Al-Farrā’ said: “[The rain clouds] (1) [that] (2) are heavy with rain but have not yet rained,” like a woman whose menstruation has drawn near but who has not yet menstruated (3).

Ibn Kaysān said: They are those that bring relief, as in His saying: “Therein the people will be given rain, and therein they will press.”

Al-Hasan, Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, Zayd ibn Aslam, and Muqātil ibn Hayyān said: “From the rain-bearing clouds” means: from the heavens.

“Abundant pouring water”: that is, water that pours forth. Mujāhid said: “Copious.” Qatādah said: “Successive, following one another.” Ibn Zayd said: “Plentiful.”

“That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation (15), and luxuriant gardens (16). Indeed, the Day of Decision is an appointed time (17)—the Day the Trumpet is blown, and you will come forth in crowds (18); and the heaven is opened and becomes gates (19).”

“That We may bring forth thereby,” that is, by means of that water, “grain,” which is what people eat, “and vegetation,” which is what the earth produces for livestock to eat. “And luxuriant gardens”: densely entwined with trees. Its singular is laff or lafīf. It is also said that this is a plural of a plural: one says jannah laff, whose plural is luff—with the lām vowelled with u—and the plural of that plural is alfāf.

“Indeed, the Day of Decision”: the day on which judgment will be passed between created beings, “is an appointed time” for the reward and punishment that Allah has promised. “The Day the Trumpet is blown, and you will come forth in crowds”: group after group (4), from every place for the reckoning. “And the heaven is opened”: the scholars of Kufa recited it without consonant doubling, while the others recited it with doubling; that is, it will be split open for the angels to descend. “And becomes gates”: that is, possessing gates. It was also said: it will come apart and scatter until it contains gates and passageways.