This is a parable that Allah made of the behavior of the Quraysh disbelievers with the great mercy, and tremendous favors He granted them. The mercy and favor of sending of Muhammad to them. But they met him with denial, rejection and opposition. Therefore Allah says,

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ط¨ظژظ„ظژظˆظ’ظ†ظژظ€ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(Verily, We have tried them) meaning, `We have tested them.'

﴿ظƒظژظ…ظژط§ ط¨ظژظ„ظژظˆظ’ظ†ظژط¢ ط£ظژطµظ’ط­ظژظ€ط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¬ظژظ†ظ‘ظژط©ظگ﴾

(as We tried the People of the Garden,) This refers to a garden containing different types of fruits and vegetation.

﴿ط¥ظگط°ظ’ ط£ظژظ‚ظ’ط³ظژظ…ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ظژظٹظژطµظ’ط±ظگظ…ظڈظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژط§ ظ…ظڈطµظ’ط¨ظگط­ظگظٹظ†ظژ﴾

(when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning,) meaning, they vowed between themselves during the night that they would pluck the fruit of the garden in the morning so that poor and the beggars would not know what they were doing. In this way they would be able to keep its fruit for themselves and not give any of it in charity.

﴿ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژط«ظ’ظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(Without (saying: "If Allah wills.'')) meaning their vow that they made. Therefore, Allah broke their vow. He then said,

﴿ظپظژط·ظژط§ظپظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظژط§ ط·ظژط¢ط¦ظگظپظŒ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ† ط±ظ‘ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظƒظژ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ†ظژط¢ط¦ظگظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(Then there passed over it a Ta'if from your Lord while they were asleep. ) meaning, it was afflicted with some heavenly destruction.

﴿ظپظژط£ظژطµظ’ط¨ظژط­ظژطھظ’ ظƒظژط§ظ„طµظ‘ظژط±ظگظٹظ…ظگ ﴾

(So by the morning it became like As-Sarim.) Ibn `Abbas said, "Like the dark night.'' Ath-Thawri and As-Suddi both said, "Like the crop when it is harvested withered and dry.''

﴿ظپظژطھظژظ†ظژط§ط¯ظژظˆظ’ط§ظ’ ظ…ظڈطµظ’ط¨ظگط­ظگظٹظ†ظژ ﴾

(Then they called out (one to another as soon) as the morning broke.) meaning, when it was (early) morning time they called each other so that they could go together to pick the harvest or cut it (its fruits). Then Allah said,

﴿ط£ظژظ†ظگ ط§ط؛ظ’ط¯ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط­ظژط±ظ’ط«ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ† ظƒظڈظ†طھظڈظ…ظ’ طµظژظ€ط±ظگظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژ ﴾

((Saying:) "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck (the fruits).'') meaning, `if you want to pluck your harvest fruit.'

﴿ظپظژط§ظ†ط·ظژظ„ظژظ‚ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژطھظژط®ظژظ€ظپظژطھظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(So they departed, and they were whispering:) meaning, they spoke privately about what they were doing so that no one could hear what they were saying. Then Allah, the All-Knower of secrets and private discussions, explained what they were saying in private. He said,

﴿ظپظژط§ظ†ط·ظژظ„ظژظ‚ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژطھظژط®ظژظ€ظپظژطھظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ط£ظژظ† ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظٹظژط¯ظ’ط®ظڈظ„ظژظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظگط³ظ’ظƒظگظٹظ†ظŒ ﴾

(So they departed, and they were whispering: "No poor person shall enter upon you into it today.'') meaning, some of them said to others, "Do not allow any poor person to enter upon you in it (the garden) today.'' Allah then said,

﴿ظˆظژط؛ظژط¯ظژظˆظ’ط§ظ’ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط­ظژط±ظ’ط¯ظچ﴾

(And they went in the morning with Hard) meaning, with strength and power.

﴿ظ‚ظژظ€ط¯ظگط±ظگظٹظ†ظژ﴾

(Qadirin) meaning, they thought they had power to do what they claimed and what they were desiring.

﴿ظپظژظ„ظژظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ط±ظژط£ظژظˆظ’ظ‡ظژط§ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ظ„ظژط¶ظژط¢ظ„ظ‘ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(But when they saw it, they said: "Verily, we have gone astray.'') meaning, when they arrived at it and came upon it, and it was in the condition which Allah changed from that luster, brilliance and abundance of fruit, to being black, gloomy and void of any benefit. They believed that they had been mistaken in the path they took in walking to it. This is why they said,

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ظ„ظژط¶ظژط¢ظ„ظ‘ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(Verily, we have gone astray.) meaning, `we have walked down a path other than the one we were seeking to reach it.' This was said by Ibn `Abbas and others. Then they changed their minds and realized with certainty that it was actually the correct path. Then they said,

﴿ط¨ظژظ„ظ’ ظ†ظژط­ظ’ظ†ظڈ ظ…ظژط­ظ’ط±ظڈظˆظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(Nay! Indeed we are deprived (of the fruits)!) meaning, `nay, this is it, but we have no portion and no share (of harvest).'

