After mentioning the idolators who were too arrogant to sit with the poor and
weak among Muslims, showing off before them with their wealth and noble lineage,
Allah then gives a parable for them of two men, one of whom Allah gave two
gardens of grapes, surrounded with palm trees and cultivated with crops
throughout. All of the trees and plants were abundantly fruitful, providing
readily accessible, good quality produce. Allah says:
[كِلْتَا
الْجَنَّتَيْنِ آتَتْ أُكُلَهَا]
(Each of those two gardens brought forth its produce,) meaning, produced its
fruits,
[وَلَمْ تَظْلِمِ
مِّنْهُ شَيْئًا]
(and failed not in the least therein,) meaning, nothing at all was
diminishing.
[وَفَجَّرْنَا
خِلَـلَهُمَا نَهَراً]
(and We caused a river to gush forth in the midst of both.) means, rivers
were flowing through them here and there.
[وَكَانَ لَهُ
ثَمَرٌ]
(And he had Thamar,) It was said that what was meant here was wealth, and it
was said that what was meant were fruits, which is the more apparent meaning
here. This is also supported by the alternative recitation, Thumr, which is the
plural of Thamrah (fruit) just as Khushb is the plural of Khashab (wood). Others
recite it as Thamar.
[فَقَالَ]
(and he said) the owner of the two gardens
[لَصَـحِبِهِ وَهُوَ
يُحَاوِرُهُ]
(to his companion in the course of discussion) means, while he was disputing
with him and boasting to him and showing off,
[أَنَاْ أَكْثَرُ
مِنكَ مَالاً وَأَعَزُّ نَفَراً]
(I am greater than you in wealth and have a mightier entourage.) meaning, `I
have more servants, attendants and children.' Qatadah said, "This, by Allah, is
the wish of the immoral to have a lot of wealth and a large entourage. R
[وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ
وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ]
(And he went into his garden having been unjust to himself.) meaning, in his
disbelief, rebellion, arrogance and denial of the Hereafter.
[قَالَ مَآ أَظُنُّ
أَن تَبِيدَ هَـذِهِ أَبَداً]
(He said: "I do not think this will ever perish.'') Thus he was allowing
himself to be deceived because of the plants, fruits and trees that he saw, and
the rivers flowing through the different parts of his gardens. He thought that
it could never come to an end or cease or be destroyed. This was because of his
lack of understanding and the weakness of his faith in Allah, and because he was
enamored with this world and its adornments, and because he disbelieved in the
Hereafter. So he said:
[وَمَآ أَظُنُّ
السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً]
("And I do not think the Hour will ever come...'') meaning, will ever happen
[وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ
إِلَى رَبِّى لأَجِدَنَّ خَيْراً مِّنْهَا مُنْقَلَباً]
(and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, I surely shall find better than
this when I return to Him.) meaning, `if there is a Hereafter and a return to
Allah, then I will have a better share than this with my Lord, for if it were
not that I am dear to Him, He would not have given me all this.' As Allah says
elsewhere:
[وَلَئِن رُّجِّعْتُ
إِلَى رَبِّى إِنَّ لِى عِندَهُ لَلْحُسْنَى]
(But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best
with Him.) [41:50]
[أَفَرَأَيْتَ
الَّذِى كَفَرَ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَقَالَ لأوتَيَنَّ مَالاً وَوَلَداً ]
(Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our Ayat and said: "I shall certainly
be given wealth and children [if I will be alive again).'')[19:77] He took it
for granted that Allah would give him this, without any sound evidence for that.
The reason why this Ayah was revea- led was because of Al-`As bin Wa'il, as we
will explain in the appropriate place, if Allah wills. In Allah we put our
trust.
[قَالَ لَهُ
صَـحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَـوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن
نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلاً - لَّكِنَّ هُوَ اللَّهُ رَبِّى وَلاَ أُشْرِكُ
بِرَبِّى أَحَدًا - وَلَوْلا إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَآءَ اللَّهُ لاَ
قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَاْ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالاً وَوَلَدًا -
فعسَى رَبِّى أَن يُؤْتِيَنِ خَيْرًا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهَا
حُسْبَانًا مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ فَتُصْبِحَ صَعِيدًا زَلَقًا - أَوْ يُصْبِحَ مَآؤُهَا
غَوْرًا فَلَن تَسْتَطِيعَ لَهُ طَلَبًا ]
(37. His companion said to him during his discussion: "Do you disbelieve in
Him Who created you out of dust, then out of Nutfah, then fashioned you into a
man'') (38. "But as for my part, (I believe) that He is Allah, my Lord, and none
shall I associate as partner with my Lord.'') (39. "It was better for you to
say, when you entered your garden: `That which Allah wills! There is no power
but with Allah!' If you see me less than you in wealth, and children,'') (40.
"It may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and will
send on it Husban from the sky, then it will be as a barren slippery earth.'')
(41. "Or the water thereof becomes Ghawran so that you will never be able to
seek it.'')
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