The meaning of «معاجزين‏» is "those who go ahead." «بمعجزين‏» means "those who have slipped from our hands." «سبقوا‏» means "have slipped from our hands." «لا يعجزون‏» means "cannot slip from our hands." «يسبقونا‏» means "will be able to overpower us." «بمعجزين‏» means "those who overpower" (as is the well-known recitation), and «معاجزين‏» (which is another recitation) means "those who seek to overcome one another, those who show each other's incapacity." «معشار‏» means "a tenth part." «لأكل» means "fruit." «باعد‏» (as is the well-known recitation) and «بعد» which is the recitation of Ibn Kathir, both have the same meaning. And Mujahid said, the meaning of «لا يعزب‏» is "it does not become hidden from it." «العرم» was a dam or a red water which Allah the Exalted sent upon the dam; it burst and fell, and a pit appeared in the plain. The gardens became elevated on both sides, then the water disappeared. Both gardens dried up, and this red water did not flow from the dam, but it was Allah's punishment; He sent it from wherever He wished. And Amr bin Shurahbil said, «عرم» means "dam" in the language of the people of Yemen. Others said that «عرم» means "stream." «السابغات» means "armors." Mujahid said, the meaning of «يجازى» is "they are punished." «أعظكم بواحدة‏» means "I advise you to obey Allah." «مثنى» means "two by two." «فرادى‏» means "one by one." «التناوش‏» means "to return from the Hereafter to the world (which is not possible)." «ما يشتهون‏» means "their desires, wealth, and children are the adornment and beauty of the world." «بأشياعهم‏» means "their paired disbelievers." Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said «كالجواب‏» means "pits for holding water," like «جوبته» means "cistern." Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, does not mean that the root of «جواب‏» and «جوبة» is the same, because «جوابى» is the plural of «جابية» . Its middle root letter is "ba" and the middle root letter of «جوبة» is "waw." «خمط» is the "pilu" tree. «لأثل» is the "tamarisk" tree. «العرم» means "very intense (rain)."

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Prophet said, "When Allah decrees some order in the heaven, the angels flutter their wings indicating complete surrender to His saying which sounds like chains being dragged on rock. And when the state of fear disappears, they ask each other, "What has your Lord ordered? They say that He has said that which is true and just, and He is the Most High, the Most Great." (34.23). Then the stealthy listeners (devils) hear this order, and these stealthy listeners are like this, one over the other." (Sufyan, a sub-narrator demonstrated that by holding his hand upright and separating the fingers.) A stealthy listener hears a word which he will convey to that which is below him and the second will convey it to that which is below him till the last of them will convey it to the wizard or foreteller. Sometimes a flame (fire) may strike the devil before he can convey it, and sometimes he may convey it before the flame (fire) strikes him, whereupon the wizard adds to that word a hundred lies. The people will then say, 'Didn't he (i.e. magician) tell such-and-such a thing on such-and-such date?' So that magician is said to have told the truth because of the Statement which has been heard from the heavens."