سورة الإسرَاء
Surah Al-Isrâ’ 17:60
The Night-Journey · Verse 60 of 111
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ ۚ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ ۚ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا
Abdul Mannan Omar
And (Prophet! recall the time) when We said to you, `Surely, your Lord has encompassed all people (for destruction) and has power over them (still they remained indifferent).´ We made the vision which We showed you (being carried to Jerusalem from Makkah by night) and also the tree (- evil word; see 14:26) disapproved of in the Qur´ân, a means of distinction between the good and the bad for the people. (Despite the fact that) We have been warning them (by sending Our signs), this (warning from Us) only leads them to unrestrained inordinacy.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Behold! We told thee that thy Lord doth encompass mankind round about: We granted the vision which We showed thee, but as a trial for men,- as also the Cursed Tree (mentioned) in the Qur'an: We put terror (and warning) into them, but it only increases their inordinate transgression!
Ahmed Ali
When We said to you: "Verily your Lord circumscribes mankind," and showed you the vision and the accursed tree of the Qur´an, it was as a bone of contention for men. Thus do We (instil) fear in them; but they only transgress the more.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
And (recall) when We said to you (by way of a warning), that your Lord encompasses all humankind (with His Knowledge and Power). We did not make the vision that We showed you (during the Ascension) but as a trial for humankind to mend their ways, and (in the same way We mentioned) in the Qur’an the Accursed Tree (the tree in Hell absolutely outside the sphere of God’s Mercy). And We warn them, exhorting them to be fearful and amend, but it increases them only in great insolence and rebellion.
Daryabadi
And recall what time We said unto thee: verily thy Lord hath encompassed mankind. And We made the vision We shewed thee but a temptation for men, and likewise the tree accurst in the Qur´an. And We frighten them, but it only increaseth them in exorbitance great.
Faridul Haque
And when We proclaimed to you, "Indeed all mankind is within the control of your Lord"; and We did not create the spectacle * which We showed you except to try mankind, and the Tree ** which is cursed in the Qur’an; and We warn them - so nothing increases for them except extreme rebellion. (* The Ascent of the Holy Prophet to the heavens and beyond, which the disbelievers denied as just a dream. ** The Zakkum tree which will grow in hell and be the food for its inhabitants.)
Maulana Muhammad Ali
And when We said to thee: Surely thy Lord encompasses men. And We made not the vision which We showed thee but a trial for men, as also the tree cursed in the Qur
Maulvi Sher Ali
And call to mind when WE said to thee, `Surely, thy Lord has decreed the ruin of this people.' And WE made not the vision which WE showed thee but as a trial for men, as also the tree cursed in the Qur'an. And WE continue to warn them, but it only increases them in great transgression.
Muhammad Asad
And lo! We said unto thee, [O Prophet:] "Behold, thy Sustainer encompasses all mankind [within His knowledge and might]: and so We have ordained that the vision which We have shown thee - as also the tree [of hell,] cursed in this Qur'an - shall be but a trial for men. Now [by Our mentioning hell] Weconvey a warning to them: but [if they are bent on denying the truth,] this [warning] only increases their gross, overweening arrogance."
Muhammad Musin Khan
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-Isra') but a trial for mankind, and likewise the accursed tree (Zaqqum, mentioned) in the Qur'an. We warn and make them afraid but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allah.
Muhammad Pickthall
And (it was a warning) when we told thee: Lo! thy Lord encompasseth mankind, and We appointed the sight which We showed thee as an ordeal for mankind, and (likewise) the Accursed Tree in the Qur'an. We warn them, but it increaseth them in naught save gross impiety.
Muhammad Sarwar
(Muhammad), We told you that your Lord has encompassed all mankind. We made the vision which We showed you and the condemned tree, mentioned in the Quran, as a trial for the human being. Even though We warn them, it only increases their rebellion.
Muhammed ali Shakir
And when We said to you: Surely your Lord encompasses men; and We did not make the vision which We showed you but a trial for men and the cursed tree in the Quran as well; and We cause them to fear, but it only adds to their great inordinacy.
Rashad Khalifa
We informed you that your Lord fully controls the people, and we rendered the vision that we showed you a test for the people, and the tree that is accursed in the Quran. We showed them solid proofs to instill reverence in them, but this only augmented their defiance.
Shabbir Ahmed
We said to you (O Prophet), “Your Lord encompasses all mankind, so We have given you the vision (of mankind’s unity)." Those who hinder this Plan will end up eating the bitter, pungent Tree of Division that is mentioned in the Qur’an. This vision and the Tree of Division shall be a test for them. Now We have conveyed a warning to them, yet, for a time it shall increase them in gross rebellion.
Commentary 17:60 Al-Ru’yâ الرُّؤْيَا - The vision refers to the spiritual experience mentioned in 17:1. Shajarah al-Mal‘ûnah (الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ) meaning, “the…
وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ ۚ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا
17:60 Al-Ru’yâ الرُّؤْيَا - The vision refers to the spiritual experience mentioned in 17:1. Shajarah al-Mal‘ûnah (الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ) meaning, “the cursed or the disapproved tree”, is the tree of Zaqqûm زقٌوم (Bukhârî 63:42). The Qur’ân speaks of it in 37:62 and 44:43. It is one of the manifestations of Hell and symbolizes Hell as well as the living conditions therein. As the word Shajarah شَجرة is also used for “family” or “tribe”, some commentators are of the opinion that the cursed tree refers to those Jews who had been cursed by David and Jesus (5:78; 4:47) because of their disloyalty towards David, and those who staunchly denied Jesus and the Holy Prophet (pbuh), scheming to kill Prophets of God. Support for this view comes from the fact that this chapter particularly deals with the Israelites as its title Banî Israel suggests.
Another explanation of the disapproved tree is that, according to the Holy Qur’ân, every good word and action is likened to a good tree and every evil action and word to an evil tree (14:24). The Holy Qur’ân also refers to the liars, and the staunch disbelievers and the breakers of the covenant as the cursed ones (cf. 2:161; 3:87; 5:13; 7:44; 33:68).