لَّا يَأْكُلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلْخَـٰطِـُٔونَ 37
Translations
None will eat it except the sinners.
Transliteration
Lā ya'kuluhu illā al-khāṭi'ūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the food (Zaqqūm tree) of the inhabitants of Hell, which only the sinners and wrongdoers will eat. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this bitter, foul tree is a punishment specific to those who rejected truth and committed grave sins. The restriction emphasizes that this punishment is reserved exclusively for those who deserve it, highlighting divine justice.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Haqqah's vivid description of the Day of Judgment and the realities of the Hereafter. The surah graphically depicts the punishments awaiting disbelievers, with the Zaqqūm tree serving as a specific example of their torment in Hell.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) mentioned the Zaqqūm tree in several contexts. See At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah regarding descriptions of Hell's punishments. Additionally, hadiths in Sahih Muslim describe the bitterness and horror of the tree as a warning against disobedience.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful warning that sinful deeds have real, eternal consequences in the Hereafter, encouraging believers to maintain righteousness and fear Allah. It reminds us that justice is perfectly administered by Allah, and no wrongdoer will escape accountability.
Related Ayahs
يَوْمَ نَدْعُوا۟ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍۭ بِإِمَـٰمِهِمْ ۖ فَمَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَـٰبَهُمْ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا
[Mention, O Muḥammad], the Day We will call forth every people with their record [of deeds]. Then whoever is given his record in his right hand - those will read their records, and injustice will not be done to them, [even] as much as a thread [inside the date seed].
وَجِا۟ىٓءَ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِجَهَنَّمَ ۚ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ
And brought [within view], that Day, is Hell - that Day, man will remember, but how [i.e., what good] to him will be the remembrance?
يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ
The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly as if they were, toward an erected idol, hastening.
مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالُوا۟ ضَلُّوا۟ عَنَّا بَل لَّمْ نَكُن نَّدْعُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ شَيْـًٔا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Other than Allāh?" They will say, "They have departed from us; rather, we did not used to invoke previously anything." Thus does Allāh put astray the disbelievers.