وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤيَا الَّتِیْ أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُوْنَةَ فِی الْقُرْآنِ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيْرًا.

Remember when [for such an admonition and warning] We said to you: “Your Lord has surrounded these people,[73] [and they were making fun of this]. And the dream We showed you We made it a trial [74] for these people [because of this attitude of theirs] and that tree as well which has been cursed in the Quran.[75] We are frightening them of their fate, but this is only increasing them in their extreme rebelliousness.[76] (17:60)

(Excerpt From Quranic Exegesis: Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

________________________________

[73].This is a reference to the verses of the Quran which state that the Almighty is heading towards the land of Makkah while reducing it from its boundaries. This is an explicit prophecy of the fate – and a warning with its reference to the Quraysh – which they met at the conquest of Makkah. See, the Quran 13:41; 21:44.

[74].This is a reference to the incident of the night journey with which the surah began. Since there was also a warning in it for both the Quraysh and the Israelites that besides the Sacred Mosque, the Bayt al-Maqdis too is now being entrusted to the Prophet (sws) it was made fun of. Mocking words like “see now they are trying to forcibly occupy the Bayt al-Maqdis” were cracked. So much so that in the words of Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, the thing that was meant to warn and admonish them and to inform them of the future became a trial for them because of their misdeeds.

[75]. The tree of Zaqqum, which neither gives shade nor fruit, is referred to here. It will be a heap of thorns which the dwellers of Hell will eat in distress. It will burn their bellies as if boiling water is circulating in them. It is because of these characteristics of this tree that it is calledمَلْعُوْنَة (accursed) by the Quran. In other words, God has not granted it with the benefits of flowers, fruits and shade. On the contrary, He has deprived it of all these things and thereby made it a symbol of His curse. When the Quran mentioned it to warn and frighten people, the miscreants of the Quraysh made it also a subject of making fun. They would mockingly say: Look at this person! On the one hand, he says that Hell will contain fire which will burn down stones and on the other hand, is informing us with the same tongue that trees also sprout in this fire.

[76]. The implication is that a sign is not their problem that if it is shown they will profess faith. They are inflicted with the ailment of stubbornness and obduracy. The Almighty has done all the needful to warn and admonish them, but to no avail. All these three examples show that their rebelliousness has only increased and they have dealt with God’s signs in the same manner as the Thamud dealt with the she-camel.