تفسير : (a multitude of those of old) a group of people from the earlier nations before the community of muhammad (pbuh)
Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī
تفسير : a multitude from the former [generations] (thullatun mina’l-awwalīna, the subject), that is to say, a group of individuals from communities of old,
Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi
تفسير : (a multitude of those of old, and a multitude of those of later time) [56:13-14].
‘urwah ibn ruwaym said: “when allah, exalted is he, revealed (a multitude of those of old, and a few of those of later time) [56:13-14], ‘umar [ibn al-khattab] wept and said: ‘o messenger of allah, we believed in you and accepted your message and despite this only a few of us will be saved’. allah, exalted is he, revealed (a multitude of those of old, and a multitude of those of later time). the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, then summoned ‘umar and said: ‘o ‘umar ibn al-khattab, allah has revealed something about what you said and made it (a multitude of those of old, and a multitude of those of later time)’. ‘umar exclaimed: ‘we are pleased with our lord and believe in our prophet. the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, then said: ‘from adam to us a multitude of people, and from me to the day of judgement a multitude which will only be completed by black herdsmen who say, there is no deity except allah’ ”.
Sahl al-Tustari
تفسير : a multitude from the former [generations], he said:that is, a group of those of old (awwalūn), and they are the people of gnosis (maʿrifa) [from the past].
