Question:
What is the commentary of Surah al-An’am verse 44?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Allah SWT states:
فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ
“So, when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.”
Surah al-An’am (44)
Al-Maraghi said: “The doors of goodness were opened to them as a test and trial for them, which results in some of them forgetting Allah SWT and turns into a tyrant and ungrateful person. The goodness will then harm them and become a fitnah.”
The opposite is for the believers. For them, the doors of goodness that Allah SWT opens for them are the very reason for them to be grateful and utilize His blessings to increase their good deeds and worships towards Allah SWT, which in turn will increase their rewards in this world and the hereafter.
Allah SWT states:
فَأَعْرَضُوا فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَاهُمْ بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَى أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَيْءٍ مِنْ سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ
“But they turned away [refusing], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced their two [fields of] gardens with gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisks and something of sparse Lote trees.”
Surah Saba’ (16)
Al-Tabari states that after they refused to accept the teachings of the prophet that Allah SWT has sent to them, then a great flood befalls them. Destroying the dam used for the irrigation of their gardens and fields, flooding and destroying everything (Al-Qurtubi, 14:286). Afterwards, only useless or unpalatable fruits grow.
Al-Razi said, Allah SWT destroy their crops, property and houses with a huge flood, where afterwards only useless and thorny plants grow in their place.
Ibn al-Jauzi said, the word ‘Arim means:
- A huge disastrous flood. This is the opinion of Ali Ibn Abi Talib and Ibn Abbas.
- It is the name of a valley. This is stated by Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, al-Dahak and Muqatil.
- According to Mujahid, Abu Maisarah, al-Farraq and Ibn Qutaibah, it means a dam or embankment.
As for the word Khamtin, it means:
- Aarak tree, this is the opinion of Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, al-Hassan and majority of scholars.
- A woody tree with thorns according to Abu Ubaidah.
- According to the opinion of Mubarrad and al-Zallaj, it means all bitter plants that are unpalatable.
Sayid Qutub said: “They are among the ungrateful who refuse to do good and utilize the blessings of Allah SWT. Thus, Allah SWT retract His blessings with a great flood that destroys roads and dams that flood the whole state. After the great flood, everything dried up and their once fertile garden, fields and crops changed into the wilderness with only tough and wiry plants.”
Wallahua’lam.