It is also said that “the dividers” were a people who divided up the Quran: some of them said, “It is magic”; others said, “It is poetry”; others said, “It is lies”; and others said, “It is tales of the ancients.”

It is also said that their dividing consisted in their differing statements about the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him. They said, “He is a magician, a soothsayer, a poet.”

Muqatil said: They were sixteen men whom al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah sent out during the season. They stationed themselves at the mountain passes (1) and roads of Mecca, sitting at its entrances and saying to the arriving pilgrims, “Do not be deceived by this man who has appeared among us and claims prophethood.” One group among them would say, “He is mad”; another, “He is a soothsayer”; and another, “He is a poet.” Al-Walid sat at the door of the Mosque, having been appointed by them as arbiter; whenever he was asked about him, he would say, “Those men spoke the truth (2)”—meaning (3), the dividers (4).

Regarding His saying, “into portions,” it is said that this is the plural of ʿuḍw (member), derived from their saying, ʿaḍḍaytu al-shayʾ taʿḍiyatan (I divided a thing into parts), when one separates it. Its meaning is that they made the Quran into portions: some of them said, “It is magic”; others said, “It is soothsaying”; and others said, “It is tales of the ancients.”

It is also said that it is the plural of ʿiḍah: one says ʿiḍah and ʿiḍīn, just as one says birrah and birrīn, and ʿizzah and ʿizzīn. Its original form was ʿiḍhah, but its original final hāʾ was omitted, just as they omitted it from shafah (lip), whose original form was shafahah. This is evidenced by the diminutive form, shufayhah. What is meant by ʿiḍah is lies and slander.

It is also said that what is meant by ʿiḍīn is al-ʿiḍah, which means magic—that is, they called the Quran magic (5).

“By your Lord, We shall surely question them all (92) about what they used to do (93).”

“By your Lord, We shall surely question them all” on the Day of Resurrection.

“About what they used to do” in this world. Muhammad ibn Ismaʿil said: A number of scholars said: concerning their statement, “There is no god but Allah” (6).

If it is asked: How can this verse be reconciled with His saying, “On that Day no human or jinn will be questioned about his sin” (al-Rahman 55:39)?

Ibn ʿAbbas said: He will not ask them, “Did you do it?” for He knows them better than they know themselves. Rather, He will say, “Why did you do such and such?” Qutrub adopted this view and said: Questioning is of two kinds: questioning to obtain information and questioning by way of rebuke. Thus, His saying, “On that Day no human or jinn will be questioned about his sin” (al-Rahman 55:39),