Commentary
You ignite it by striking it and extract it from the flint. The Arabs ignite with two sticks, rubbing one against the other. They call the upper one: the zind, and the lower one: the zinda. They liken them to the male and the female. The tree from which the zind is made serves as a reminder of the fire of Hell, where we have tied all the means of livelihood. We have generalized the need for it as a trial, so that it is present for people to look at and remember what they have been promised. Or we have made it a reminder and a model of Hell, as has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him: 'This fire of yours, which the children of Adam ignite, is one part of seventy parts of the heat of Hell.' And it is a provision and benefit for those who are in need, for those who descend into the wilderness, which is the desolate land. Or for those whose bellies or containers are empty of food. It is said: 'I have been in need for days,' meaning I have not eaten anything. So, glorify in the name of your Lord. Thus, initiate the glorification by mentioning the name of your Lord, or he meant by the name: the mention, that is, by mentioning your Lord. And the 'Great' is an attribute of the one mentioned or of the one to whom it is attributed. The meaning is that when he mentioned what indicates His power and His favors upon His servants, he said: So, initiate the glorification, which is to say: 'Subhanallah,' either as a declaration of His perfection against what the wrongdoers say, who deny His oneness and disbelieve in His favors, or as astonishment at their matter in belittling His blessings and His evident favors, or as gratitude to Allah for the blessings that he has counted and pointed out.
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