Tafseer of The Moon · Al-Qamar · 54:4
And there has already come to them of information that in which there is deterrence -
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 words "And there have certainly come to them reports in which there is a deterrent" (54:4): The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: and there have certainly come to these polytheists (mushrikīn) of Quraysh — who have denied the signs of Allah and followed their desires — reports concerning the bygone communities, who were in the very same condition with respect to denying the messengers of Allah as the one in which these are, and concerning the punishments which Allah caused to descend upon them — that which He has recounted in this Qurʾān — wherein there is for them a deterrent (muzdajar). He means: that which deters them and restrains them from that in which they persist, namely the denial of the signs of Allah. It is a muftaʿal form derived from al-zajr (restraint).
And in accordance with what we have said concerning its meaning, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words "a deterrent (muzdajar)," he said: an end point (muntahā).
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words "And there have certainly come to them reports in which there is a deterrent": that is, this Qurʾān.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān "And there have certainly come to them reports in which there is a deterrent," he said: al-muzdajar means: the end point (al-muntahā).
