Tafseer of The Announcement · An-Naba · 78:3
That over which they are in disagreement.
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.
Some of the linguists of the Arabs said: its meaning is: about what do the Quraysh speak concerning the Qurʾān? Then the answer came, so that "ʿamma" (about what) acquired, as it were, the meaning: for what reason do they question one another about the Qurʾān? Then He gave tidings and said: الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ ("about which they differ") — divided into one who holds it to be true and one who denies it; that is their mutual contradiction. And His word: الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ — the Exalted, whose renown is praised, says: that about which they have split into two groups: a group that holds it to be true and a group that denies it. The Exalted says: thus proceeds their questioning of one another concerning the tiding that has this description.
In accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) spoke.
* Mention of who said this:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Saʿīd, on the authority of Qatāda: concerning the tiding الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ ("about which they differ") — the resurrection after death; about that the people split into two groups: those who held it to be true and those who denied it. As for death, they have acknowledged it because they witnessed it with their own eyes, but they differed concerning the resurrection after death.
Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ ("about which they differ") — about that the people split into two kinds: one who held it to be true and one who denied it. As for death, they have all acknowledged it because they witnessed it with their own eyes, but they differed concerning the resurrection after death.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ — he said: one who holds it to be true and one who denies it.
