سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 60
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِٱلنَّاسِ ۚ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا ٱلرُّءْيَا ٱلَّتِىٓ أَرَيْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَٱلشَّجَرَةَ ٱلْمَلْعُونَةَ فِى ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَـٰنًا كَبِيرًا ﴿60﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) when We told you: "Verily! Your Lord has encompassed mankind (i.e. they are in His Grip)." And We made not the vision which we showed you (O Muhammad as an actual eye-witness and not as a dream on the night of Al-Isrâ’) but a trial for mankind, and (likewise) the accursed tree (Zaqqûm, mentioned) in the Qur’ân. We warn and make them afraid but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allâh.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذْ
wa-idh
And when
قُلْنَا
qul'nā
We said
لَكَ
laka
to you
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
رَبَّكَ
rabbaka
your Lord
أَحَاطَ
aḥāṭa
has encompassed
بِٱلنَّاسِ ۚ
bil-nāsi
the mankind
وَمَا
wamā
And not
جَعَلْنَا
jaʿalnā
We made
ٱلرُّءْيَا
l-ru'yā
the vision
ٱلَّتِىٓ
allatī
which
أَرَيْنَـٰكَ
araynāka
We showed you
إِلَّا
illā
except
فِتْنَةًۭ
fit'natan
(as) a trial
لِّلنَّاسِ
lilnnāsi
for mankind
وَٱلشَّجَرَةَ
wal-shajarata
and the tree
ٱلْمَلْعُونَةَ
l-malʿūnata
the accursed
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ
l-qur'āni
the Quran
وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ
wanukhawwifuhum
And We threaten them
فَمَا
famā
but not
يَزِيدُهُمْ
yazīduhum
it increases them
إِلَّا
illā
except
طُغْيَـٰنًۭا
ṭugh'yānan
(in) transgression
كَبِيرًۭا
kabīran
great
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 60) ➊ By { وَ اِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ اَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ :}, the people meant are the disbelievers of Makkah, and by encompassing them, it means that despite exerting all their strength, they could not harm Muhammad (peace be upon him) in any way, nor could they prevent your message from spreading. The purpose of this is to encourage you (peace be upon him) that you should continue to present your message without fear or danger, and do not worry about the opposition of these people; they cannot harm you in the least, because all of them are completely within Our grasp.
➋ {وَ مَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّءْيَا الَّتِيْۤ اَرَيْنٰكَ اِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ: ’’ الرُّءْيَا ‘‘ ’’رَأَي يَرَي‘‘} is the verbal noun of (ف), and by {’’ الرُّءْيَا ‘‘} mentioned in the verse, it means those strange and wondrous things of the earth and heavens that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw with his own eyes on the night of Isra and Mi'raj. The meaning is that whatever you saw on the night of Isra and Mi'raj, We made it a trial and test for the people, so that it may be determined who is strong in faith and sound of heart, and who is weak in faith and diseased of heart. Thus, those with strong faith had no hesitation in accepting it, and so they succeeded in the test, while the weak in faith and those deprived of faith said, "How is it possible that you (peace be upon him) could go from Makkah to Bayt al-Maqdis and see the wonders of the seven heavens and return in a single night? This is impossible." So they failed the test.
➌ The word {’’ الرُّءْيَا ‘‘} is often used in the meaning of seeing in a dream, and sometimes also in the meaning of seeing with the eyes. Here, seeing with the eyes while awake is meant, and the evidence for this is the verse itself. Because if you (peace be upon him) had said that you saw all this in a dream, then no one would have been surprised, nor would there have been any trial or test, because in dreams everyone can see impossible and improbable things. The test was precisely that only those with strong faith could accept that Allah Almighty is able to show His Prophet all this in a small part of the night. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) explicitly stated: [ هِيَ رُؤْيَا عَيْنٍ أُرِيَهَا رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِهِ إِلٰی بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ ] [ بخاری، المناقب، باب المعراج… : ۳۸۸۸ ] "This was a vision seen with the eyes, which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was shown that night when he was taken overnight to Bayt al-Maqdis."
➍ { وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُوْنَةَ فِي الْقُرْاٰنِ :} In the narration of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), which was mentioned in the previous benefit, he interpreted it as the tree of Zaqqum. In the Quran, the mention of {’’شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّوْمِ‘‘} occurs in two places: Surah As-Saffat (62 to 66) and Surah Ad-Dukhan (43 to 46). In the Quran, its mention is made as a trial for the people, because those deprived of faith cannot accept that a tree can grow in the midst of blazing fire, whereas the people of faith have no hesitation in accepting it, because their faith is that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Jibreel Amin, and the Lord of the worlds never speak falsely, and for Allah Almighty, creating a tree in fire or making the fire cool and safe for Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is a minor demonstration of His power. Here, Zaqqum is called the "accursed tree," meaning the condemned tree, that is, it has been condemned in the Quran.
➎ { وَ نُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيْدُهُمْ … :} That is, We warn the disbelievers in various ways, but this only increases them in great rebellion.