﴿ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ ط£ظژظˆظ’ط³ظژط·ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(The Awsat among them said,) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah all said, "This means the most just of them and the best of them.''

﴿ط£ظژظ„ظژظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’ ظ„ظ‘ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ظژظˆظ’ظ„ط§ظژ طھظڈط³ظژط¨ظ‘ظگط­ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(Did I not tell you, `Why do you not Tusabbihun') Mujahid, As-Suddi and Ibn Jurayj all said that,

﴿ظ„ظژظˆظ’ظ„ط§ظژ طھظڈط³ظژط¨ظ‘ظگط­ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(Why do you not Tusabbihun) this means "why do you not say, `If Allah wills''' As-Suddi said, "Their making exception due to the will of Allah in that time was by glorifying Allah (Tasbih).'' Ibn Jarir said, "It is a person's saying, `If Allah wills.''' It has also been said that it means that the best of them said to them, "Did I not tell you, why don't you glorify Allah and thank Him for what He has given you and favored you with''

﴿ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط³ظڈط¨ظ’ط­ظژظ€ظ†ظژ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ†ظژط¢ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ظƒظڈظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ط¸ظژظ€ظ„ظگظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژ ﴾

(They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been wrongdoers.'') They became obedient when it was of no benefit to them, and they were remorseful and confessed when it was not of any use. Then they said,

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ظƒظڈظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ط¸ظژظ€ظ„ظگظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژظپظژط£ظژظ‚ظ’ط¨ظژظ„ظژ ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¶ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¶ظچ ظٹظژطھظژظ„ظژظ€ظˆظژظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

("...Verily, we have been wrongdoers.'' Then they turned one against another, blaming.) meaning, they started blaming each other for what they had resolved to do, preventing the poor people from receiving their right of the harvested fruit. Thus, their response to each other was only to confess their error and sin.

﴿ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظٹظˆظژظٹظ’ظ„ظژظ†ظژط¢ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ظƒظڈظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ط·ظژظ€ط؛ظگظٹظ†ظژ ﴾

(They said: "Woe to us! Verily, we were Taghin.'') meaning, `we have transgressed, trespassed, violated and exceeded the bounds until what this happened to us.'

﴿ط¹ظژط³ظژظ‰ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظڈظ†ظژط¢ ط£ظژظ† ظٹظڈط¨ظ’ط¯ظگظ„ظژظ†ظژط§ ط®ظژظٹظ’ط±ط§ظ‹ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظژط¢ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژط¢ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ†ظژط§ ط±ظژط؛ظگط¨ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange better than it. Truly, we hope in our Lord.) It has been said, "They were hoping for something better in exchange in this life.'' It has also been said, "They were hoping for its reward in the abode of the Hereafter.'' And Allah knows best. Some of the Salaf mentioned that these people were from Yemen. Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "They were from a village that was called Darawan which was six miles from San`a' (in Yemen). '' It has also been said, "They were from the people of Ethiopia whose father had left them this garden, and they were from the People of the Book. Their father used to handle the garden in a good way. Whatever he reaped from it he would put it back into the garden as it needed, and he would save some of it as food for his dependants for the year, and he would give away the excess in charity. Then, when he died, and his children inherited the garden they said, `Verily, our father was foolish for giving some of this garden's harvest to the poor. If we prevent them from it, then we will have more.' So when they made up their minds to do this they were punished with what was contrary to their plan. Allah took away all of what they possessed of wealth, gain and charity. Nothing remained for them.'' Allah then says,

﴿ظƒظژط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژط°ظژط§ط¨ظڈ﴾

(Such is the punishment,) meaning, such is the punishment of whoever opposes the command of Allah, is stingy with what Allah has given him and favored him with, withholds the right of the poor and needy, and responds to Allah's blessings upon him with ungratefulness (or disbelief).

﴿ظˆظژظ„ظژط¹ظژط°ظژط§ط¨ظڈ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط®ظگط±ظژط©ظگ ط£ظژظƒظ’ط¨ظژط±ظڈ ظ„ظژظˆظ’ ظƒظژط§ظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they but knew.) meaning, this is the punishment in this life, as you have heard, and the punishment of the Hereafter is even harder.

