Surah at-Tin

It is called Surat al-Tin without the "wa". It is Meccan according to the majority of scholars. It is reported from Qatadah that it is Medinan, and likewise from Ibn Abbas, according to what is found in al-Bahr and Majma' al-Bayan through the narration of al-Mu'addal. However, Ibn al-Durays, al-Nahhas, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Bayhaqi have reported from him [Ibn Abbas] what agrees with the view of the majority. This is supported by the indication of presence in His, the Exalted’s, saying: "And this secure city," for the intended meaning is Makkah, by the consensus of the exegetes as far as we know. Its verses are eight in number, by the consensus of all of them. Since He, the Glorified, mentioned in the preceding Surah the state of the most perfect of the human species—nay, the most perfect of the creation of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, absolutely, may the blessings and peace of Allah, the Exalted, be upon him—He, the Mighty and Majestic, mentioned in this Surah the state of the human species, the end to which its affair leads, and what He, the Glorified, has prepared for those among them who believe in that most perfect individual, the pride of this favored species, may the blessings and peace of Allah, the Exalted, be upon him, and may He honor, magnify, and ennoble him. Thus, He, the Mighty and Majestic, said:

This is an oath sworn by blessed and noble regions, according to the view held by many.

As for {this secure city}, it is Mecca—may Allah the Exalted protect it—without dispute. It is mentioned in a marfu’ (elevated) hadith that it is the location of the House which is guidance for the worlds, the birthplace of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and the place of his mission.

The term al-Amin (the secure/trustworthy) is a fa’il form (an active participle) derived from amina ar-rajulu amatan (the man was trustworthy), meaning he is amin (trustworthy); it also comes in the form aman, just as karim (generous) comes as kiram. It has not been heard as amin (a fa’il form), but it is heard as an attribute of relation, as in the Almighty’s saying: “a secure sanctuary” (haraman amina), meaning "possessing security." Its "trustworthiness" (amanatuhu) means that it preserves whoever enters it just as a trustee preserves what is entrusted to him; thus, there is a comparison to a trustworthy man.

As for it being in the sense of a maful (passive participle)—meaning "the secured one" (al-ma’mun) from the verb amina-hu (he did not fear him)—its attribution to the city is metaphorical. In reality, the "secured ones" are the people, meaning they do not fear the calamities/assaults of others within it. Or, the speech involves an ellipsis and connection, meaning "the one in which one is secure from calamities." The insertion of the demonstrative pronoun ("this") is for glorification.

As for {Mount Sinai} (Tur Sinin), it is the mountain upon which Allah (the Exalted is His Majesty) spoke to Moses (peace be upon him). It is also called Tur Sina (Sinai). It is read as Sina (with a kasrah on the sin and madd), and with a fatha on the sin and madd. The former was read here as a substitution for Sinin by Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abdullah [ibn Mas’ud], Talhah, and al-Hasan. The latter was read by Umar also, Zaid ibn Ali, and Tur Sinin (with a fatha on the sin), which is the dialect of Bakr and Tamim; Ibn Abi Ishaq, Amr ibn Maymun, and Abu Raja’ read it this way.

In al-Bahr [al-Muhit], it is stated that there is no disagreement that it is a mountain in the Levant, but al-Shihab critiqued this as being contrary to the famous view, for what is known today as Tur Sina is what is near the Tih (wilderness) between Egypt and al-Aqabah. Sinin is said to be the name of the place in which the mountain is located, to which the Tur (mountain) is annexed. It is treated in syntax like "Birun" and its like: it is declined with waw and ya, remains upon the ya, and the nun takes the declensional vowels. Al-Akhfash said Sinin is a plural meaning "trees," the singular of which is Sinah, as if it were said, "the mountain of the trees."

Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn al-Mundhir, and ‘Abd ibn Humayd extracted from Ibn Abbas that he said: "Sinin is the beautiful." 'Abd ibn Humayd extracted a similar view from al-Dahhak, as did he and a group from ‘Ikrimah, with the addition: "in the Abyssinian tongue." He, along with Ibn Jarir, Ibn ‘Asakir, and others, also extracted from Qatadah that he said: "Sinin is blessed, beautiful, and possessing trees." The annexation is, according to what was mentioned, the annexation of the attribute to the described.

As for {the Fig and the Olive}, it is narrated by a group from Qatadah that the former is the mountain upon which Damascus is situated, and the latter is the mountain upon which Jerusalem is situated. It is said—according to what Sa’id ibn Mansur and Ibn Abi Hatim extracted from Abu Habib al-Harith ibn Muhammad—that the first is Tinan (the fig-mountain) and the second is Zaitan (the olive-mountain), because they are the places where figs and olives grow. The speech here is either based on the deletion of an annexed noun, or on the metaphorical usage, where "the Fig and the Olive" are used to refer to their places of growth, which became widespread.

