36. THE STORY OF THE COMPANIONS OF THE GARDEN
Allah, Most High, says, {Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pick them in the morning, without saying, ‘Insha’ Allah (if Allah wills)’. Then they passed by on the (garden) something (fire) from your Lord at night and burned it while they were asleep. So the (garden) became black by the morning, like as-sareem (in complete ruins). Then they called out to one another as soon as the morning broke, saying, “Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pick the fruits.” So they departed, yatakhafatoona, (saying,) “No miskeen (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today.” And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power. But when they saw it, they said, “Verily, we have gone astray,” (Then they said), “Nay! Indeed we are deprived!” The best among them said, “Did I not say to you: ‘Why do you not glorify?’ They said, “Glory to our Lord! Verily, we have been zalimoon (wrongdoers, etc.).” Then they turned, one against another, in reproach. They said, “Woe to us! Verily, we were taghoon (transgressors, disobedient, etc.)
We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord (wishing for good, that He may forgive our sins, and reward us in the Hereafter).” Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they but knew} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:17-33). And this is a parable set forth by Allah for the disbelievers of Quraish, regarding the Blessing that He bestowed on them, i.e. the sending of the great and noble Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to them and how they greeted him with denial and opposition, as He, Most High, says, {Have you not seen those who have changed the Blessings of Allah into disbelief (by denying Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and his Message of Islam), and caused their people to dwell in the house of destruction? Hell, in which they will burn – and what an evil place in which to settle!} (Soorah Ibraheem 14:28, 29). ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said, “They are the disbelievers of Quraish. So Allah, Most High, set forth for them the parable of the Companions of the Garden; their garden contained all kinds of crops and fruits, which were ripe and ready to be harvested. This is why He says, {when they swore…} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:17). That is, to one another. {…to pick them} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:17). That is, to harvest the fruits of the garden. {…in the morning} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:17). means, at daybreak, so that no poor or needy person should see them and they would not have to give them anything; and they swore an oath to that effect, but they did not add: ‘Insha’ Allah’ (if Allah wills) and so Allah invalidated their oath and brought destruction on their garden, burning it and leaving it blackened and ruined, so that nothing useful remained of it, which is why He says, {Then there passed by on the (garden) something (fire) from your Lord at night and burned it while they were asleep. So the (garden) became black by the morning, like as-sareem (in complete ruins)} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:19-20).
That is, like a black night, empty of any light. And this Treatment invalidated their intention. {Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:21). means, they woke up from their sleep and they called out to one another, saying, {“Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pick the fruits.”} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:22). That is, go to your orchard early in the morning and pick the fruit before the sun has properly risen and many questions are asked. {So they departed, yatakhafatoon (saying,)} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:23). That is, conversing with one another in low voices, saying, {“No miskeen (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today.”} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:24). That is, they consulted upon this and agreed upon it. {And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power.} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:25) That is, they went out to gather the fruits, believing that they had strength and power over their garden and concealing this bad intention in their hearts. ‘Ikrimah and Ash-Sha‘bi said that {and they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:25) means that they were angry with the poor. But As-Suddi erred widely in his interpretation when he said that the word hard was the name of their cultivated land. {But when they saw it…} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:26).
That is, they reached the garden and looked at the disaster that had befallen it, after it had been ripe for harvesting, beautiful and magnificent to behold. And they had been thus transformed because of their bad intention. When they saw what had happened, {they said, “Verily, we have gone astray,”} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:26). That is, we have taken the wrong path to it. Then they changed their minds and realized with certainty that it was actually the correct path, so they said, {“Nay! Indeed we are deprived!”} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:27). That is, we have been punished because of our bad intention and deprived of the blessing of our cultivation. {The awsat among them said} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:28). ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him), Mujahid and others said that it means: the fairest and the best of them said, {“Did I not say to you: ‘Why do you not glorify’?”} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:29). It was said by Mujahid, As-Suddi and Ibn Jareer At-Tabari that this means: Why did you not say, ‘Insha’ Allah’ (if Allah wills)?” It was also said that it means: Why did you not say something good, instead of the wicked thing that you said? {They said, “Glory to our Lord! Verily, we have been zalimoon (wrongdoers, etc.).” Then they turned, one against another, in reproach. They said, “Woe to us! Verily, we were taghoon (transgressors and disobedient, etc.)} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:29).
When it was no longer of any use to them, they expressed their regret and acknowledged their sin after the punishment had been inflicted on them and when it availed them nothing. Allah, Most High, says, {Such is the punishment (in this life)} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:30). That is, thus do We punish those who disobey Our Command and show no compassion for the poor and needy among Our creation. {…but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:33). means, more terrible and more severe than the punishment of this world. {…if they but knew} (Soorah Al-Qalam 68:33). And the story of these people resembles that of those in the story mentioned by Allah in His Words: {And Allah puts forward the example of a township (Makkah), that dwelt secure and well content; its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it (its people) denied the Favors of Allah (with ungratefulness). So Allah made it taste the extreme of hunger (famine) and fear, because of that (evil, i.e. denying Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)) which they (its people) used to do. And verily, there had come unto them a Messenger (Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)) from among themselves, but they denied him, so the torment overtook them while they were zalimoon.} (Soorah An-Nahl 16:112,113). It was said that this parable was set forth for the people of Makkah. It was also said it referred to the people of Makkah themselves and that Allah set forth the parable of them, for them. And this does not contradict the first opinion. And Allah (SWT) knows better.
By Ibn Katheer
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