Tafsir of Saba' 34:15

Surah Saba' (Verse 15)

Translation:

Exegesis (Tafsir):

Allah, the Exalted, contrasts the state of those who were grateful for His blessings (by mentioning David and Solomon) with the state of the disbelievers in His blessings, by recounting the story of the people of Saba'.

There are two readings for "Saba'":

1. With a fatḥa (سبأ), indicating it is the name of a place.
2. With a kasra (سبإ) and tanwīn (double vowel), indicating it is the name of a tribe. The latter is more apparent because the sign (آية) was made for the people of Saba', and the intelligent recipient of the sign is the people, not the place itself, which would otherwise require implying the inhabitants.

The phrase {a sign} (ءاية) means a sign of the bounty of their Lord.

This sign is then clarified by mentioning its manifestation: {two gardens, on the right and on the left} (جنتان عن يمين وشمال).

Al-Zamakhshari questioned this, noting that some regions in Iraq have thousands of gardens, so why specify only two? He answered that this could mean two gardens for every individual, or that two groups of gardens were situated to the right and left of their dwelling. Because these gardens were interconnected, they were collectively referred to as a single entity (a pair of gardens).

The command {Eat from the provision of your Lord} (كلوا من رزق ربكم) indicates the completion of their blessings, as they were not prevented from eating the fruits due to fear or illness.

The command {and be grateful to Him} (واشكروا له) is also an indication of the perfection of the blessing, as gratitude is only sought for a significant favor.

After detailing their dwelling, their orchards, and their sustenance, Allah completed the description of the blessing by clarifying that there was no impending harm or future consequence in this world:

• {A good land} (بلدة طيبة): Meaning pure, free from harmful things—no venomous creatures, scorpions, epidemics, or noxious air.
• {and a Lord Forgiving} (ورب غفور): Meaning no punishment or torment in the Hereafter.

Thus, the perfection of the blessing is evident: it was a present delight free from any corrupting factor that would lead to a negative outcome later.

The Consequence (Verses 16-17):

Exegesis (Tafsir):

{But they turned away} (فأعرضوا): They rejected the command to be grateful.

{so We sent against them the flood of the dam} (فأرسلنا عليهم سيل العرم): The flood resulting from the bursting of the great dam (Sadd al-'Arim).

{and We replaced their two gardens with two gardens bearing bitter fruit, [containing] thorny trees, and a little of the lote-trees} (وبدلناهم بجناتهم جنتين ذواتى أكل خمط وأثل وشىء من سدر قليل): Their pleasant gardens were replaced with gardens bearing undesirable produce:

• Khamṭ (خمط): Bitter fruit.
• Athl (أثل): Tamarisk trees (which yield little useful wood or fruit).
• Shay' min Sidr Qalīl (وشىء من سدر قليل): Only a small amount of the useful Sidr tree.

{That We recompensed them for their disbelief} (ذلك جزيناهم بما كفروا): This severe punishment was the recompense for their ingratitude and disbelief.

{And do We recompense anyone except the ungrateful?} (وهل نجزى إلا الكفور): This is a rhetorical question emphasizing that such severe recompense is reserved only for those who show extreme ingratitude (the Kaffār).