سورة يس

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Dawud al-Nahdi narrates from some of his companions: Ibn Abi Sa'id al-Makari came to Imam Rida (peace be upon him) and said: ... A man at the time of his death says: "Every slave of mine who is old (qadim) is now freed for the sake of Allah [how then is one to know which of the slaves are qadim?]" The Imam answered: "Yes, Allah the Mighty and Majestic has said in the Qur'an: حَتَّی عَادَ کَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِیمِ [till it becomes again as an old dry palm branch]. So the slaves who have been with him for six months are qadim (old), and must be freed."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Concerning a man who made a will and said, "Every slave who is old (qadim) in my ownership, free him," and when he died the executor did not know what to do, so they asked the Imam (peace be upon him). He said: "Every slave who has been in his ownership for six months must be freed [and 'old' (qadim) applies to anything six months and above]," and [as a proof for this statement] he recited this noble verse: وَ الْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْناهُ مَنازِلَ حَتَّی عادَ کَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِیمِ [And (as for) the moon, We have ordained for it stages till it becomes again as an old dry palm branch]. And it has been established that a palm branch only becomes old and curved like a crescent after six months have passed from the picking of its dates. And he took this noble verse as a witness that 'old' (qadim) refers to six months and above.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): al-'urjun means the spathe of the palm tree (the first stage of the date's formation), which is like the crescent moon at the beginning of its rising.