Tafseer of Those drawn up in Ranks · As-Saaffaat · 37:10
Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
And His statement إِلا مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ ("except him who snatches away something") means: except whoever among them snatches away something of what is heard. فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ ("and then a piercing flame pursues him") means: a luminous, burning flame.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes of the Qurʾān have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ ("and then a piercing flame pursues him"): of fire, and its piercing quality (thuqūb) is its light.
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning His statement شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ ("a piercing flame"), he said: a luminous flame that burns him at the moment he is pelted with it.
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His statement فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ("and then a flame pursues him"), he said: Ibn ʿAbbās used to say: they are not killed by the flame and they do not die, but it burns them without killing, and it maims and cripples without killing.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ ("and then a piercing flame pursues him"), he said: and al-thāqib is the burning one; he said: and the man says: "kindle (athqib) your fire," and he says: "stir up your fire (istathqib nāraka), kindle your fire."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Wāḍiḥ related to us, saying: ʿUbayd Allāh related to us, saying: al-Ḍaḥḥāk was asked: do the devils have wings? He said: how else would they fly to heaven except that they have wings?
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The footnotes:
(2) The verse belongs to the proof-texts of Abū ʿUbayda in Majāz al-Qurʾān (photocopy of the university, leaf p. 208-1). He said in the explanation of His statement, the Exalted, "ʿadhāb wāṣib": enduring. Abū al-Aswad al-Duʾalī said: "I do not purchase praise..." the verse. End. And in Maʿānī al-Qurʾān of al-Farrāʾ (photocopy of the university, 271): and His statement "ʿadhāb wāṣib", "wa-lahu al-dīn wāṣiban": enduring and pure. End.
