Tafseer of The Smoke · Ad-Dukhaan · 44:43
Indeed, the tree of zaqqum
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His, the Exalted, statement: إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ الزَّقُّومِ (Truly, the Zaqqūm-tree) (43)
He, exalted be His mention, says: ( Truly, the Zaqqūm-tree ) of which He has reported that it sprouts in the bottom of Hellfire (al-jaḥīm), which He has made into food for the inhabitants of Hellfire — its fruit is, in the Hellfire, the food of the one who in the worldly life sinned against his Lord. And al-athīm (the sinner): the possessor of sin (ithm); and ithm derives from athima, yaʾthamu, from which comes athīm. What is meant here is: the one whose sin is unbelief (kufr) against his Lord, and no other sins.
Muḥammad ibn Bashshār has already related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, on the authority of Hammām ibn al-Ḥārith, that Abū al-Dardāʾ had a man recite ( Truly, the Zaqqūm-tree is the food of the sinner / al-athīm ), whereupon he said: the food of the orphan (al-yatīm). Then Abū al-Dardāʾ said: say: truly, the Zaqqūm-tree is the food of the wicked (al-fājir).
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū Yaḥyā, on the authority of Mujāhid, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: "If a single drop of the Zaqqūm of Hell (jahannam) were sent down to the worldly life, it would spoil for people their means of livelihood."
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, on the authority of Hammām, who said: Abū al-Dardāʾ had a man recite ( Truly, the Zaqqūm-tree is the food of the sinner / al-athīm ). He said: the man kept saying: truly, the Zaqqūm-tree is the food of the orphan (al-yatīm). He said: when Abū al-Dardāʾ corrected him repeatedly and saw that he did not understand it, he said: truly, the Zaqqūm-tree is the food of the wicked (al-fājir).
