said: “The Beast will emerge and brand people on their snouts” (1).

It is reported that Ibn Abbās said, “It will do both”—that is, it will address them and brand them.

Ibn Kathīr said, “This is a sound view, and there is no contradiction between the two. Allah knows best” (2).

The words with which it will address them are: “Indeed, people had no certainty in Our signs.”

This is according to the reading that vocalizes the initial hamza as anna (“that”); that is, it will inform them that people had no certainty in Allah’s signs. This is the reading of most reciters of Kufa and some of the reciters of Basra.

As for the reading of most reciters of the Hijaz, Basra, and Syria, they vocalize the initial hamza as inna (“indeed”), beginning an independent sentence. The meaning would then be that it will say to them what will distress them, or tell them of the falsity of every religion other than Islam (3).

Ibn Jarīr said, “The correct view is that these are two readings close in meaning, both widely attested in the recitation of the major centers” (4).