'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "And whoever intends the reward of this world, We give him thereof; and whoever intends the reward of the Hereafter, We give him thereof; and We will reward the grateful." [Aal 'Imran: 145] "And how many a prophet fought with him many religious men. They were not weakened by what afflicted them in the way of Allah, nor did they weaken or submit. And Allah loves the patient." His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "We give him thereof" is conditional upon will, meaning We give whoever We will from it what has been decreed for him. This is clarified by His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "Whoever desires the immediate, We hasten for him therein what We will for whom We will." [Al-Isra: 18] The context of the speech indicates that he will not be given anything from the Hereafter. This is because whoever's intention in his deeds is limited to seeking the world, he has no share in the Hereafter. And deeds are judged by intentions. The context of the speech in His saying: "And whoever intends the reward of the Hereafter, We give him thereof" [Aal 'Imran: 145] does not prevent him from being given a share of the world. The majority of people read "We give him" and "We will reward" all with the pronoun of greatness. Al-Amash read them with the pronoun of the singular in all three instances, and that is due to the omission of the subject indicated by the speech. Ibn Furak said regarding the saying of Allah, exalted and glorified is He: "And We will reward the grateful" [Aal 'Imran: 145] is an indication that He will bless them with the blessings of this world, not that they are limited to the Hereafter. Then, He, exalted and glorified is He, set forth an example for the believers with those who preceded from the righteous of the nations who were not deterred from their religion by the killing of the disbelievers of their prophets. He said: "And how many a prophet..." the verse. In "how many" there are four dialects: "how many" in the form of 'ka'ayn, with the 'ayn' opened; and "and how many" in the form of 'ka'in'; and "how many" in the form of 'ka'ayn', with the 'ayn' silent; and "how many" in the form of 'ka'in', with the 'ayn' broken. The most commonly used by the Arabs in their poetry is the form of 'ka'in', as in the saying of the poet: 'And how many we have turned away from you of a heavily armed one who comes before the people to kill.' And Jarir said: 'And how many among the plains of my friend who sees me, if I were struck, he is the one who is struck.' And another said: 'And how many you see of a silent one who is impressive to you, whether his increase or decrease is in speaking.' And it has come in the language I mentioned earlier the saying of the poet: 'How many in the gatherings of people whose brother is above them, and they are honorable.' And this language is the origin of this word, because it is a letter of comparison that has entered upon "any" just as it has entered upon "this" in your saying: 'For so-and-so such and such,' and just as it has entered upon "that" in your saying: 'As if Zayd is a lion.' However, it has retained the meaning of comparison in "as if," and that meaning has been removed in "such and such," and in "how many." The Arabs have also used "how many" in the meaning of "how much," which is for abundance, and their use of the word has become so frequent that the tongue of the Arabs has played with the four dialects I mentioned, just as it has played in their saying:

By my life, until they said: 'Ramalī', and as they said: 'Aṭyab and Aytab', and as they said: 'Ṭibbīkh in Biṭīkh', the kāf was treated, and any treatment of it is one thing. As for the linguistic issue of the one who said: 'Kā'in' on the pattern of Fā'il; they took the original which is 'Kā'ayn' and flipped the yā before the hamzah, and the vowel of each of them was transferred to its sister, so 'Kā'ya' came on the pattern of Kayyaʿ, and they deleted the second open yā for ease, just as they deleted the yā from Mayyit and Hayyin and Layyin, so they said: Mayt and Hayn and Layn, and just as they deleted the second yā from 'Ayy' for ease, and from this is the saying of al-Farazdaq ibn Ghālib al-Tamīmī:

I looked for victory, and the two al-Simakayn, which of them is upon me, From the rain, its places have begun to pour.

So 'Kay'in' came on the pattern of Kayʿ, and this silent yā was replaced with an alif, considering the fatḥah that precedes it, just as they said: in Yawjal, Yajal, and just as they replaced the yā with an alif in 'Ṭāy', and just as it was replaced in 'Āyah' according to Sibawayh, as its original for him is 'Ayyah' on the pattern of Faʿlah with the consonant of the ʿayn being silent, so 'Kā'in' then this tanwīn was written as nūn in the mushaf; as for the linguistic rule, its deletion in the pause is as they say: I passed by Zayd, so likewise they say 'Kā'iyy', and Abu ʿAmr paused on it 'Kā' with a yā without a nūn, and likewise, Sawrah ibn al-Mubārak narrated from al-Kisāʾī, and the rest of the reciters paused with the nūn being established, considering the writing of the mushaf. Abu ʿAli said: And if it were said that when it was modified in the word by flipping, it became like the nūn which is from the same word and became like the lām of the Fā'il, it would be established in the pause, this would be a statement, and this is supported by the fact that when they deleted the speech from their saying: 'Imālan', they made it by deletion like one word, so they permitted the imālah in the alif of 'lā' just as it is permitted in that which is from the same word in names and verbs, so it is paused on 'Kā'īn' with the nūn and it is not paused on the nūn if it is not flipped, just as the alif does not lean from 'lā' if its action is not deleted.

