The 'Ajam is one who does not articulate and has a speech impediment. The 'Ajamiyy is similar, except that it has an additional 'ya' for emphasis. Al-Hasan read it as 'the 'Ajamiyyin.' When someone speaks in a tongue other than theirs and they do not understand his words, they call him 'Ajam and 'Ajamiyy, comparing him to one who does not articulate or clarify. They also call every creature with a voice, from animals and birds and others, 'Ajam. Hamid said:

'And no Arab was moved by the voice of an 'Ajam. And what stirred this longing but a dove... That called out the memory of a free wing and regretted. And it sang on a branch at night, leaving not... For a lamenter in its mourning, regretting. I was amazed at how her singing could be... Articulate, while she did not articulate her speech. And I have not seen one like me moved by a voice like hers... Nor an Arab moved by the voice of an 'Ajam.'

This is by Hamid ibn Thawr, and he has departed from his companion Salma. He says: 'And what stirred this longing and ignited it in my heart, except a dove that called out her memory and a free wing.' The term 'free' (al-hurr) refers to a young dove, and 'al-tarhah' means sadness, the opposite of joy, and 'al-tanadum' is regret for what has passed. It is narrated as 'tarannama,' which means to beautify the voice, and both are in the accusative case, meaning: sad and regretting, or one who is sad and one who is regretting. 'Asha' is in the accusative as a circumstantial phrase, meaning: it did not leave, i.e., it did not allow for a lamenter in its singing, 'mutanadiman' means either to regret or something to regret about or in. It is possible that the pronoun in 'its mourning' refers to the lamenter, and 'how' (annā) means: how, or from how. The interrogative is one of amazement. 'Al-fasih' means: clear, free from accent and complication. 'Faghara fāhu' means: he opens his mouth.

Its opening, meaning: while it has not opened its mouth by its utterance, rather its sound comes from its chest. And 'shaqa' means: it caused him longing, and 'al-arabi' means: the eloquent one. And 'al-a'jam' refers to one who does not articulate among animals. The Arabs used it for those who do not understand his words and do not comprehend his intent. They might attach a 'ya' for emphasis on the severity of the foreignness, contrasting it with 'arabi' as opposites. 'Salaknah' means: we entered it, and 'makannah' means: we established it. The meaning is: We have sent down this Qur'an upon a man who is Arabic, in a clear Arabic tongue. They heard it, understood it, and recognized its eloquence, and that it is a miracle that cannot be matched by similar speech. Additionally, the scholars of the revealed books before it agreed that the glad tidings of its revelation and the description of the one upon whom it was revealed are in their books. Its meanings and stories are included, and it has been confirmed that it is from Allah and not myths as they claimed. They did not believe in it and denied it, calling it poetry at times and magic at others. They said: it is from the fabrication of Muhammad. If We had sent it down upon some of the non-Arabs who do not know Arabic, let alone be able to compose something like it, and he recited it to them thus eloquently, miraculously, challenging them, they would have disbelieved in it as they disbelieved before, and they would have sought excuses for their denial, calling it magic. Then it was said: 'Thus We have placed it in their hearts,' meaning: We have established it in their hearts in such a manner, and in this state and this description of disbelief and denial, We have placed it in them. No matter how We acted towards them and in what manner We devised their affairs, there is no way for them to change from their denial and rejection, as He said: 'If We had sent down to you a book on parchment and they touched it with their hands, the disbelievers would have said: This is nothing but clear magic.' If you say: How is the act of placing the denial attributed to its essence? I say: He intended by it to indicate its firm establishment as a denial in their hearts, and He affirmed it, making it like something they have been created upon and are naturally inclined to. Do you not see their saying: He is created with miserliness, meaning: miserliness is firmly established in him? Because created matters are more established than incidental ones, and the evidence for this is that He attributed their abandonment of faith in Him to them in succession. [Mahamud said: 'If you say: How is the act of placing the denial attributed to its essence? I say: The intention is to indicate its firm establishment as a denial in their hearts, making it like something they have been created upon, as evidenced by the fact that He attributed to them their abandonment of faith in Him in succession in His saying: 'They do not believe in Him.' Ahmad said: What they resent about remaining upon its apparent meaning is only that it is pure monotheism and absolute faith, and that Allah, the Exalted, created their hearts distant from accepting the truth. The Qadarites do not reach this level in monotheism, and Allah, the Most High, knows best.] And it is His saying: 'They do not believe in Him.' If you say: What is the position of 'They do not believe in Him' in relation to 'We have placed it in the hearts of the criminals'? I say: Its position is that it summarizes and encapsulates it, as it is presented for its firm establishment as a denial, rejected in their hearts. It follows what confirms this meaning that they will remain upon disbelief and denial until they witness the warning. It may also be a state, meaning: We have placed it in them while they do not believe in it. Al-Hasan read: 'Then it will come to them,' with a 'ta' meaning: the Hour. And 'suddenly,' with a movement. And in the reading of Ubayy: 'And they will see it suddenly.' If you say: What is the meaning of the sequence in His saying: 'Then it will come to them suddenly... then they will say'? I say: The meaning is not the repetition of seeing the punishment and its suddenness and their asking for a glimpse of it in existence, but rather the meaning is its arrangement in severity, as if it were said: They do not believe in the Qur'an until their sight of the punishment, which is more severe than it, is sudden, and what is more severe than it is their asking for a glimpse.

And he is the one whom Allah has condemned. Then you see that it occurs in this style, and it takes its place: 'Do they seek to hasten Our punishment?' This is a rebuke to them by denying and mocking. Its meaning is: How can those who are exposed to punishment hasten it, while they are in the same state today of being given respite and delay for the blink of an eye, and they will not be answered? It is possible that this is a narration of reproach that they will be reproached with when they are given respite on that Day. 'And they seek to hasten' in this way is a narration of a past state. Another aspect connected to what follows is that their hastening for punishment was due to their belief that it would not happen or that it would not befall them, and that they are enjoying long lives in safety and security. So Allah, the Exalted, said: 'Do they seek to hasten Our punishment in arrogance, indulgence, mockery, and reliance on long hopes?' Then He said: 'Suppose the matter is as they believe regarding their enjoyment and long lives, when the warning befalls them afterward, what will their long lives and pleasant livelihoods benefit them then?' And from Maimun ibn Mehran: He met Al-Hasan during the Tawaf and was wishing to meet him, so he said to him: 'Advise me.' He did not add anything to the recitation of this verse. Maimun said: 'You have advised me well.' And it was read: 'They are enjoying,' with the lightening of the letters.