➋ {وَ مَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّءْيَا الَّتِيْۤ اَرَيْنٰكَ اِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ: ’’ الرُّءْيَا ‘‘ ’’رَأَي يَرَي‘‘} is the verbal noun of (ف), and by {’’ الرُّءْيَا ‘‘} mentioned in the verse, it means those strange and wondrous things of the earth and heavens that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw with his own eyes on the night of Isra and Mi'raj. The meaning is that whatever you saw on the night of Isra and Mi'raj, We made it a trial and test for the people, so that it may be determined who is strong in faith and sound of heart, and who is weak in faith and diseased of heart. Thus, those with strong faith had no hesitation in accepting it, and so they succeeded in the test, while the weak in faith and those deprived of faith said, "How is it possible that you (peace be upon him) could go from Makkah to Bayt al-Maqdis and see the wonders of the seven heavens and return in a single night? This is impossible." So they failed the test.
➌ The word {’’ الرُّءْيَا ‘‘} is often used in the meaning of seeing in a dream, and sometimes also in the meaning of seeing with the eyes. Here, seeing with the eyes while awake is meant, and the evidence for this is the verse itself. Because if you (peace be upon him) had said that you saw all this in a dream, then no one would have been surprised, nor would there have been any trial or test, because in dreams everyone can see impossible and improbable things. The test was precisely that only those with strong faith could accept that Allah Almighty is able to show His Prophet all this in a small part of the night. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) explicitly stated: [ هِيَ رُؤْيَا عَيْنٍ أُرِيَهَا رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِهِ إِلٰی بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ ] [ بخاری، المناقب، باب المعراج… : ۳۸۸۸ ] "This was a vision seen with the eyes, which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was shown that night when he was taken overnight to Bayt al-Maqdis."
➍ { وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُوْنَةَ فِي الْقُرْاٰنِ :} In the narration of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), which was mentioned in the previous benefit, he interpreted it as the tree of Zaqqum. In the Quran, the mention of {’’شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّوْمِ‘‘} occurs in two places: Surah As-Saffat (62 to 66) and Surah Ad-Dukhan (43 to 46). In the Quran, its mention is made as a trial for the people, because those deprived of faith cannot accept that a tree can grow in the midst of blazing fire, whereas the people of faith have no hesitation in accepting it, because their faith is that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Jibreel Amin, and the Lord of the worlds never speak falsely, and for Allah Almighty, creating a tree in fire or making the fire cool and safe for Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is a minor demonstration of His power. Here, Zaqqum is called the "accursed tree," meaning the condemned tree, that is, it has been condemned in the Quran.
➎ { وَ نُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيْدُهُمْ … :} That is, We warn the disbelievers in various ways, but this only increases them in great rebellion.
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
60. 1 That is, people are under Allah's dominance and control, and whatever Allah wills will happen, not what they wish; or it means the people of Makkah, that they are under Allah's authority, so you should preach the message fearlessly, they will not be able to harm you in any way, We will protect you from them. Or, as at the time of the Battle of Badr and the conquest of Makkah, the way Allah made the disbelievers of Makkah suffer a humiliating defeat, this is being clarified.
60. 2 The Companions and the Followers have interpreted this vision as a physical sight, and by this is meant the incident of Mi'raj, which became a cause of trial for many weak people and they became apostates. And by the tree is meant the (thorny) tree, which the Prophet ﷺ witnessed in Hell during the night of Mi'raj. By اَ لْمَلْعُونَۃَ is meant, a curse upon those who eat it, i.e., the inhabitants of Hell. As in another place it is said: ان شجرۃ الزقوم۔ طعام الاثیم. The tree of Zaqqum is the food of the sinner.
60. 3 That is, due to the malice and stubbornness in the hearts of the disbelievers, instead of bringing faith after seeing the signs, their rebellion and transgression only increases.
60. 2 The Companions and the Followers have interpreted this vision as a physical sight, and by this is meant the incident of Mi'raj, which became a cause of trial for many weak people and they became apostates. And by the tree is meant the (thorny) tree, which the Prophet ﷺ witnessed in Hell during the night of Mi'raj. By اَ لْمَلْعُونَۃَ is meant, a curse upon those who eat it, i.e., the inhabitants of Hell. As in another place it is said: ان شجرۃ الزقوم۔ طعام الاثیم. The tree of Zaqqum is the food of the sinner.
60. 3 That is, due to the malice and stubbornness in the hearts of the disbelievers, instead of bringing faith after seeing the signs, their rebellion and transgression only increases.
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
60. And when We said to you that your Lord has encompassed the people [75]. And the vision [76] (the event of Mi'raj) which We showed you, and the cursed tree mentioned in the Quran [77], We have made them only as a trial for the people. We keep warning them, but it only increases their transgression.
[75] By this is meant verses 19 and 20 of Surah Al-Buruj, that is, the disbelievers are busy denying you and this call of the Quran, while Allah has surrounded them from all sides, and Surah Al-Buruj was revealed much before this Surah Bani Isra'il. And what is meant by this is that these disbelievers of Makkah, no matter how much effort they make in their hostile activities, they will not be able to go beyond a certain limit, and despite all their efforts, the call of Islam will continue to spread.
[76]
Disbelievers Do Not Believe Even After Seeing a Physical Miracle:
The incident of Mi'raj was an extraordinary event and a miracle. The disbelievers mocked this miracle so much that even some weak-hearted Muslims fell into doubt. Then the disbelievers who had previously seen Bayt al-Maqdis began to ask youﷺ questions. Allah Almighty removed all the veils from before you, and youﷺ kept answering all the questions of those disbelievers. Now, what should have happened is that the disbelievers who demanded a physical miracle would have believed. But it became a trial for them in which they failed, and they adopted the path of even greater rebellion than before.
[77]
The Accursed Tree and Mi'raj: Both as a Trial for the Disbelievers of Makkah:
Similarly, in Surah As-Saffat, another extraordinary matter was reported, which was that "from the depths of Hell, a tree of Zaqqoom will grow. This will be the food of the inhabitants of Hell, and apart from this, they will have nothing else to eat." [37: 62 تا 66]
The disbelievers also made much fuss over this, saying how could a tree possibly grow in fire? This, in reality, is a denial of the perfect power of Allah, as they try to measure it by the standards of their own intellect, whereas not only plants but even living creatures are created and live in fire. The fire-worm is produced from sea fire and lives in it. Then there are also many plants from which fire emerges. This is the state of this world, and as for the Hereafter and the condition of Hell, when we cannot fully understand them nor can anything be experienced, then what reason is there for denial? Denial would only be reasonable if man had fully understood all the other powers of Allah Almighty and only this one matter remained. Man's knowledge is so deficient that he cannot even understand the nature of things within his own body, so what right does he have to deny or mock other wonders? This was the second matter that became a cause for the increase in the rebellion of these disbelievers. And this accursed tree is so called because it contains no nourishment at all. Its thorns are very hard and sharp, which will only add to the torment of the inhabitants of Hell. Just as the incident of Mi'raj, the creation of the Zaqqoom tree in fire also became a trial for the disbelievers. And the fact that the incident of Mi'raj became a trial itself proves that this journey was physical, not spiritual or visionary, because in a dream every person can see such or even stranger events, but no one has ever objected to that.
[75] By this is meant verses 19 and 20 of Surah Al-Buruj, that is, the disbelievers are busy denying you and this call of the Quran, while Allah has surrounded them from all sides, and Surah Al-Buruj was revealed much before this Surah Bani Isra'il. And what is meant by this is that these disbelievers of Makkah, no matter how much effort they make in their hostile activities, they will not be able to go beyond a certain limit, and despite all their efforts, the call of Islam will continue to spread.
[76]
Disbelievers Do Not Believe Even After Seeing a Physical Miracle:
The incident of Mi'raj was an extraordinary event and a miracle. The disbelievers mocked this miracle so much that even some weak-hearted Muslims fell into doubt. Then the disbelievers who had previously seen Bayt al-Maqdis began to ask youﷺ questions. Allah Almighty removed all the veils from before you, and youﷺ kept answering all the questions of those disbelievers. Now, what should have happened is that the disbelievers who demanded a physical miracle would have believed. But it became a trial for them in which they failed, and they adopted the path of even greater rebellion than before.
[77]
The Accursed Tree and Mi'raj: Both as a Trial for the Disbelievers of Makkah:
Similarly, in Surah As-Saffat, another extraordinary matter was reported, which was that "from the depths of Hell, a tree of Zaqqoom will grow. This will be the food of the inhabitants of Hell, and apart from this, they will have nothing else to eat." [37: 62 تا 66]
The disbelievers also made much fuss over this, saying how could a tree possibly grow in fire? This, in reality, is a denial of the perfect power of Allah, as they try to measure it by the standards of their own intellect, whereas not only plants but even living creatures are created and live in fire. The fire-worm is produced from sea fire and lives in it. Then there are also many plants from which fire emerges. This is the state of this world, and as for the Hereafter and the condition of Hell, when we cannot fully understand them nor can anything be experienced, then what reason is there for denial? Denial would only be reasonable if man had fully understood all the other powers of Allah Almighty and only this one matter remained. Man's knowledge is so deficient that he cannot even understand the nature of things within his own body, so what right does he have to deny or mock other wonders? This was the second matter that became a cause for the increase in the rebellion of these disbelievers. And this accursed tree is so called because it contains no nourishment at all. Its thorns are very hard and sharp, which will only add to the torment of the inhabitants of Hell. Just as the incident of Mi'raj, the creation of the Zaqqoom tree in fire also became a trial for the disbelievers. And the fact that the incident of Mi'raj became a trial itself proves that this journey was physical, not spiritual or visionary, because in a dream every person can see such or even stranger events, but no one has ever objected to that.
