He was unable to understand the matter: if he did not find a way to act upon it, and the hamzah is for denial. The meaning is: we have not been unable, as they knew, regarding the first creation, so that we would be unable regarding the second. Then he said: they do not deny our ability to create the first, and their acknowledgment of this entails acknowledgment of the ability to recreate. Rather, they are in confusion, meaning in mixing and doubt.

The devil has confused them and bewildered them. From this is the saying of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him: O confused one, it is indeed confusing for you, know the truth and you will know its people. The devil has confused them by suggesting to them that resurrecting the dead is something outside of the norm, so they abandoned the correct reasoning: that whoever is capable of creation is more capable of recreation.

If you say: why did we deny the new creation? It has been noted in the version I am recounting: 'So if you say, why did we deny the new creation...'. Ahmad said: this statement, as you see, is not coherent, and it seems to be due to a corruption in the text. What is clarified in the verse - which is the implication of al-Zamakhshari's interpretation - is that it contains three questions: why did they recognize the first creation and deny the confusion and the new creation? Know that the purpose of recognition is nothing but to magnify what is intended to be defined and to honor it. From this is the recognition of males in the saying: 'And He grants to whom He wills males.' For this purpose, the first creation was recognized, because the aim is to make it a proof of the possibility of the second creation by necessity. That is, if He was not unable regarding the first creation, despite its greatness, then the second creation is even less worthy of being disregarded. This is the secret of recognizing the first creation.

As for the denial, its matter is divided: sometimes it aims to magnify the denied matter due to its ambiguity, as if it is too great to be addressed with knowledge, and sometimes it aims to minimize the denied matter and diminish it. In the first case, 'Peace, a word from a Merciful Lord,' and His saying: 'For them is forgiveness and a great reward,' and 'Indeed, the righteous are in gardens and bliss,' and His saying: 'By faith, We have joined them with their offspring,' which is more than can be counted. The second is the original in denial, so there is no need to illustrate it. The denial of confusion is for the sake of magnification and honor, as if he said: in confusion of any confusion: and the denial of the new creation is to diminish it and lessen its matter in relation to the first creation. It is possible that it is for magnification, as if it is a matter too great for a person to be satisfied with being confused about it, while it is the first thing he sees its correctness in. And perhaps al-Zamakhshari's reference is to this, and Allah knows best. This is, as you see, a statement suitable for the pursuit of questions and answers. If this is what al-Zamakhshari intended, then that is it; otherwise, lick the honey and do not ask.