The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And with this language in which this heart is, Ibn Kathir read it alone. The rest of the seven reciters read it in the language which is the original, "Ka'ayn." And Yunus ibn Habib went in "Ka'ayn" to say that it is a subject from being, and his statement is rejected, as it necessitates the grammatical parsing of the word, and no one from the Arabs parsed it. As for the language which is "Ka'in" on the pattern of "Ka'ayn," it is the reading of Ibn Muhaisin and Al-Ashhab Al-Aqili. The reasoning for this language is that he reasoned the original, which is "Ka'in," with the previous reasoning. So when "Kay'a" came on the pattern of "Kay'a," these people left the substitution of the silent yā with an alif as previously mentioned in the first reasoning. They altered the word and made it "Ka'in" on the pattern of "Ka'ayn," and this is good from two aspects: one is that the playfulness and manipulation of this word is permissible, and the second is that they referred back to the original, which is the precedence of the hamzah over the yā. As for the language which is "Ka'in" on the pattern of "Ka'in," it is also the reading of Ibn Muhaisin, as reported by Abu Amr Al-Dani. Al-Hasan ibn Abi Al-Hasan read it, but he simplified the hamzah to a yā, so he read "Kayyin" in all of the Qur'an. The reasoning for this language is that they omitted the alif from "Kā'in" which is elongated on the pattern of "Ka'in" after all this manipulation for the sake of simplification. This is like what they said: "Amma wallahi," meaning: "Amma," and as they said on the tongue of the lizard:

I do not desire to be brought Except for a lizard that has come.

And a cold one that is connected And a tangled one that is confused.

They meant: "‘Arid" and "Barid," so they omitted for the sake of simplification, and this is common in their speech. And "Ka'ayn" in this verse is in the position of raising by beginning, and it is like "Kam" and in its meaning it generally gives the sense of abundance.

Ibn Kathir, Abu Amr, and Nafi' read "Qutila" with a dammah on the qāf and a kasrah on the tā, simplified. The others read: "Qatala ma'ahu," with an alif between the qāf and the tā. Qatadah read: "Qutila" with a dammah on the qāf and a kasrah on the tā, emphasized for abundance.

And His saying, the Exalted: "Qutila," a group of the interpreters said about it, including Al-Tabari: that it is based on the pronoun of "Nabi." The meaning according to them is that the Prophet was killed. Ibn Abbas said regarding His saying: "And it was not for a Prophet to betray" [Al-Imran: 161]: the Prophet is killed; so how can he not be betrayed? And if this is the case, then "Ribiyun" is elevated by the circumstance without dispute.

And His saying: "With him are Rabbiyun" on this interpretation may be a description of "Nabi" or it may be a state of the pronoun that is attributed to "Qutila". If you make it a description, you have implied (p-379) for the subject which is "Ka'in" a news whose estimation is at the end of the speech: he passed or went or was lost, "So they did not weaken." And if you make "With him are Rabbiyun" a state of the pronoun, then the news of the subject in His saying: "Qutila". And if you make it a description, then the pronoun in "With him" refers back to "Nabi". And if you make it a state, then the pronoun in "With him" refers back to the pronoun of the state. And in both cases of the description or the state, "With him are Rabbiyun" is originally related to something omitted, and it is not related to "Qutila". Al-Hasan ibn Abi Al-Hasan and a group with him said: Indeed, "Qutila" is based on His saying: "Rabbiyun" and they are the killed ones. Al-Hasan and Sa'id ibn Jubair said: No Nabi was ever killed in a war.

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

So according to this saying, His saying: "With him" is related to "Qutila", and this sentence: "Qutila with him are Rabbiyun" is the news of the beginning. It is conceivable in the reading of whoever read "Qatala" all that I have mentioned of the estimations in the reading of "Qutila". As for the reading of Qatadah "Qutila", Abu Al-Fath said: It is not appropriate for the action to be attributed except to the Rabbiyun, due to the meaning of multiplicity which cannot be used in the killing of a single person. If it is said: It is based on "Nabi" considering the meaning of "Kam" then the response is that the wording has proceeded on the direction of the singular in His saying: "From a Nabi", and the singular pronoun in "With him" indicates that the intended meaning is indeed the example of one by one, so the speech has come out on the meaning of "Kam". Abu Al-Fath said: And this reading strengthens the saying of those who said from the seven: Indeed, "Qutila" with the lightening of the ta or "Qatala" is based on the Rabbiyun. Al-Tabari preferred the basis of "Qutila" to the Nabi by the indication of the descent of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, and that the believers indeed faltered when it was said: Muhammad has been killed, so he set forth the example of a Nabi who was killed.

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

And if the action is not attributed to "Nabi", then the meaning of the verse comes: the strengthening of the believers after those who were killed among them only, and Al-Tabari's preference is good, and that is supported by what has preceded from His saying, the Exalted: "So if he dies or is killed" [Al-Imran: 144]. And the evidence of whoever read: "Qatala" is that it is more general in praise because it includes both those who were killed and those who remained.

