Commentary on Surah al-ʿĀdiyāt

﴿In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful﴾

﴿By those that race, panting * then strike sparks * then raid at dawn * thereby raising a cloud of dust * then plunge into the midst of a host * indeed, man is surely ungrateful to his Lord * and indeed, he is surely a witness to that * and indeed, he is intense in his love of wealth * Does he not know that when those in the graves are cast forth * and what lies within the breasts is laid bare * indeed, their Lord will be fully aware of them on that Day﴾.

The basmalah has already been discussed.

﴿By those that race, panting﴾. This is an oath. The word al-ʿādiyāt (“those that race”) is an adjective qualifying an omitted noun. What, then, is that noun? Are horses intended—that is, “by the racing horses”—or are camels intended—that is, “by the racing camels”?

The exegetes held two views on this. Some said that the omitted noun is “camels,” making the implied wording, “by the racing camels.” They understood this to mean the camels that race from ʿArafah to Muzdalifah and then to Minā during the rites of Hajj. They argued that this surah is Meccan and that no jihad on horseback took place in Mecca for such horses to be the object of the oath.

The second view, held by the majority of exegetes—and it is the correct view—is that the omitted noun is “horses,” making the implied wording, “by the racing horses.” Racing horses were well known to the Arabs even before jihad was prescribed. Before Islam, horses charged against their enemies, whether rightfully or wrongfully; after Islam, however, horses charged against their enemies in a just cause. Allah Most High says, ﴿By those that race﴾. The word al-ʿādī (one that runs) is an active participle derived from al-ʿadw (running),