Surah At-Tin (The Fig) - Chapter 95

It is a Meccan Surah consisting of eight verses.

Verse 1:

{ By the fig and the olive, }

Verse 2:

{ And by Mount Sinai, }

Verse 3:

{ And by this secure city (Mecca). }

Surah At-Tin: Verse 1

وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ (By the fig and the olive)

Exegetical Discussion on the Oath

It is problematic that the fig and the olive are not among the most noble things, so how is it fitting for God Almighty to swear by them? Because of this question, there are two main opinions:

The intended meaning is these two well-known fruits. Ibn Abbas said: "It is your fig and your olive." They then mentioned several virtues of the fig and the olive:

Virtues of the Fig (At-Tīn)

1. As Sustenance and Medicine: Physicians claim it is a delicate food, quickly digested, does not linger in the stomach, softens the bowels, expels bodily discharges, reduces phlegm, purifies the kidneys, removes sand/gravel from the bladder, fattens the body, opens the pores of the liver and spleen, and is the best and most praiseworthy of fruits.
   • It is narrated that a platter of figs was presented to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), who ate from it and then told his companions: "Eat, for if I were to say that a fruit descended from Paradise, I would say this one, because the fruits of Paradise have no pits. Eat it, for it cuts off hemorrhoids and benefits gout."
   • It is narrated from Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) that the fig removes bad breath, lengthens hair, and is a safeguard against paralysis.
   • It is used medicinally to expel bodily superfluities.

2. Properties of the Fig Tree:
   • Appearance Matches Essence: Unlike the walnut (husk outside, edible inside) or the date (edible outside, pit inside), the fig is good both outwardly and inwardly. Some fruits have a bad exterior but good interior (like walnuts and watermelons), and others have a good exterior but bad interior (like dates and pears). The fig is good in both aspects.
   • Precedence in Bearing Fruit: There are three types of trees:
     • The tree of contention/dispute (which bears fruit after its leaves/blossoms).
     • The tree that fulfills its promise (which produces blossoms first, then fruit, like apples).
     • The tree that gives before it promises (the fig tree), as it produces fruit before it is adorned with blossoms or leaves. One could even say it manifests the reality before the claim. It cares for others before itself. Other trees attend to themselves first, then others (like those involved in transactions, following the saying: "Attend to yourself, then those you support"). The fig tree is like the Chosen One (PBUH), who prioritized others before himself, fitting the description: {And prefer others over themselves, even if they are in need.}
   • Resilience: Other trees, if they drop their fruit, do not regrow it that year. The fig, however, regenerates its seed, and even if the fruit falls, it may return again.
   • Dream Interpretation: Seeing a fig in a dream signifies a righteous, wealthy man. Whoever attains it in a dream receives wealth and abundance. Whoever eats it is granted children by Allah.
   • Connection to Adam (AS): When Adam sinned and his clothes fell away, he covered himself with fig leaves. It is narrated that when he descended (to Earth) and was wearing fig leaves, he felt lonely. Gazelles circled him, and he became familiar with them, feeding them some of the leaves. Allah then granted them beautiful forms and pleasing dispositions, and changed their blood to musk. When the first group of gazelles dispersed, others saw their beauty and were amazed. The next day, other gazelles came to Adam, and he fed them the leaves. Allah changed their appearance to beauty but not their blood to musk. This is because the first group came to Adam without greed, while the second group came out of hidden greed while outwardly approaching Adam. Thus, only the outward appearance was changed, not the inward essence.

Virtues of the Olive (Az-Zaytūn)

• The olive tree is the Blessed Tree. Its fruit serves as food, its oil as a condiment/fat source, and it is a medicine.
• In most lands, it does not require human cultivation.
• Its benefit is not limited to nourishing the body; it also nourishes the lamp (light). It grows in mountains where there is no fat/oil whatsoever.
• It is said that whoever sees olive leaves in a dream will hold fast to the firmest bond (al-‘Urwah al-Wuthqā).
• A sick man told Ibn Sirin that he dreamed someone told him: "Eat the Lāmin and be cured." Ibn Sirin replied: "Eat the olive, for it is neither Eastern nor Western." (This refers to the olive tree's ability to thrive in various orientations, unlike some plants).

Conclusion of Opinion 1: Since the fig and the olive possess these great benefits and utilities, the wording must be taken literally (referring to the fruits), and it is necessary to affirm that Allah swore by them because of these established benefits and advantages.

