Taberî interprets the expression 'sıbgatallah' as 'the religion/faith of Allah'; that is, the faith that the believers express by saying 'âmennâ' is characterized as a coloring/quality determined by Allah. He also explains the expressions 'ونحن له مسلمون/خاضعون' within a context that describes Jacob and his sons submitting themselves to Allah's obedience, worship, and lordship with emphasis. He mentions that the Tribes (Esbat) are communities descended from Jacob's twelve sons and reports that the reason Ismail is mentioned before Isaac stems from his greater age.

يعني: ونحن ندين لله بالإسلام، لا ندين غيره، بل نتبرأ إليه من كل دين سواه، ومن كل ملة غيره، ويعني بقوله: ونحن له منقادون بالطاعة، متذللون بالعبودية، مقرون له بالألوهة والربوبية، وأنه لا إله غيره

According to Zemahşerî, the interrogation in the verse aims at negation; that is, the question 'were you witnesses to this?' is used to demonstrate that the polytheists did not base their attribution of this prohibition to Allah on any revelation or prophetic testimony. Because they claimed 'Allah has forbidden this' without believing in the prophets, the verse mocks them for this inconsistency (tehekküm). The mention of witnessing is stated according to their own doctrines/attitudes.

ومعنى الهمزة الإنكار ، يعني أم شاهدتم ربكم حين أمركم بهذا التحريم ؟ وذكر المشاهدة على مذهبهم ، لأنهم كانوا لا يؤمنون برسول وهم يقولون : الله حرم هذا الذي نحرمه ، فتهكم بهم

This text states that Abraham's question to his polytheist people was asked in order to show that the things they worshipped were not worthy of worship. It also discusses the linguistic and grammatical aspects (i'rab) of the expressions in the sons' response in the context of Jacob's testament (the use of 'mâ', the mention of Ismail's name before Isaac, the construct state of the expression 'min ba'dî'). Moreover, proceeding from the verse, it conveys legal jurisprudential disagreements (Shâfi'î and Abû Hanîfah views) regarding the matter of grandfather and brothers in inheritance law.

وكان إبراهيم عليه السلام يعلم أنهم عبدة أصنام ولكنه سألهم ليريهم أن ما يعبدونه ليس من استحقاق العبادة في شيء كما تقول لتاجر الرقيق ما مالك ؟ وأنت تعلم أن ماله الرقيق ، ثم تقول : الرقيق جمال وليس بمال

Kurtubî states that the names Abraham, Ismail, and Isaac are in the genitive case as substitutes (badal) and are not declinable because they are not Arabic; he also explains that the word 'ilâhen' is a substitute for an indefinite noun in place of a definite one, and that its repetition reinforces the attribute of oneness. Furthermore, he emphasizes that the expression 'mâ' in the verse is intentionally used instead of 'men', and that this serves Jacob's purpose of testing his sons, because the things worshipped could be lifeless objects (idols, fire, sun, stone).

والها بدل من إلهك بدل النكرة من المعرفة وكرره لفائدة الصفة بالوحدانية وقيل : إلها حال قال بن عطية : وهو قول حسن لأن الغرض إثبات حال الوحدانية

Ibn Kesîr mentions that in the verse Ismail is cited as 'father' to Jacob's sons in the manner of tağlîb (preponderance), whereas Ismail was actually their uncle. He reports that the Arabs also called their uncle 'ab' (father). He also conveys that this verse is presented as evidence for the view that the grandfather is considered equivalent to the father and brothers are deprived of inheritance, and he relates the disagreement on this matter among the Companions and jurists.

وهذا من باب التغليب لا ن إسماعيل عمه قال النحاس والعرب تسمى العم أبا نقله القرطبي وقد استدل بهذه الآية الكريمة من جعل الجد أبا وحجب به الإخوة كما هو قول الصديق

According to Beydâvî, the interrogation in the verse carries the meaning of negation; that is, it is intended to refute the claims of the addressees regarding Judaism about Jacob, even though they were not present at Jacob's death. According to another explanation, the address is directed at the believers, and it is explained that they knew of this event not as direct witnesses but through revelation. Jacob's question to his sons aims to establish them firmly upon monotheism and Islam, to take their covenant upon this faith; the fact that Ismail is counted as 'ata' (father) in the sons' response is based on the tradition of evaluating the grandfather-uncle relationship within the scope of fatherhood.

أي ما كنتم حاضرين إذ حضر يعقوب الموت وقال لبنيه ما قال فلم تدعون اليهودية عليه، أو متصلة بمحذوف تقديره أكنتم غائبين أم كنتم شاهدين. وقيل: الخطاب للمؤمنين والمعنى ما شاهدتم ذلك وإنما علمتموه بالوحي