—meaning the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace—“invoking Him”: that is, worshipping Him and reciting the Quran. This was when he was praying at Batn Nakhla and reciting the Quran. “They almost”—meaning the jinn—“crowded upon him in masses”: that is, they piled atop one another and pressed together, eager to listen to the Quran. This is the view of al-Dahhak and the narration of ‘Atiyyah from Ibn ‘Abbas.

Sa‘id ibn Jubayr narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas: This was part of the statement of the group of jinn who returned to their people, informing them of the obedience of the Prophet’s Companions, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which they had witnessed, and of how they followed his example in prayer. (1)

Al-Hasan, Qatadah, and Ibn Zayd said: This means that when the servant of Allah arose with the call, the humans and jinn gathered in masses and joined forces against him, seeking to nullify the truth that he had brought them and to extinguish the light of Allah. But Allah refused anything but to perfect His light, bring this matter to completion, and grant him victory over those who opposed him. (2)

Hisham, reporting from Ibn ‘Amir, recited it as lubadan, with a u-vowel on the lam. The original sense of lubad is groups layered one upon another. Hence, the felt mat is so called because of its compact layering; and hair is described as becoming matted when it becomes entangled and piled together.

“Say, ‘I invoke only my Lord, and I do not associate anyone with Him.’ (20) Say, ‘I have no power to harm or guide you aright.’ (21) Say, ‘No one can ever protect me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge apart from Him, except by delivering a message from Allah and His messages. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger will have the Fire of Hell, abiding therein forever.’ (23)”

“Say, ‘I invoke only my Lord.’” Abu Ja‘far, ‘Asim, and Hamzah recited it as “Say,” in the imperative; the others recited, “He said”—meaning the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace—“I invoke only my Lord.” Muqatil said: This was because the disbelievers of Makkah said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “You have brought a momentous matter, so renounce it, and we will protect you.” He replied to them, “I invoke only my Lord, and I do not associate anyone with Him.”

“Say, ‘I have no power to harm you’:” that is, I am unable to ward off harm from you. “Nor to guide you aright”: that is, I cannot bring you right guidance—meaning goodness. Allah alone possesses that.

“Say, ‘No one can ever protect me from Allah’:” no one can shield me from Him if I disobey Him. “Nor can I find any refuge apart from Him”: that is, a shelter to which I could turn. The basic meaning of multahad is something inclined. Al-Suddi said: a fortress. Al-Kalbi said: an opening in the earth, like a tunnel.

“Except by delivering a message from Allah and His messages”: in this lie protection, safety, and deliverance, as al-Hasan said. Muqatil said: That which protects me from Allah’s punishment is the delivery of the message. Qatadah said: “Except by delivering a message from Allah”—that is what I possess, with the help of