فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ 20
Translations
And it became as though reaped.
Transliteration
Fa-asbahath kaas-sareem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the garden became like a harvested field (sareem) - completely barren and ruined - after being destroyed overnight as divine punishment. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to the owners' garden being stripped of all its fruits and vegetation, turning from a place of abundance into a desolate wasteland. The ayah illustrates the swift and complete nature of Allah's punishment upon those who break their oaths and refuse to give charity to the poor.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the story of the two gardens in Surah Al-Qalam (verses 17-33), a Meccan surah. The context describes wealthy garden owners who swore an oath to harvest their fruits early without sharing with the poor, but Allah destroyed their garden overnight as punishment for their greed and broken covenant. This narrative serves as a warning against arrogance, greed, and neglecting social obligations.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this verse, Surah Al-Qalam's themes relate to Hadith Qudsi: 'Wealth and children are adornments of life, but eternal good deeds are better' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2329), emphasizing that material possessions are temporary and subject to divine will.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that material wealth and prosperity are blessings from Allah that can be taken away swiftly, and that true security lies in fulfilling our obligations to others and maintaining integrity in our commitments rather than in accumulating possessions.