There are various interpretations of this structure, which is generally held to denote the act of swearing an oath (so the negating particle lā is either otiose or belongs to a separate sentence). The second reading conveys this affirmed meaning with an emphatic lām [Makki]. These accord with the same skeletal structure, as the first alif may be left unpronounced. *NB: al-Bazzī from Ibn Kathīr has another narration agreeing with the majority. All readers have alif in the following ayah, which begins with the same phrase: wa-lā uqsimu.
He has revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Book in truth, confirming what came before it, as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel
Explication:
There are various interpretations of this structure, which is generally held to denote the act of swearing an oath (so the negating particle lā is either otiose or belongs to a separate sentence). The second reading conveys this affirmed meaning with an emphatic lām [Makki]. These accord with the same skeletal structure, as the first alif may be left unpronounced. *NB: al-Bazzī from Ibn Kathīr has another narration agreeing with the majority. All readers have alif in the following ayah, which begins with the same phrase: wa-lā uqsimu.