"Then let him call his associates. We will call the angels of punishment (Zabaniyah)," meaning let Abu Jahl call, when We call the Zabaniyah—the keepers of the Fire—who will drag him by his forelock into the Fire, let him then call his associates; meaning his clan and his companions, so that they may prevent him from that.
Muhammad said: The singular of Zabaniyah is zibniyah, derived from al-zabn, and al-zabn means pushing; it is as if they push the people of the Fire into it.
﴿فَليدع نَادِيه سَنَدع الزَّبَانِيَة﴾ فَلْيَدْعُ أَبُو جَهْلٍ إِذَا دَعَوْنَا بالزبانية خَزَنَةَ النَّارِ فَجَرُّوا بِنَاصِيَتِهِ إِلَى النَّارِ فَلْيَدْعُ حِينَئِذٍ نَادِيَهُ؛ يَعْنِي: عَشِيرَتَهُ وَجُلَسَاءَهُ فَلْيَمْنَعُوهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: وَاحِدُ الزَّبَانِيَةِ: زِبْنِيَةٌ مَأْخُوذٌ مِنَ الزَّبْنِ، وَالزَّبْنُ: الدَّفْعُ؛ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَدْفَعُونَ أَهْلَ النَّارِ إِلَيْهَا.
