Tafsir of Al-Qalam 68:17

A Parable of the Removal of the Earnings of the Disbelievers This is a parable that Allah made of the behavior of the Quraysh disbelievers with the great mercy, and tremendous favors He granted them. The mercy and favor of sending of Muhammad to them. But they met him with denial, rejection and opposition. Therefore Allah says,

إنا بلوناهم

Verily, We have tried them, meaning, `We have tested them.'

كما بلونا أصحاب الجنة

as We tried the People of the Garden, This refers to a garden containing different types of fruits and vegetation.

إذ أقسموا ليصرمنها مصبحين

when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning, meaning, they vowed between themselves during the night that they would pluck the fruit of the garden in the morning so that poor and the beggars would not know what they were doing. In this way they would be able to keep its fruit for themselves and not give any of it in charity

وﻻ يستثنون