Tafseer of The Pen · Al-Qalam · 68:18
Without making exception.
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.
( وَلا يَسْتَثْنُونَ ) ("and they made no exception"): they did not say "in shāʾa Allāh" (if Allah wills).
Similar to what we have said concerning this, the exegetes have explained.
* Mention of who said that:
Hannād ibn al-Sarī related to us, he said: Abū al-Aḥwaṣ related to us, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿIkrima, concerning His word: "Let no needy person enter upon you today" (68:24). He said: They were people from Abyssinia (al-Ḥabasha); their father owned a garden from which he fed the needy. When their father died, his sons said: "By Allah, our father was truly a fool when he fed the needy." So they swore to harvest the garden in the early morning, without making an exception, and they gave no needy person anything to eat.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: ( لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ ) ("they would surely harvest it in the early morning"). He said: The garden belonged to an old man who gave alms. His sons forbade him from giving alms, but he would withhold the sustenance for his year and give out the rest and as alms. When their father died, they went there in the morning and said: "Let no needy person enter upon you today" (68:24).
It has been mentioned that the owners of the garden were People of the Book.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to us, he said: my father related to me, he said: my uncle related to me, he said: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: ( إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا ) ("Indeed, We tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they swore...") to the end of the verse. He said: They were among the People of the Book. And al-ṣarm means: the cutting off. By His word ( لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا ) is meant only: they would surely pluck its fruit. To this belongs the saying of Imruʾ al-Qays:
Daʿd severed the bond with you after attachment, and for Daʿd there appeared a part of what becomes visible.
