Here Allah asks: `Is that which He has mentioned of the delights of Paradise
with its food, drink, companions and other joys better entertainment, or
[أَمْ شَجَرَةُ
الزَّقُّومِ]
(or the tree of Zaqqum) which is in Hell' The meaning here is a specific kind
of tree which is called Zaqqum. This is like the Ayah:
[وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ
مِن طُورِ سَيْنَآءَ تَنبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ وَصِبْغٍ لِّلأَكِلِيِنَ ]
(And a tree that springs forth from Mount Sinai, that grows (produces) oil,
and (it is a) relish for the eaters.) (23:20) -- which is the olive tree. This
is supported by the Ayah:
[ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ
أَيُّهَا الضَّآلُّونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ - لاّكِلُونَ مِن شَجَرٍ مِّن زَقُّومٍ
]
(Then moreover, verily, -- you the erring-ones, the deniers! You, verily,
will eat of the trees of Zaqqum.) (56:51-52).
[إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـهَا
فِتْنَةً لِّلظَّـلِمِينَ ]
(Truly, We have made it (as) a trial for the wrongdoers.) Qatadah said, "The
tree of Zaqqum is mentioned as a test for those who are misguided. They said,
`Your companion tells you that in the Fire there is a tree, but fire consumes
trees.' Then Allah revealed the words:
[إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ
تَخْرُجُ فِى أَصْلِ الْجَحِيمِ ]
(Verily, it is a tree that springs out of the bottom of Hell-fire.) meaning,
it is nourished by the fire, for it was created from fire.'' Mujahid said:
[إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـهَا
فِتْنَةً لِّلظَّـلِمِينَ ]
(Truly, We have made it (as) a trial for the wrongdoers.) Abu Jahl, may Allah
curse him, said, "Zaqqum means dates and butter which I eat [Atazaqqamuhu].'' I
say that the meaning of the Ayah is, "We have told you, O Muhammad, of the tree
of Zaqqum as a trial with which We test the people to see who will believe and
who will disbelieve.'' This is like the Ayah:
[وَمَا جَعَلْنَا
الرُّءْيَا الَّتِى أَرَيْنَـكَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ
الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِى القُرْءَانِ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلاَّ
طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا]
(And We made not the vision which we showed you but a trial for mankind, and
the accursed tree in the Qur'an. We warn and make them afraid but it only
increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to
Allah) (17:60).
[إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ
تَخْرُجُ فِى أَصْلِ الْجَحِيمِ ]
(Verily, it is a tree that springs out of the bottom of Hell-fire.) means,
its roots grow at the bottom of Hell.
[طَلْعُهَا كَأَنَّهُ
رُءُوسُ الشَّيَـطِينِ ]
(The shoots of its fruit stalks are like the heads of Shayatin. ) this is a
description of how ugly and repulsive it is. It is likened to
[رُءُوسُ
الشَّيَـطِينِ]
(the heads of Shayatin ), even though they have never seen them, because it
is a well-established idea in people's minds that devils are ugly in appearance.
[فَإِنَّهُمْ
لاّكِلُونَ مِنْهَا فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ ]
(Truly, they will eat thereof and fill their bellies therewith.) Allah
mentions that they will eat of this extremely ugly tree even though its fruit
tastes and smells so bad; they will be forced to eat from it because they will
not find anything else to eat except this tree and similar things, as Allah
says:
[لَّيْسَ لَهُمْ
طَعَامٌ إِلاَّ مِن ضَرِيعٍ - لاَّ يُسْمِنُ وَلاَ يُغْنِى مِن جُوعٍ ]
(No food will there be for them but a poisonous thorny plant, Which will
neither nourish nor avail against hunger.) (88:6 -7).
