His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "As for the ship, it was for poor people who work in the sea. I intended to damage it, and behind them was a king who seized every ship by force."

The majority read: "for poor people" with a softened 's', the plural of 'poor'. There is a difference regarding their description. One group said: it was for a group of merchants, but they were, in terms of their traveling, in a state of weakness in the depths of the sea and unable to resist the oppression of a tyrant. They were described as "poor people" because they were in a state that evokes pity due to it.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is like when you say to a wealthy man—if he falls into a predicament or trouble—: "poor man." Another group said: they were ten brothers with disabilities, five of them working on the ship, and five unable to work.

And another group read: "for poor people" with a strengthened 's'. There is a difference regarding the interpretation of that. One group said: he meant by "poor people" the sailors of the ship, as the 'poor' is the one who holds the leg of the vessel, and all the service is suitable for holding it, so all were called 'poor people'. Another group said: he meant by "poor people" the tanning of skins, and the skins are one 'poor'.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The more apparent meaning in that is the first reading, and that its meaning is that the ship is for a group of weak people who should be shown pity. People have used this verse as evidence that the poor person who has enough to live, like the ship for these people, is in a better state than the destitute. Those who see otherwise have argued with the poet's words:

"As for the poor man whose milking was In accordance with the dependents, he was not left with a vessel."

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The clarification of this for me is that they are two terms indicating extreme weakness, and with poverty comes exposure and humiliation through asking. That is why Allah, the Exalted, made them two categories in the division of alms. As for the hadith of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, which is: "The poor is not this one who is wandering around," the 'poor people' in the language are those in need who have uncovered their faces. As for His saying, the Exalted: "For the poor who were restricted in the way of Allah" [Al-Baqarah: 273], He made the poor those who have not uncovered their faces. The previous statement regarding this matter is more comprehensive than this.

And His saying, the Exalted: "And behind them was a king," some said: its meaning is: in front of them, and they said: "behind" is from the opposites. Ibn Jubayr and Ibn Abbas said: And there was a king in front of them who seized every good ship. Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, read: "And behind them was a king who seized every good ship."

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And His saying: "And behind them" is, in my view, in its proper context. This is because these words come with consideration of time. The event that has preceded in existence is the Imam, and what is before it is what comes after it in time. What comes after is the behind, which is what is left behind. This is contrary to what appears at first glance. Reflect on these words in their places where they have been mentioned, and you will find them consistent. The meaning of this verse is: Indeed, these people and their deeds and their striving follow after in time the usurpation from the king. And whoever reads: "In front of them" intends: in the place, meaning that they were moving towards his city. And His saying, exalted is He, in the Torah and the Gospel that they are "before the Quran" is consistent with what we said regarding time. And His saying, glorified is He: ﴿Behind them is Hell﴾ [Al-Jathiya: 10] is consistent as we said, considering time. And the saying of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: "The prayer is in front of you" means in the place. Otherwise, their being at that time was before the prayer in time. So reflect on this statement, for it is relieving from the confusion of these words. And it was reported to Qatadah in the book of Al-Tabari: ﴿And there was a king behind them﴾. Qatadah said: In front of them. Do you not see that he says: ﴿Behind them is Hell﴾ [Al-Jathiya: 10] and it is before them. This statement is not correct, and this is the ambiguity that Hasan ibn Abi Hasan complained about. This was said by Al-Zajjaj. It is possible that their return on their way was towards the usurper, so there was a reality behind them. It was said that the name of this usurper is Hudad ibn Budad, and it was said that his name is Al-Jalandi, and all of this is not established. And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿Every ship﴾ is general, and its meaning is specific to the good ones among them, the sound ones passing by it.