Tafseer of Those drawn up in Ranks · As-Saaffaat · 37:93
And he turned upon them a blow with [his] right hand.
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.
The discourse on the explanation of His statement, the Exalted: فَرَاغَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضَرْبًا بِالْيَمِينِ — "Then he turned upon them, striking with the right hand" (37:93).
The Exalted, whose praise is mentioned, says: then he turned toward the gods of his people to strike them with the right hand, with an axe in his hand, and smashed them to pieces.
As 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, who said: when he was alone, he began striking their gods with the right hand.
It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, who said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk — and he mentioned something similar.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning ( فَرَاغَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضَرْبًا بِالْيَمِينِ ): he turned upon them and smashed them to pieces.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq: then he turned upon them, as Allah has said, striking with the right hand, and he began smashing them to pieces with an axe in his hand.
Some of the linguists explained this with the meaning: "then he turned upon them, striking with strength and power," and they say: al-yamīn ("the right hand") in this place means: strength. Others explained al-yamīn in this place as: the oath, and they say: he began striking them with the oath by which he had sworn in his statement وَتَاللَّهِ لأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَامَكُمْ بَعْدَ أَنْ تُوَلُّوا مُدْبِرِينَ — ("And by Allah, I shall surely plot against your idols after you have turned away, turning your backs"). And it has been mentioned that in the recitation of ʿAbd Allāh it reads: "Then he turned upon them, striking (ṣafqan) with the right hand." And something similar has been transmitted from al-Ḥasan.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Wāḍiḥ related to us, saying: Khālid ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Jushamī related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḥasan recite: "Then he turned upon them, striking (ṣafqan) with the right hand," that is to say: striking with the right hand.
