Commentary
Their offspring are their children and those who are concerned with them. It was said that the name of offspring applies to women, for they are its cultivators. In the hadith, it is mentioned that he prohibited killing the offspring, meaning the women, from such as that ship which they ride from camels, and they are the ships of the land. It was said that the ship refers to the ship of Noah. The meaning of Allah carrying their offspring in it is that He carried therein their ancient fathers, and in their loins are they and their offspring. He mentioned their offspring instead of them because it is more eloquent in expressing gratitude towards them and more astonishing in demonstrating His power, in carrying their descendants to the Day of Resurrection in the ship of Noah. And from such as that ship which they ride from ships and boats, there is no helper, no rescuer. There is no relief. It is said: They were given a cry for help, and they are not saved; they do not escape from death by drowning except by mercy, except for mercy from Us and to enjoy life for a while. Ahmad said: From here, Abu al-Tayyib took: 'And I did not submit to remain, but I submitted from one death to another.' This is because He, the Exalted, informed that if they are saved from the death of drowning, that safety is enjoyment for a while, that is, until a term in which they will die, and there is no escape from it after being saved from the death of drowning. And indeed, he has spoken well who said: 'And I did not submit to remain, but I submitted from one death to another.' This is said by Al-Mutanabbi, meaning: I did not escape from the events of time and the hardships of war in order to be immortal, but I escaped from one death, like a book, that is, death by some causes until I die by some other cause. Or turning to death by some other cause, for there is no immortality in this world.
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