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ظ„ظ‘ظگظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈطھظ‘ظژظ‚ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¹ظگظ†ظ’ط¯ظژ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط¬ظژظ†ظ‘ظژظ€طھظگ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط¹ظگظٹظ…ظگ - ط£ظژظپظژظ†ظژط¬ظ’ط¹ظژظ„ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط³ظ’ظ„ظگظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظƒظژط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط¬ظ’ط±ظگظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژ - ظ…ظژط§ ظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظƒظژظٹظ’ظپظژ طھظژط­ظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ط£ظژظ…ظ’ ظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظƒظگطھظژظ€ط¨ظŒ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظگ طھظژط¯ظ’ط±ظڈط³ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظگ ظ„ظژظ…ظژط§ طھظژط®ظژظٹظ‘ظژط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ط£ظژظ…ظ’ ظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظٹظ’ظ…ظژظ€ظ†ظŒ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژط§ ط¨ظژظ€ظ„ظگط؛ظژط©ظŒ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‚ظگظٹظژظ€ظ…ظژط©ظگ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ظژظ…ظژط§ طھظژط­ظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ط³ظژظ„ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظڈظ… ط¨ظگط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظژ ط²ظژط¹ظگظٹظ…ظŒ - ط£ظژظ…ظ’ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط´ظڈط±ظژظƒظژط¢ط،ظڈ ظپظژظ„ظ’ظٹظژط£طھظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¨ظگط´ظڈط±ظژظƒظژط¢ط¦ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ† ظƒظژط§ظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ طµظژظ€ط¯ظگظ‚ظگظٹظ†ظژ ﴾

(34. Verily, for those who have Taqwa are Gardens of Delight with their Lord.) (35. Shall We then treat the Muslims like the criminals) (36. What is the matter with you How judge you) (37. Or have you a Book wherein you learn,) (38. That you shall therein have all that you choose) (39. Or have you oaths from Us, lasting until the Day of Judgement, that yours will be what you judge) (40. Ask them, which of them will stand as surety for that!) (41. Or have they "partners'' Then let them bring their "partners'' if they are truthful!)

﴿ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظژ ظٹظڈظƒظ’ط´ظژظپظڈ ط¹ظژظ† ط³ظژط§ظ‚ظچ ظˆظژظٹظڈط¯ظ’ط¹ظژظˆظ’ظ†ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ط³ظ‘ظڈط¬ظڈظˆط¯ظگ ظپظژظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژط·ظگظٹط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ط®ظژظ€ط´ظگط¹ظژط©ظ‹ ط£ظژط¨ظ’طµظژظ€ط±ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ طھظژط±ظ’ظ‡ظژظ‚ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط°ظگظ„ظ‘ظژط©ظŒ ظˆظژظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ ظƒظژط§ظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظٹظڈط¯ظ’ط¹ظژظˆظ’ظ†ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ط³ظ‘ظڈط¬ظڈظˆط¯ظگ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط³ظژظ€ظ„ظگظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ظپظژط°ظژط±ظ’ظ†ظگظ‰ ظˆظژظ…ظژظ† ظٹظڈظƒظژط°ظ‘ظگط¨ظڈ ط¨ظگظ‡ظژظ€ط°ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژط¯ظگظٹط«ظگ ط³ظژظ†ظژط³ظ’طھظژط¯ظ’ط±ظگط¬ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظ’ ط­ظژظٹظ’ط«ظڈ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظˆظژط£ظڈظ…ظ’ظ„ظگظ‰ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ظƒظژظٹظ’ط¯ظگظ‰ ظ…ظژطھظگظٹظ†ظŒ ط£ظژظ…ظ’ طھظژط³ظ’ظ€ظژظ„ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ط§ظ‹ ظپظژظ‡ظڈظ… ظ…ظ‘ظگظ† ظ…ظ‘ظژط؛ظ’ط±ظژظ…ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظڈط«ظ’ظ‚ظژظ„ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط£ظژظ…ظ’ ط¹ظگظ†ط¯ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ط؛ظژظٹظ’ط¨ظڈ ظپظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظƒظ’طھظڈط¨ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(42. The Day when the Shin shall be laid bare and they shall be called to prostrate themselves, but they shall not be able to do so.) (43. Their eyes will be cast down and ignominy will cover them; they used to be called to prostrate themselves, while they were.) (44. Then leave Me alone with whoever denies this narration. We shall punish them gradually from directions they perceive not.) (45. And I will grant them a respite. Verily, My plan is strong.) (46. Or is it that you ask them a wage, so that they are heavily burdened with debt) (47. Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down)