وَقَدْAnd indeedسَبَقَhas precededهُنَاhereالرَّدُّthe refutationلِقَوْمٍof a peopleاعْتَادُواwho became accustomed toالْمُقَدِّمَاتِthe famousالْمَشْهُورَةَpremisesوَالْمُتَوَهَّمَاتِand the poeticالشِّعْرِيَّةِillusionsوَكَانَand most of themأَكْثَرُهُمْwereمِنْofهَذَاthisالْقَبِيلِsort.
And indeed, the refutation of a people who were accustomed to famous premises and poetic illusions has preceded here, and most of them were of this sort.
الرَّدُّThe refutationعَلَىofالتَّحْرِيفِ:the distortion:
The refutation of the distortion:
وَكَانَAnd the refutationالرَّدُّofعَلَىthe distortionالتَّحْرِيفِwasبِإِثْبَاتِby establishingأَمْرَيْنِ:two matters:
And the refutation of the distortion was by establishing two matters:
1 - That what they say of distortions was not transmitted from the imams of the upright religion (Ibrahim, Ismail, and others of the past prophets).
2 - That it is from the inventions and innovations of those who are not infallible.
[الرَّدُّ[The refutationعَلَىofاسْتِبْعَادِthe deeming far-fetchedالْقِيَامَةِ:]of the Resurrection:]
[The refutation of the deeming far-fetched of the Resurrection:]
وَكَانَAnd the refutationالرَّدُّofعَلَىthe deeming far-fetchedاسْتِبْعَادِofالْبَعْثِresurrectionوَالْحَشْرِand gatheringوَالنَّشْرِand dispersalبِوُجُوهٍwas with numerousعَدِيدَةٍ.ways.
And the refutation of deeming the resurrection, gathering, and dispersal far-fetched was through numerous ways.
1 - By analogy to the revival of the earth after its death, and similar examples.
2 - By refining the rationale, which is an expression here for clarifying the comprehensiveness of divine power and the possibility of restoration after inception, rather its absolute ease and simplicity.
3 - By explaining the agreement of all the people of the heavenly books in proclaiming the resurrection and believing in it.