(p-380) Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And it is good for me in this reading to attribute the action to the Rabbiyun, and in the reading of "Qutila" to attribute it to "Nabi".

The seven and a group of people agreed on breaking the راء (ra) in "رِبِّيُّونَ". Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Abu Rajea, Amr ibn Ubaid, and Ata ibn Al-Sa'ib read it as "رُبِّيُّونَ" with the راء (ra) being pronounced with a dammah (u sound). Qatadah narrated from Ibn Abbas "رَبِّيُّونَ" with the راء (ra) being pronounced with a fatḥah (a sound). Ibn Jinni said: The fatḥah on the راء (ra) is the language of Tamim, and all are languages. People differed in the meaning of "رِبِّيُّونَ". Ibn Mas'ud said: The رِبِّيُّونَ are the thousands of people and the great multitude. Ibn Abbas said: رِبِّيُّونَ means many groups. Al-Hasan, Qatadah, and Ikrimah also said this. Regarding the saying of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and Ibn Abbas: "Indeed, they are the thousands", some of the interpreters said: They are ten thousand and more. This was taken from the construction of the great multitude in their saying: They are the thousands. This in رِبِّيِّينَ indicates that they are the many groups, which is from رِبَّة with a broken راء (ra), and it means the great group. This was said by Yunus ibn Habib. He also said: The saying of the Most High: (Killing with him ربيون) is attributed to it. Qutrub said: The group of scholars is based on the saying of Yunus. Al-Zajjaj said: It is said that رِبَّة is ten thousand. It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas and Al-Hasan ibn Abi Al-Hasan and others that they said: "رِبِّيُّونَ" means scholars. Al-Hasan said: Faqih scholars. He also said: Patient scholars. This saying is in relation to the Lord, either because they are obedient to Him, or because they are knowledgeable of what He has legislated. This saying is strengthened in the reading of those who read "رَبِّيُّونَ" with a fatḥah on the راء (ra). As for the reading with a dammah and kasrah on the راء (ra), it comes as a change of attribution, as they said in relation to the sanctuary: حِرَمِيٌّ with a broken حاء (ḥa), and to Al-Basrah: بِصْرِيٌّ with a broken باء (bā). There is consideration in this. Ibn Zayd said: الرَبّانِيُّونَ are the leaders, and الرَبِّيُّونَ are the followers of the leaders.

The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It seems that this is because they are مَرْبُوبُونَ.

Al-Naqqash said: The derivation of "رِبِّيٍّ" is from رَبَا (raba) which means to increase when it becomes abundant, thus the one with much knowledge is called by that.

Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is weak.

Makkī said: رِبِّيٌّ with a broken راء (ra) is attributed to the Lord, but its راء (ra) was broken following the kasrah and the ياء (ya) that come after the راء (ra). It was also narrated with a dammah on the راء (ra), but they pronounced it with a dammah as it is said: دُهْرِيٌّ with a dammah on the دال (dāl) in relation to time.

The majority of the people read "فَما وهَنُوا" with a فتح on the هاء, while Al-A'mash, Al-Hasan, and Abu Samal read it as "وَهِنُوا" with a كسر on the هاء. Both are two linguistic forms with the same meaning. It is said: "وهِنَ" with a كسر on the هاء means "to weaken," and "وَهَنَ" with a فتح on the هاء means "to be weak." Ikrimah and Abu Samal also read "وَهْنُوا" with a سكون on the هاء. This is for the sake of ease, as they say in نِعْمَ and بِئْسَ, among other examples. The meaning of weakness has already been mentioned in His earlier saying: "وَلا تَهِنُوا." The pronoun in His saying: "فَما وهَنُوا" refers back to all the ربّيين in the saying of one who attributed "قُتِلَ" to "نَبِيٍّ," and one who attributed it to "الرِبّيينَ" said regarding this pronoun: that it refers back to those who remained among them, as the meaning is understood by itself.

And His saying, the Exalted: "وَما ضَعُفُوا" means: they did not acquire from weakness and giving up what indicates their weakness. And His saying, the Exalted: "وَما اسْتَكانُوا": a group of grammarians went to the opinion that it is from السُكُون, and its form is افْتَعَلُوا, استَكَنُوا, so the فتح on the كاف was prolonged, resulting in an ألف. Another group held that it is derived from كانَ يَكُونُ, and its form according to this derivation is اسْتَفْعَلُوا, with its original form being استَكْوَنُوا. The حركة of the واء was transferred to the كاف and changed to an ألف, as they did in your saying: استَعانُوا and استَقامُوا. The meaning is that they did not weaken nor were they close to that, as you say: I did not do such and such nor was I about to do it, so it is omitted because the speech indicates that the intended meaning is: And I was not about to do it. And the love of Allah, the Exalted, for the patient is what appears upon them of His victory and His blessings.