‘Abd ibn Humayd extracted from Abu Abdullah al-Farisi that the Fig is the mosque of Damascus and the Olive is Jerusalem. Perhaps they are named as such because there are trees of those types within them. From Ka’b al-Ahbar, it is narrated that they are Damascus and Iliya (Jerusalem), and naming them as such is the naming of the container by the name of what it contains. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Marduyah extracted from Ibn Abbas that they are the mosque of Noah (peace be upon him) which was built on al-Judi, and Jerusalem. From Shahr ibn Hawshab, they are Kufa and the Levant. This has been critiqued by noting that Kufa is an Islamic city founded by Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas during the days of the Commander of the Faithful, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Perhaps he intended the land that is today called Kufa, for it was, as stated in al-Qamus and others, the dwelling place of Noah (peace be upon him). Some said that Kufa was a city that existed before, but it fell into ruin, then was renewed in the days of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). It is also said that they are the mountains between Hulwan and Hamadhan, and the mountains of the Levant, because they are their places of growth.

Regardless, the conjoined terms are consistent in that they refer to specific places. It is also said that they refer to the two well-known trees. Ibn Abi Hatim and al-Hakim—and the latter authenticated it—extracted from Ibn Abbas that he said: "The Fig and the Olive are the fruit that people eat." Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, and others extracted from Mujahid a similar view; it is also mentioned in al-Bahr from Ibrahim al-Nakha’i, ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah, Jabir ibn Zayd, Muqatil, al-Kalbi, ‘Ikrimah, and al-Hasan.

Allah (the Exalted) singled them out for this oath among all fruits due to their possessing sublime qualities. The fig is a delicious fruit, having no waste, and is a quickly digested food. Indeed, it is said that it is the healthiest fruit in terms of nutrition if eaten on an empty stomach and not followed by anything else. It is a remedy of great benefit; it opens blockages, strengthens the liver, removes spleen ailments, alleviates dysuria, kidney wasting, palpitations, asthma, shortness of breath, coughs, chest pains, and roughness of the throat, among other things.

From Ali al-Rida ibn Musa al-Kazim (peace be upon them) it is said that it removes mouth odor and lengthens hair, and is a security against paralysis. Abu Dharr narrated that a tray of figs was presented to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and he ate from it and said to his companions: "Eat, for if I were to say that a fruit descended from Paradise, I would say it is this, for the fruit of Paradise has no pits. So eat it, for it cures hemorrhoids and is beneficial for gout." I have not come across anything from the hadith scholars regarding this specific hadith, but the physician Dawud said, after listing some of the properties of figs: "And regarding its benefit for hemorrhoids, there is a hasan (good) hadith." He mentioned that its benefit for gout occurs when ground barley, wheat, or fenugreek are added to it, and he noted that it is then for severe swellings and joint pains. Both alone and in mixtures, it has many other properties, as does its tree, as is not hidden from one who refers to medical books. How similar its tree is to a person who exerts influence over himself, and to a generous one who acts but does not speak!

As for the Olive, it is food, medicine, and fruit, as is said. They say that the pickled version is unparalleled in digestion, fattening, and strengthening the limbs. Its merit is sufficient in its oil, which is widely used for lighting in mosques and the like, in addition to its benefits such as improving complexions, purifying humors, strengthening nerves, opening blockages, expelling worms, acting as a diuretic, breaking down kidney stones (when consumed with water), and removing cataracts/opacity of the eye (when used as kohl), among other benefits. Its tree is from the "blessed tree" testified to in the Revelation. If you track the properties of its parts, it will become clear to you that it is more useful than anything else.

From Mu’adh ibn Jabal, it is narrated that he passed by an olive tree, took a siwak (toothstick) from it, used it, and said: "I heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'What an excellent siwak the olive is! It is from the blessed tree; it sweetens the mouth and removes yellowing.' And I heard him (peace be upon him) say: 'It is my siwak and the siwak of the prophets (peace be upon them).'"

Some said that the interpretation of them as the places mentioned is the correct one, as if the meaning is: "By the figs of those holy places and their olives." The purpose of swearing by them is to declare the nobility of the blessed regions and the goodness and blessing that appeared in them. The oath returns to the blessed land and the "secure city," and within it is a symbol of the city's superiority, as the speech of the author of al-Kashshaf implies. He clarified this in al-Kashf by saying: "That is because he separated the two blessings of the Holy Land—the worldly and the religious—by mentioning the two trees (or their fruits) and the mountain from which Moses (peace be upon him) was called. The totality takes the place of 'the blessed land' by way of metonymy. Thus, the consistency in the conjunction becomes clear in a way that is evident; for the 'City' is conjoined to the totality of the three, as they are like a single entity in this regard. As if it were said: 'And by the land that We blessed [religiously and worldly], except that he who enters it is secure in both houses.' This is a blessing beneath which every other blessing fades. This implies that the nobility of those regions is due to the conversation of Moses (peace be upon him) with his Lord (the Mighty and Majestic) for a set number of days—and how many [times] has there been conversation in the 'secure city'!"

Then he said: "Interpreting it according to the literal, intended meanings of the places of growth or the trees, misses the consistency between the first two and the 'secure city,' because the connection of Mount Sinai to the 'City' is not the same as its connection to the others. The speech is steered toward the former [interpretation]." Reflect upon this, for it is subtle. Regardless, the response to the oath is the Almighty’s saying...