English Translation

Abu Bakr al-Shafi'i informed me — Ishaq ibn al-Hasan narrated to us — Abu Hudhayfa narrated to us — Sufyan narrated to us — from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abis who said: I heard Hadrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be well pleased with them both) when he was asked about this verse: {Indeed, it throws sparks as huge as castles} [al-Mursalat 32]. He said: In the pre-Islamic era, we used to cut wood two or three cubits long and store it for winter, and we called it al-qasr. He said: And I heard Ibn Abbas when he was asked about {As if they were yellow camels} [al-Mursalat 33]. He said: They are the ropes of ships, which are gathered together until they become thick.