[His saying: Or like a rainstorm from the sky]

[The first interpretation]

180 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, Ahmad ibn Bashir narrated to us, from Harun ibn 'Antarah, from his father, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding "Or like a rainstorm from the sky," he said: It is rain. Abu Muhammad said: This is how it was interpreted by Abu al-'Aliyah, al-Hasan, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, 'Ata', 'Atiyyah al-'Awfi, Qatadah, 'Ata' al-Khurasani, al-Suddi, and al-Rabi' ibn Anas.

The second interpretation:

181 - 'Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to us, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us, Marwan narrated to us, from Juwaybir, from al-Dahhak regarding "Or like a rainstorm from the sky," he said: It is the clouds.

[His saying: In it are darknesses]

[The first interpretation]

182 - My father narrated to us, Abu Salih the scribe of al-Layth narrated to us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salih narrated to me, from 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding "In it are darknesses," he says: It is a trial.

The second interpretation:

183 - Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us, Abu Ghassan informed us: Salamah ibn al-Fadl narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, he said: In what Muhammad ibn Abi Muhammad, the freed slave of Zayd ibn Thabit, narrated to me, from 'Ikrimah or Sa'id ibn Jubayr, from Ibn 'Abbas: "In it are darknesses," meaning they are in the darkness of what they are in of disbelief and the fear of being killed—because of what they are upon of opposition and fear of you, being like what was described of the one who is in the darkness of the rainstorm.

The third interpretation:

184 - Abu al-Azhar informed us in what he wrote to me, Wahb ibn Jarir narrated to us, my father narrated to us, from 'Ali ibn al-Hakam, from al-Dahhak regarding "In it are darknesses," as for the darkness, it is misguidance.

His saying, the Exalted: And thunder

[The first interpretation]

185 - Abu Sa'id Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Qattan narrated to us, Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri narrated to us, 'Abd Allah ibn al-Walid (meaning from the descendants of Ma'qil ibn Muqarrin) narrated to us, Bukayr ibn Shihab narrated to me, from Sa'id ibn Jubayr, from Ibn 'Abbas, he said: The Jews came to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) and said: O Abu al-Qasim, tell us what this thunder is? He said: An angel among the angels of God, entrusted with the clouds, in his hand—or in his hands—are fire-brands (makhariq) with which he rebukes the clouds and drives them wherever God commands him. They said: What is this sound that is heard? He said: It is his voice. They said: You have spoken the truth.