Tafsir of Al-Isra 17:60

{And when We said}—that is, remember the time of our saying, by means of revelation—{to you, O Muhammad, "Indeed, your Lord has encompassed the people"}—meaning in knowledge, as narrated by more than one from Ibn Abbas, may Allah the Exalted be pleased with him. Thus, nothing of their conditions or actions—past or future, including disbelief and denial—is hidden from Him, glory be to Him.

His saying, the Exalted: {And We did not make the vision which We showed you except as a trial for the people} until the end of the verse, is a notification of its reality, inferred from what emanated from them upon the arrival of some signs. This is because all of these [events] share in being matters that transcend natural custom, sent down from the Presence of the Lord of Might—glorified be His Majesty—to confirm His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. Consequently, their denial of some of them indicates a denial of the rest, just as the denial of the earlier ones regarding that which was not requested indicates their denial of that which was requested.

The "vision" (ru'ya) refers to the wonders of the heavens and the earth that he, peace and blessings be upon him, witnessed on the night he was taken for the Night Journey (Isra'), as narrated by Al-Bukhari, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i, and a group from Ibn Abbas. To many, it is synonymous with "sight" (ru'ya) in a general sense; both are verbal nouns of ra'a (to see), like qurba (kinship) and qaraba. Some have said: It is literal for a dream-vision, not a waking vision at night. The common view is that it is linguistically specific to dreams, and those who claim that the Isra' was a dream held onto this. However, there is that in the verse which refutes them. Those who hold the popular view—the proponents of the fact that it was in a waking state, which is the correct view—say: Expressing it as a "vision" is either a linguistic conformity (mushakala) to their naming it a vision, or it follows their claim, similar to naming idols "gods." It has been narrated that some of them said to him, peace and blessings be upon him, when he related the Isra' to them, "Perhaps it is something you saw in your sleep," or it is by way of comparison to a dream because of the wonders it contained, or because it occurred at night, or due to its speed.

Meaning: We did not make the vision which We showed you with your own eyes—despite it being a magnificent sign, and what a sign it is, as you have established the proof of its truthfulness—except as a trial, by which people were tested until some who had embraced Islam apostatized.

{And the tree}—a conjunction linked to "the vision," meaning: And We did not make the tree {cursed in the Qur'an} except as a trial for them as well. The intended meaning, as narrated by Al-Bukhari and many others from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, is the Zaqqum tree. The intended meaning of cursing it is cursing those among the disbelievers who eat from it, as has also been narrated from him. Describing it as such is a metaphorical attribution (majaz fi al-isnad), and it contains the hyperbolic force that it contains. Or, it refers to the cursing of the tree itself, with "cursing" meaning its linguistic sense: distance. Being in the most distant place from mercy, which is the root of Hell where it grows, it is cursed in reality.

Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from the scholar [Ibn Abbas] that it was described as "cursed" because its fruit is likened to the heads of devils, and devils are cursed. It is also said that the Arabs called every hateful, harmful food "cursed." It is narrated regarding its being a trial for them that when what was sent down in Surah al-Saffat and elsewhere regarding it was revealed, Abu Jahl and others said, "This Muhammad promises you a fire that burns stones, then says trees grow in it, and we only know Zaqqum as dates with butter." Abu Jahl ordered a servant of his to bring dates and butter, and he said to his companions, "Zaqqum yourselves." Some of the weak-minded were also tried by this statement. They indeed strayed far in that, for they opposed the dictates of their own reason; they see the ostrich swallowing burning coals and pieces of red-hot iron without it harming it, and the salamander—from its fur, handkerchiefs are made that are thrown into the fire when dirty, and the dirt disappears while it remains intact. Among their proverbs is: "In every tree, there is fire," and the Markh and 'Afar trees are used to kindle it.

From Ibn Abbas, it is [the tree known as] the Kashuth mentioned in His saying, the Exalted: {Like a wretched tree, uprooted from above the earth, having no stability}. Its being "cursed in the Qur'an" is its description therein with what you heard in this verse. What was mentioned earlier from the Arabs regarding the trial of it is that they said upon hearing the verse, "What is the matter with weeds being mentioned in the Qur'an?" The relied-upon view among the majority is the report in the Sahih from the scholar [Ibn Abbas].

