Surah Al-Qalam (68) — Ayah 17

(Ayah 17) ➊ { اِنَّا بَلَوْنٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَاۤ اَصْحٰبَ الْجَنَّةِ … :} Allah Almighty had blessed the people of Makkah with countless favors. All people would come to them for Hajj and become their customers for their needs; wherever they went, no one would say anything to them because they were people of the Haram. Every kind of fruit would reach their city, their trade was flourishing, and they were extremely wealthy and enjoyed the blessing of complete security. Along with these blessings, Allah Almighty also bestowed upon them the favor of sending His last Messenger (peace be upon him) among them, but they did not value this blessing; rather, they denied the Prophet (peace be upon him), so Allah Almighty imposed upon them the punishment of hunger and fear. After the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah, the Quraysh started a series of wars with him, which made them themselves insecure and their trade was also ruined. Due to the curse of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), famine was imposed upon them, to the extent that they even ate carrion. [ دیکھیے بخاري : ۴۸۲۱، ۴۸۰۹ ] Allah Almighty has mentioned the condition of the people of Makkah in these verses as well: « وَ ضَرَبَ اللّٰهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ اٰمِنَةً مُّطْمَىِٕنَّةً يَّاْتِيْهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِاَنْعُمِ اللّٰهِ فَاَذَاقَهَا اللّٰهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوْعِ وَ الْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوْا يَصْنَعُوْنَ (112) وَ لَقَدْ جَآءَهُمْ رَسُوْلٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوْهُ فَاَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَ هُمْ ظٰلِمُوْنَ » [ النحل : ۱۱۲، ۱۱۳ ] "And Allah presents the example of a town which was secure and at ease, its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it denied the favors of Allah, so Allah made it taste the garb of hunger and fear for what they used to do. And certainly, a Messenger from among themselves came to them, but they denied him, so the punishment seized them while they were wrongdoers."

Here, as an example of the ingratitude of the people of Makkah and their punishment, the story of the owners of the garden is mentioned, and it is said: « اِنَّا بَلَوْنٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَاۤ اَصْحٰبَ الْجَنَّةِ » "Indeed, We tested the deniers by granting them blessings just as We tested the owners of the garden by granting them blessings." These were a few brothers whom Allah Almighty had granted a very splendid garden, but instead of considering it a blessing from Allah and giving Allah's share from it, they swore that as soon as morning came, they would pick its fruit, not allowing any needy person to come nor giving them anything. But by Allah Almighty's command, before they could go, the garden was destroyed by fire or some other heavenly calamity. When they went in the morning, there was nothing there.

➋ {’’ بَلَوْنٰهُمْ ‘‘ ’’بَلَا يَبْلُوْ‘‘} (n) To test, to afflict with hardship, to bestow a favor. {’’ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا‘‘ ’’صَرَمَ يَصْرِمُ‘‘} (d) To cut, to be cut. {’’صَرِيْمٌ‘‘} Cut off. Where was this garden and who were the owners of the garden? The Qur'an has not mentioned it, because the Qur'an narrates events not as history but as a lesson, and for this, the event itself is sufficient. At this point, also see the verses of Surah Al-Kahf (32 to 44), where, for the purpose of giving a lesson, the example of a man with two gardens is also mentioned.

17. 1. The people of Makkah are meant, that is, We bestowed wealth and riches upon them so that they would be grateful to Allah, not ungrateful and arrogant. But they showed ingratitude and arrogance, so We subjected them to the trial of hunger and famine, in which they remained for some time due to the supplication of the Prophet against them.

17. 2. The story of the owners of the garden was famous among the Arabs. This garden was at a distance of two farsakhs from Yemen. Its owner used to spend its produce on the poor and needy, but after his death, when his children inherited it, they said, "We can barely meet our own expenses; how can we give to the needy and beggars from its income?" So Allah Almighty destroyed this garden. It is said that this incident occurred shortly after Prophet Isa (Jesus) ﷺ was raised to the heavens (Fath al-Qadeer). All this detail is from exegetical narrations.

17. Indeed, We have tested them just as We tested the owners of the garden [14], when they swore they would surely pluck its fruit in the morning.

[14] That is, these Quraysh of Makkah have also been put to trial in the same way as We put the owners of the garden to trial.