سورة العاديات

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): وَ الْعادِیاتِ ضَبْحاً [I swear by the runners breathing pantingly]; al-'Adiyat means the riding horses, and al-dabh means the neighing of the horses in their reins and bridles.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ الْعادِیاتِ ضَبْحاً [I swear by the runners breathing pantingly]; that is, they charged upon them neighing; the dubah of a dog means its sound.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: I was sitting in the Hijr of Isma'il (beside the Ka'bah) when a man came to me and asked about the meaning of the verse وَ الْعادِیاتِ ضَبْحاً. I said to him: It refers to the horses that charge in the path of jihad, and at night return to their resting place, and the soldiers who light fires and prepare food for themselves. That man left me and went to Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), who was beside the well of Zamzam, and asked him about this same verse. He said: "Have you asked anyone about this verse before me?" He said: "Yes! I asked Ibn Abbas and he said: it refers to the horses that charge in the path of jihad." Ali (peace be upon him) said: "Go and call him to come to me." When I came before Ali (peace be upon him), he said: "Why do you give the people fatwas on what you do not know? By Allah! The first battle in Islam was the battle of Badr, and we had with us only two horses — a horse belonging to Zubayr and a horse belonging to Miqdad. How [do you say] al-'Adiyat means horses?! No! What is meant is the camels that travel from Arafat to Mash'ar and from Mash'ar to Mina." When I heard this, I withdrew from my opinion and accepted the view of Ali (peace be upon him).

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): [Majma' al-Bayan has narrated from Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Ibn Mas'ud and others.] What is meant is the camels that, when going to the battle of Badr, would stretch their necks while moving [and running] [in order to move more swiftly]; so it means that the camel hastened in its movement.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Jabir ibn Yazid says: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: وَ الْعادِیاتِ ضَبْحاً. He said: "It is the galloping of horses in battle."