Zayd ibn Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, recited "And the tree" (wa al-shajaratu) in the nominative case as an ibtida' (subject) with the predicate omitted, meaning: "And the tree cursed in the Qur'an is likewise." {And We frighten them} by that and its equivalents among the verses, for all are for the purpose of frightening. The future tense is chosen to indicate continuous renewal.

Al-A'mash recited "And He frightens them" (wa yukhawwifuhum) with the ya at the end of the letters. {And it increases them}—the frightening—{only in great tyranny}—that is, going beyond the limit—{not able to be measured}. If We had sent the signs they requested, they would have done to them what they did to their predecessors, and what was done to their likes would have been done to them. Our word has already preceded regarding the delay of general punishment until the Great Catastrophe (al-tamma al-kubra). This, in my view, is the most consistent with the noble arrangement [of the Qur'an], and it was chosen in Irshad al-'Aql al-Salim.

From Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Qatadah, and most exegetes is the interpretation of "encompassing" (ihata) as power. The speech is directed at consoling the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding any sadness he might experience due to the lack of response to his request for signs, because requesting them contradicts wisdom, owing to the insults of the disbelievers who used to say, "If you were truly a messenger, you would have brought this miracle as the prophets before you, peace be upon them, brought them." It is as if it were said: "Remember the time of Our saying to you that your Lord, who is Kind to you, has encompassed the people, so they are in the grip of His power; they are unable to escape the shackles of His will. He protects you from them, so do not grieve for them, and proceed with what I have commanded you of conveying the message. Do you not see that the vision which We showed you before, We made it a trial for the people, productive of doubt, even though it did not cause any weakness in your affair or flagging in your state?"

Some have taken "encompassing" to mean "encompassing by knowledge," yet he mentioned in the summary of the meaning what is close to what was mentioned, saying: "That is, He, glory be to Him, is knowing of the people in the most perfect way, so He knows their intention to harm you if you do not bring them what they requested, and He shields you from them, so proceed in what you are doing of conveying and warning. Do you not see..." etc.

It is not hidden that mentioning the Lord in relation to his—peace and blessings be upon him—pronoun, and commanding him, peace and blessings be upon him, to remember that statement, is more appropriate for the verse being directed toward consoling him in the manner that was conveyed. Mentioning the "frightening" and that it increases them only in great tyranny is more consistent with how the verse was interpreted at first. Some have claimed that it is not devoid of a type of consolation. It is said: "Encompassing" here means destruction, as in His saying, the Exalted: {And his fruit was encompassed [by ruin]}. And "the people" are the Quraysh, and the time of that destruction was the day of Badr. It is expressed in the past tense, despite it being anticipated—as His saying, the Exalted, {The assembly will be defeated and turn their backs} and His saying, the Exalted, {Say to those who disbelieve: "You will be overcome and gathered to Hell,"} and others indicate—because its occurrence is certain.

The vision was interpreted as what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saw in his sleep of their death-places, as is stated in some narrations. It is authentic that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when he arrived at the water of Badr, would say, "By Allah, it is as if I am looking at their death-places," placing his noble hand on the ground here and there and saying, "This is the death-place of so-and-so, this is the death-place of so-and-so," and it is apparent that this was a dream.

It is narrated that the Quraysh heard about what was revealed to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding Badr and what he was shown in his sleep of their death-places, so they laughed and mocked. This is what is meant by "the trial." And by what he saw, peace and blessings be upon him, that he would enter Makkah, and he told his companions, so they set out for it, but the polytheists blocked them in the year of Al-Hudaybiyyah. Abu Muslim and Al-Jubba'i inclined toward this. He excused the fact that what was mentioned is Madinan by saying that it is permissible that the revelation of their destruction, and likewise the vision, occurred in Makkah, and mentioning the vision and designating the death-places occurred after the Hijrah. This requires that the being "tried" by that was after the Hijrah and that their increase in tyranny was expected and not yet realized at the time of the revelation of the verse, and all of that is contrary to the apparent meaning.

Ibn Jarir narrated from Sahl ibn Sa'd that he said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw the Umayyads jumping on his pulpit like monkeys, and that grieved him, and he did not laugh for the rest of his life, peace and blessings be upon him, and Allah the Exalted revealed this verse: {And We did not make the vision}..." etc.

Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Mardawayh, Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Dala'il, and Ibn 'Asakir narrated from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib that he said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw the Umayyads on the pulpits, and that grieved him. So Allah, the Exalted, revealed to him, 'It is only the world which they were given,' so his eyes were comforted. That is His saying, the Exalted: {And We did not make the vision}..." etc.