There are several arguments for this interpretation:

1. Sacred Locations (Mountains): Ibn Abbas said they are two mountains in the Holy Land called, in Syriac, Ṭūr Tīnā and Ṭūr Zaytā, because they are the places where figs and olives grow abundantly. Thus, Allah swore by the places where the Prophets grew up. The mountain associated with the fig is linked to Jesus (AS). The olive is linked to the Levant (Ash-Shām), the place of birth for most of the Prophets of the Children of Israel. Ṭūr (Mount Sinai) is the place of Moses (AS), and Al-Balad al-Amīn (The Secure City) is the place of Muhammad (PBUH). Therefore, the oath is essentially meant to glorify the Prophets and elevate their ranks.

2. Sacred Mosques: Some said they refer to two mosques. Ibn Zayd said: The fig refers to the Mosque of Damascus, and the olive refers to the Mosque of Jerusalem. Others said: The fig is the cave mosque (of the People of the Cave), and the olive is the Mosque of Ilya (Jerusalem). Ibn Abbas said the fig is the Mosque of Noah built on Mount Judi, and the olive is the Mosque of Jerusalem. Those who hold this view favored it because swearing by a mosque is more noble, as it is a place of worship and obedience. Since these mosques are located in areas where figs and olives are abundant, mentioning the fruits was sufficient.

3. Cities/Regions: Ka'b said: The fig refers to Damascus, and the olive refers to Jerusalem. Shahr ibn Hawshab said: The fig refers to Kufa, and the olive refers to the Levant. Ar-Rabī‘ said they are two mountains between Hamadān and Hulwān. Those who hold this view argued that Jews, Christians, Muslims, and the polytheists of Quraysh each revere one of these regions. Thus, Allah swore by all these lands collectively. Alternatively, Damascus and Jerusalem contain the blessings of this world, while Mount Sinai and Mecca contain the blessings of religion.

Explanation of Subsequent Oaths

The meaning of Ṭūr is the mountain where Allah spoke to Moses (AS). There is a difference of opinion regarding Sīnīn:

• Grammarians' View: Sīnīn and Sīnā are two names for the location where the mountain is situated, or they are attributed to that location.
• Exegetes' View:
  • Ibn Abbas (via 'Ikrimah): Ṭūr is the mountain, and Sīnīn means "blessed" in the Abyssinian language.
  • Mujahid: Ṭūr Sīnīn means "the blessed [mountain]."
  • Al-Kalbī: It is the mountain covered with trees.
  • Muqātil: Every mountain that has fruit-bearing trees is called Sīnīn or Sīnā in the Nabataean language.
  • Al-Wāḥidī: The preferred view is that Sīnīn is the name of the place where the mountain is located, and it was named Sīnīn or Sīnā because of its beauty or blessedness. It cannot be an adjective describing Ṭūr because it is in the construct state (iḍāfah).

This refers to Mecca. Al-Amīn means the secure/safe one.

• Al-Kashshāf's View: Amīn is derived from amāna (trustworthiness). Its trustworthiness is that it preserves whomever enters it, just as a trustworthy person preserves what he is entrusted with. It could also be an intensive form (fa'īl) meaning maf'ūl (one who is secured), because it is safe from harm, just as it is described as secure in the verse: {a sacred sanctuary, secure} (meaning possessing security).

• Reasons for its Security:
  1. Allah preserved it from the Elephant incident (which will be explained later, God willing).
  2. It preserves all things for you. Those whose blood is permissible to spill are safe if they seek refuge there, safe from predators and game. They gain preservation upon seeking refuge there.
  3. It is narrated that 'Umar used to kiss the Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) and say: "You are a stone, you neither harm nor benefit. If I had not seen the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) kissing you, I would not kiss you." Ali (AS) replied to him: "Indeed, it both harms and benefits. When Allah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam, He wrote it on a white parchment. This corner [the Stone] had a tongue, lips, and eyes at that time. Allah said: 'Open your mouth,' and He placed that parchment inside it, saying: 'Testify for whomever approaches you faithfully until the Day of Resurrection.'" 'Umar then said: "I would have remained among a people who are not [present] here, O Abu al-Hasan."

Verse 4

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ (We have certainly created man in the best of stature/form.)