Tafsir of Ar-Rahman 55:11

Surah Ar-Rahman (55): Verse 11

{فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَالنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ الْأَكْمَامِ} (In it are fruits and palm trees with sheaths/calyxes.)

The Almighty's statement, {فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ} (In it are fruits), points to trees that yield fruit.

And His statement, {وَالنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ الْأَكْمَامِ} (and palm trees with sheaths), points to the other type of tree.

The word الفاكهة (fruit) refers to that which pleases the soul. Its grammatical form (fā‘ilah) can imply:

1. Attribution of the quality: Similar to {عِيشَةً رَاضِيَةً} (a pleasing life) (Al-Haqqah: 21), meaning a state of satisfaction that pleases everyone.
2. Naming the instrument by the agent: Like rāwiyah (water-skin) which quenches thirst, or rāḥilah (mount) for riding. It then became a name for some fruits, established without derivation.

The use of the indefinite form (فاكهة - fākihatun) suggests abundance. Just as saying someone "has wealth" implies great wealth, the indefiniteness here suggests a magnitude beyond full comprehension, indicating it is beyond the knowledge of everyone to grasp its true nature.

The statement {وَالنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ الْأَكْمَامِ} points to the second category of fruit-bearing trees. Fruit-bearing trees are superior and are divided into:

1. Trees whose fruit is primarily for enjoyment (fruits in the specific sense).
2. Trees whose fruit is staple food (qūt) but can also be enjoyed.

Even primary fruits can serve as sustenance if one is hungry and finds nothing else.

First Inquiry: Why is Fruit mentioned before Palm Trees?

This follows the principle of beginning with the lesser benefit and ascending to the greater:

1. Fruit (in the specific sense) is less essential than the palm, which provides staple food (qūt).
2. Enjoyment (tafakkuh) is less essential than staple food.
3. Staple food (الحب - grain, mentioned next) is the foundation of sustenance for mankind everywhere.

Thus, the order is: Fruit (enjoyment) $\rightarrow Palm (staple food/enjoyment) \rightarrow$ Grain (the most complete blessing, suited to human temperament, found universally, whereas the palm is specific to hot regions).

Second Inquiry: Why is Fruit indefinite (فاكهة) while Palm Trees are definite (النخل)?

There are several answers:

1. Staple vs. Occasional: Staple food (qūt) is needed at all times and is universally common, hence it is definite. Fruit is seasonal and specific to certain individuals or times.
2. Subjectivity of Enjoyment: Fruit is that which pleases the soul, and this varies greatly depending on the individual and the moment (e.g., one desires sour fruit when hot, another desires sweet fruit). Since fruit is not fixed or universally defined, it is indefinite. Palm trees and grain, however, are familiar and established necessities, hence they are definite.
3. Magnitude of Blessing: The palm tree represents a great blessing with numerous benefits. A specific fruit (like a peach or pear) might not carry the same magnitude of blessing as the palm. Therefore, {فَاكِهَةٌ} is indefinite to imply abundance (as confirmed elsewhere, e.g., "abundant fruit" in Surah Sad). God explicitly mentioned the abundance of fruit elsewhere, but here, the indefiniteness implies the abundance appropriate to that single type of blessing, unlike the palm.

Third Inquiry: Why is the fruit mentioned by its general name (fruit) while the palm is mentioned by its specific name (palm tree)?

This was explained in Surah Ya-Sin:

• The vine tree (karm) is humble compared to its fruit (grapes).
• The palm tree (nakhl) is great in comparison to its fruit. The palm tree itself offers numerous benefits: containers made from it, its heart (jamār), its spathe (ṭala‘), unripe dates (basr), and ripe dates (rutab). Its fruit appears at different stages, almost like different fruits. Thus, the palm tree is a more complete blessing than other trees, so it is mentioned by its name. The benefits of other fruit trees are largely contained within their fruit itself, so the general term "fruit" suffices.

Fourth Inquiry: What is the meaning of {ذَاتُ الْأَكْمَامِ} (with sheaths/calyxes)?

There are two interpretations:

1. General Covering: Al-akmām (plural of kumm, with a ḍammah) means everything that covers. This includes the bark, fibers, and pits—all of which are beneficial, just as the palm tree itself, its branches, and its heart (jamār) are beneficial.
2. Spathe of the Flower: Al-akmām (plural of kumm, with a kasrah) refers to the sheath covering the flower cluster (ṭala‘).

If we take the first meaning (general covering), the mention of al-akmām signifies the variety of blessings derived from the tree.

If we take the second meaning (the spathe), what is the benefit of mentioning it? It points to the ease of harvesting and utilization. A palm tree is tall and cannot be shaken to drop its fruit; it must be climbed. If its fruit grew singly like the jummayz (sycamore fig), harvesting would be difficult. However, the palm fruit grows in clusters (akmām), so taking one cluster suffices for one or two people, similar to grape bunches. God created the dates in clustered forms, making them easy to gather, which is part of the perfection of His favor.

[Then the Almighty said]:

{وَالْحَبُّ ذُو الْعَصْفِ وَالرَّيْحَانُ} (And grain with its chaff and sweet basil.)