‏» means "like black dregs." Others said by «تبع‏» are meant the kings of Yemen. They were called «تبع‏» because one king would succeed another, and even a shadow is called «تبع‏» because it remains with the sun.

Qatadah said that «فارتقب» means «فانتظر» , that is, wait.

Narrated `Abdullah: Five things have passed, i.e. the smoke, the defeat of the Romans, the splitting of the moon, Al-Batsha (the defeat of the infidels in the battle of Badr) and Al-Lizam (the punishment)'.