Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:146

"And We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him" (146)

That is, We caused it to grow overshadowing him, acting as a canopy for him like a tent. "Over him" ('alayhi) is a circumstantial qualifier for "a plant" (shajarah), placed before it because it is an indefinite noun. Yaqtin (gourd) is of the pattern yaf'il from qatana in a place, meaning to reside in it. Al-Tabarsi added that it signifies a transient residence, not a permanent one.

The intended meaning, according to al-Hasan al-Sibt, Ibn ‘Abbas (in one narration), Ibn Mas‘ud, Abu Hurayrah, ‘Amr ibn Maymun, Qatadah, ‘Ikrimah, Ibn Jubayr, and Mujahid (in one of two narrations from them), is al-dubba’, which is the well-known squash (pumpkin). The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, loved it. Allah the Exalted caused it to grow over him, overshadowing him, because it possesses qualities such as the coolness of its shade, the smoothness of its texture, the size of its leaves, and the fact that flies do not land upon it, as has been stated. Due to his skin being tender from his stay in the belly of the whale, flies were causing him harm, as was contact with anything coarse, and the heat of the sun was painful to him; he found the cool shade pleasant, so Allah the Exalted favored him with that. It is mentioned that squash leaves are the most beneficial thing for one whose skin has peeled.

It is well-known that a "tree" (shajar) is that which has a stalk made of wood, so interpreting the "tree" here as squash is problematic. Abu Hayyan replied that it is possible Allah the Exalted caused it to grow with a stalk to shade him, as an exception to the custom (khalqan lil-‘adah). Al-Kirmani said: "Custom limits 'trees' to those with stalks, but among the Arabs, everything that has a root that remains is a tree, and otherwise it is a 'star' (najm [herbaceous plant])." The statement of the most eloquent of the eloquent, peace and blessings be upon him, "the tree of garlic," serves as evidence for this.

Some notable scholars have said: "You may say that its root meaning is that which has a root, but it became dominant in the convention of the linguists to mean that which has a stalk and branches. When it is used absolutely, the second meaning comes to mind, but when it is qualified, as is the case here, it reverts to its original meaning, which is the apparent sense." Furthermore, what Abu Hayyan stated is an over-stretching in a matter where there is no room for mere opinion.

‘Abd ibn Humayd and Ibn Jarir recorded from Ibn Jubayr that he said: "Every plant that does not have a stalk is from the yaqtin, such as melons and cucumbers that grow upon the face of the earth." In another narration from him, he was asked about yaqtin, "Is it squash?" He replied: "No, but it is a tree that Allah named yaqtin, which provided him with shade." In another narration from Ibn ‘Abbas, it is "everything that grows and then dies within its year," and in another, "everything that spreads out upon the face of the earth."

It was also said that the yaqtin tree is the banana tree, which covered him with its leaves, provided shade with its branches, and he broke his fast on its fruits. It was also said to be the fig tree; however, the most correct view is the aforementioned one.

It is reported from Qatadah that he, peace be upon him, used to eat of that squash. It came in a narration from Abu Hurayrah that he said: "He was cast onto the open wasteland, so Allah the Exalted caused a yaqtinah to grow over him." It was asked, "What is a yaqtinah?" He said, "The squash plant. Allah provided him with a wild mountain goat that would eat the vegetation of the earth, then return to him and satisfy him with its milk, evening and morning, until he recovered." It was also said that he used to take shade under the tree, and the mountain goat would come to him so he could drink from its milk. In some reports, it is stated that it grew and shaded him on that same day.

Ahmad recorded in al-Zuhd and others from Wahb that when he emerged from the sea, he slept a sleep, and Allah caused a plant of yaqtin, which is squash, to grow over him. It reached its full growth in one day. He saw that it shaded him, and he saw its greenery, so it pleased him. Then he slept another sleep and awoke to find it had withered. He began to grieve over it, and it was said to him: "You, who did not create it, did not water it, and did not grow it, grieve over it? Yet I, who created one hundred thousand people or more, then showed them mercy, find it difficult for you [to see them destroyed]?" These are the people of Nineveh intended by the saying of Allah the Exalted...