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Ya'la ibn Murrah that he said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "I saw the Umayyads on the pulpits of the earth, and they will rule you, and you will find them to be evil masters." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, became concerned about that, so Allah, the Exalted, revealed: {And We did not make the vision} to the end of the verse.

He also narrated from Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "I saw the children of Al-Hakam ibn Abi al-'As on the pulpits as if they were monkeys." And Allah the Exalted revealed regarding that: {And We did not make the vision} etc., and "the cursed tree" is Al-Hakam and his children. In the phrasing of some exegetes, it is the Umayyads.

Ibn Mardawayh narrated from 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said to Marwan ibn al-Hakam: "I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say to your father and grandfather: 'You are the cursed tree in the Qur'an.'" According to this, the meaning of His encompassing the people is the encompassing of His decrees over them. The speech, according to what has been said, is based on the deletion of a genitive; meaning: "And We did not make the interpretation of the vision," or the vision itself is a metaphor for its interpretation. The meaning of making that a "trial" for the people is making it a tribulation and a test for them, and with this Ibn al-Musayyib interpreted it. This was in relation to their caliphs who did what they did and deviated from the paths of truth—and they did not deviate—and what followed it in relation to those other than their caliphs among them who were acting with them and working for evil, or those who were among their helpers, however it may be. It is possible that the intended meaning is: "We did not make their caliphate, and We did not make them themselves, except as a trial," and this carries within it the hyperbole in condemning them that it contains.

Making the pronoun in "We frighten them" in this view [refer to the vision], was because it was the first, or to the tree, considering that the intended meaning is the Umayyads. Their being cursed is because of what emanated from them: the violation of inviolable blood and protected chastity, the seizure of wealth without right, the withholding of rights from those entitled to them, the changing of laws, and ruling by other than what Allah the Exalted revealed to His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, along with other immense evils and grave disgraces that can hardly be forgotten as long as nights and days endure.

Their being cursed in the Qur'an came either specifically—as the Shi'a claim—or generally, as we say. For Allah, the Exalted and Most High, has said: {Indeed, those who harm Allah and His Messenger—Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter}. And He, the Mighty and Majestic, said: {So would you perhaps, if you turned away, cause corruption on earth and sever your ties of relationship? Those [who do so] are the ones that Allah has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision}, along with other verses. Their entry into the generality of this is almost a primary entry. However, it is not hidden that this does not, according to most of the Sunnis, permit cursing one of them specifically, for they have stated that it is not permissible to curse a specific disbeliever unless his death upon disbelief is confirmed, such as Pharaoh and Nimrod. How, then, about someone who is not a disbeliever?

Al-Siraj al-Bulqini claimed the permissibility of cursing a specific sinner, and he illuminated his claim with the Sahihayn hadith: "If a man invites his wife to his bed and she refuses to come, and he spends the night angry, the angels curse her until morning."

His son, Al-Jalal, said: "I debated with my father on that, with the possibility that the angels' cursing of her is general, by saying, 'May Allah curse whoever spends the night refusing her husband's bed.' If he had argued for that with the report of Muslim that he, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by a donkey whose face had been branded, and he said, 'May Allah curse whoever did this,' it would have been more evident, as the indication in this is explicit in cursing a specific person—unless it is interpreted that the intended meaning is the doer of the genus of that act, not the doer of this specific act, and that has what it has [of weakness]." Some who agreed with him also argued for that with the established fact that he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "O Allah, curse Ri'l, Dhakwan, and 'Usayyah; they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger," for it contains the cursing of specific groups of people. It was answered that it is permissible that he, peace and blessings be upon him, knew their death, or the death of most of them, in a state of disbelief, so he did not curse except those whose death upon it he knew—and this is what you see. It is not hidden that interpreting the verse with what was mentioned is not clearly consistent with the context. Allah the Exalted knows best the authenticity of the hadiths.

It is said: "The cursed tree" is a metaphor for Abu Jahl, and he was a trial and tribulation for the Muslims—may Allah the Exalted curse him. It is said: It is a metaphor for the Jews who backed one another against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and their being cursed in the Qur'an is clear. Their trial was that they were awaiting his mission, peace and blessings be upon him, but when he was sent, they disbelieved in him and said, "He is not the one we were waiting for," and they discouraged many people from Islam by their statement.