[ثُمَّ إِنَّ لَهُمْ
عَلَيْهَا لَشَوْباً مِنْ حَمِيمٍ ]
(Then on the top of that they will be boiling Hamim) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be
pleased with him, said, "This means they will be given boiling Hamim to drink
after they have eaten from Zaqqum.'' According to another report, he said that
this means a mixture made from boiling water. Someone else said that it means
boiling water will be mixed with pus and offensive discharges that leak from
their private parts and eyes. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said,
"When the people of Hell get hungry, they will ask for food from the tree of
Zaqqum. They will eat from it, then the skin of their faces will fall off, If
someone were to pass by, he would recognize them from their faces. Then thirst
will be sent upon them, so they will ask to be given something to drink, and
they will be given water like boiling oil that has been heated to the ultimate
degree. When it is brought near to their mouths, the flesh of their faces from
which the skin has fallen off will be baked by its heat, and whatever is in
their stomachs will melt. They will walk with their guts falling out and with
their skin falling off, then they will be beaten with hooked rods of iron. Then
every part of their bodies will burst into loud lamentations.
[ثُمَّ إِنَّ
مَرْجِعَهُمْ لإِلَى الْجَحِيمِ ]
(Then thereafter, verily, their return is to the flaming fire of Hell.)
means, after that interval, they will be sent back to the burning fire, searing
heat and scorching flames, and they will rotate between the one and the other.
This is like the Ayah,
[يَطُوفُونَ
بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ ءَانٍ ]
(They will go between it (Hell) and the fierce boiling water!) (55:44).
Qatadah recited this Ayah when discussing this Ayah. This is a good
interpretation. `Abdullah bin Mas`ud recited it differently, with the meaning
"Their return in the afternoon.'' `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, used
to say: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, midday on the Day of Resurrection
will not come until the people of Paradise will be in Paradise and the people of
Hell will be in Hell.'' Then he recited:
[أَصْحَـبُ
الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَيْرٌ مُّسْتَقَرّاً وَأَحْسَنُ مَقِيلاً ]
(The dwellers of Paradise will, on that Day, have the best abode, and have
the fairest of places for repose) (25:24). Allah's saying;
[إِنَّهُمْ
أَلْفَوْاْ ءَابَآءَهُمْ ضَآلِّينَ ]
(Verily, they found their fathers on the wrong path;) means, `We will punish
them for that because they found their fathers following misguidance and they
followed them with no evidence or proof.' Allah says:
[فَهُمْ عَلَى
ءَاثَارِهِمْ يُهْرَعُونَ ]
(So they (too) hastened in their footsteps!) Mujahid said, "This is like
running.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "They followed ignorance and foolishness.''
[وَلَقَدْ ضَلَّ
قَبْلَهُمْ أَكْثَرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ - وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيهِمْ مُّنذِرِينَ -
فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُنذَرِينَ إِلاَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ
الْمُخْلَصِينَ ]
(71. And indeed most of the earlier ones went astray before them;) (72. And
indeed We sent among them warners;) (73. Then see what was the end of those who
were warned.) (74. Except the chosen servants of Allah.) Allah tells us that
most of the previous nations went astray, worshipping other gods alongside
Allah. He states that He sent among them warners to alert them to the anger,
wrath and vengeance of Allah towards those who disbelieve in Him and worship
others besides Him. He tells us that they persisted in their opposition to their
Messengers and their disbelief in them, so He destroyed those who disbelieved in
Him and saved the believers and caused them to prevail. Allah says:
[فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ
كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُنذَرِينَ إِلاَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ ]
(Then see what was the end of those who were warned. Except the chosen
servants of Allah).
[وَلَقَدْ نَادَانَا
نُوحٌ فَلَنِعْمَ الْمُجِيبُونَ - وَنَجَّيْنَـهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنَ الْكَرْبِ
الْعَظِيمِ - وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَـقِينَ - وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ
فِى الاٌّخِرِينَ - سَلَـمٌ عَلَى نُوحٍ فِى الْعَـلَمِينَ - إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ
نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ - إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ثُمَّ
أَغْرَقْنَا الاٌّخَرِينَ ]
(75. And indeed Nuh invoked Us, and We are the best of those who answer.)
(76. And We rescued him and his family from the great distress,) (77. And, his
progeny, them We made the survivors.) (78. And left for him (a goodly
remembrance) among the later generations) (79. "Salam (peace!) be upon Nuh among
the all creatures!'') (80. Verily, thus We reward the gooddoers.) (81. Verily,
he [Nuh] was one of Our believing servants.) (82. Then We drowned the
others.)
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