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Surah 68. Al-Qalam
Ayah 17 - 33
١٧. إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ
١٨. وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ
١٩. فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ
٢٠. فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ
٢١. فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ
٢٢. أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ
٢٣. فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ
٢٤. أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ
٢٥. وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ
٢٦. فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ
٢٧. بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ
٢٨. قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
٢٩. قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ
٣٠. فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ
٣١. قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ
٣٢. عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ
٣٣. كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
[17-33] We have tried them (the people of Makkah) just as we had tried the owners of a certain garden,12 when they swore that they would surely pluck the fruit of their garden next morning, and they did not make any exception.13 But while they lay asleep at night, a calamity from your Lord visited the garden and it became as though it had already been reaped. In the morning they called out to one another, saying: "Go forth early to your tilth14 if you would pluck fruit." So they set out, whispering to one another, "Let no needy man approach you in the garden today." They hurried off early (to their garden) with the resolve not to give away anything15 as though they had the power (to pluck the fruit). But when they saw the garden, they said, "We have lost our way!-Nay, but we have been left destitute!"16 The best man among them said, "Did I not tell you, `Why do you not glorify (Allah)'?"17 They cried out, "Glorified is our Lord: we were indeed sinners!" Then they began to blame one another.18 At last, they said, "Alas for us! Indeed we had become rebellious. It may well be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better garden than this. We turn to our Lord." Such is the torment, and the torment of the Hereafter is far greater. Would that they knew this!
12Here, one should also keep Al-Kahf: 32-44 in view, in which the parable of the owners of two gardens has been cited for teaching a lesson.
13That is, "They were so sure and confident of their power and authority that they swore they would surely pluck the fruit of their garden next morning, without feeling any need to say, "We shall do so if Allah so willed."
14The word tilth probably has been used because in the garden there were fields of crops also in between the trees.
15The word hard in Arabic is used for hindering and withholding, for a purpose and resolution, and for making haste; hence, the composite rendering adopted by us.
16That is, on seeing the garden they didn't believe it was their own garden, and they said: "Perhaps we have lost our way and come to another place." But, when they considered it seriously and found it was their own garden, they cried out: "Alas we are undone!"
17This means that when they were saying on oath: "We shall surely pluck the fruit of our garden tomorrow," this person had warned them at that time, saying: "Have you forgotten God? Why don't you say: If Allah so wills?" But they did not listen to him. Then, while they were making up their mind not to give away anything to the needy. he again advised them to remember Allah and to desist from their evil intention, but they persisted in what they had resolved.
18That is, each reproached and blamed the other that because of his wrong counsel they had forgotten God and resolved upon an evil course.