لَّيْسَ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِن ضَرِيعٍ 6
Translations
For them there will be no food except from a poisonous, thorny plant
Transliteration
Laysa lahum ta'amun illa min daree'
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the punishment of the deniers on the Day of Judgment, stating that their only food will be from the daree' (a thorny plant that is bitter, foul-smelling, and provides no nourishment). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this literally as an actual punishment, while some understand it metaphorically as depicting the extreme wretchedness and deprivation of the inhabitants of Hell. The daree' symbolizes a completely unsatisfactory and painful sustenance that brings neither satisfaction nor benefit.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ghashiyah is a Meccan surah that vividly describes the scenes of the Day of Judgment, contrasting the fates of the righteous and the wicked. This ayah appears in the description of Hell's punishment, emphasizing the complete reversal of worldly comfort for those who rejected faith.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this verse, Sahih Muslim contains hadiths describing the food of Hell's inhabitants as bitter and foul. The Prophet (peace be upon him) described hellfire's punishments in vivid terms to emphasize the consequences of disbelief and disobedience.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder of the gravity of rejecting divine guidance and the eternal consequences that await those who turn away from faith. It encourages believers to reflect on their spiritual state and reinforce their commitment to Allah's path, knowing that temporary worldly pleasures cannot compare to either the eternal bliss of Paradise or the torment of Hell.
Related Ayahs
وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْحَسْرَةِ إِذْ قُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ وَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
And warn them, [O Muḥammad], of the Day of Regret, when the matter will be concluded; and [yet], they are in [a state of] heedlessness, and they do not believe.
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جَمَعْنَـٰهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَوُفِّيَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
So how will it be when We assemble them for a Day about which there is no doubt? And each soul will be compensated [in full for] what it earned, and they will not be wronged.
عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
About what they used to do.
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَآ ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـٰذَا غَـٰفِلِينَ
And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware."