Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Isra Verse 60

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Remember) when We said to you that your Lord encompasses all humans. And We did not make the vision We showed to you, but a test for the people - and the tree cursed in the Qur’ān as well. And We warn them, yet it adds nothing to them but enormous rebellion.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹remember, O  Prophet˺ when We told you, “Certainly your Lord encompasses the people.” And We have made what We brought you to see[[ During the Night Journey mentioned in {17:1}.]] as well as the cursed tree ˹mentioned˺ in the Quran[[ The tree of Zaqqûm which grows in the depths of Hell as mentioned in {37:62}-65. The pagans of Mecca used to make fun of the Prophet (ﷺ) and say, “How can a tree grow in Hell?” ]] only as a test for the people. We keep warning them, but it only increases them greatly in defiance.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember, O Prophet] when We told you, “Your Lord encompasses all people [with His knowledge and might].” We did not make the sight which We showed you except as a test for people, as well as the cursed tree [mentioned] in the Qur’an. We keep threatening them, yet it only increases them to greater transgression.

A. J. Arberry

And when We said to thee, 'Surely thy Lord encompasses men,' and We made the vision that We showed thee and the tree cursed in the Koran to be only a trial for men; and We frighten them, but it only increases them in great insolence.

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], We have told you that your Lord knows all about human beings. The vision We showed you was only a test for people, as was the cursed tree [mentioned] in the Quran. We warn them, but this only increases their insolence.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time We said unto thee: verily thy Lord hath encompassed mankind. And We made the vision We shewed thee but a temptation for men, and likewise the tree accurst in the Qur'an. And We frighten them, but it only increaseth them in exorbitance great.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Behold! We told thee that thy Lord doth encompass mankind round about; We granted the vision which We showed thee, but as a trial for men,- as also the Cursed Tree (mentioned) in the Qur'an; We put terror (and warning) into them, but it only increases their inordinate transgression!

Abul Ala Maududi

And recall when We said to you, (O Muhammad), that your Lord encompasses these people; and that We have made that vision that We have shown you, and the tree accursed in the Qur'an, but as a trial for people. We go about warning them, but each warning leads them to greater transgression.

Ahmed Ali

When We said to you: "Verily your Lord circumscribes mankind," and showed you the vision and the accursed tree of the Qur'an, it was as a bone of contention for men. Thus do We (instil) fear in them; but they only transgress the more.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when We proclaimed to you, “Indeed all mankind is within the control of your Lord”; and We did not create the spectacle* which We showed you except to try mankind, and the Tree** which is cursed in the Qur’an; and We warn them – so nothing increases for them except extreme rebellion. (* The Ascent of the Holy Prophet to the heavens and beyond, which the disbelievers denied as just a dream. ** The Zakkum tree which will grow in hell and be the food for its inhabitants.)

Ali Quli Qarai

When We said to you, ‘Indeed your Lord encircles those people,’ We did not appoint the vision that We showed you except as a tribulation for the people and the tree cursed in the Quran. We warn them, but it only increases them in their outrageous rebellion.

Ali Ünal

And (recall) when We said to you (by way of a warning), that your Lord encompasses all humankind (with His Knowledge and Power). We did not make the vision that We showed you (during the Ascension) but as a trial for humankind to mend their ways, and (in the same way We mentioned) in the Qur’an the Accursed Tree (the tree in Hell absolutely outside the sphere of God’s Mercy). And We warn them, exhorting them to be fearful and amend, but it increases them only in great insolence and rebellion.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (Prophet! recall the time) when We said to you, `Surely, your Lord has encompassed all people (for destruction) and has power over them (still they remained indifferent).´ We made the vision which We showed you (being carried to Jerusalem from Makkah by night) and also the tree (- evil word; see 14:26) disapproved of in the Qur´ân, a means of distinction between the good and the bad for the people. (Despite the fact that) We have been warning them (by sending Our signs), this (warning from Us) only leads them to unrestrained inordinacy.

English Literal

And when We said to you that your Lord took care of/was aware with the people, and We did not make the dream which We showed you except (as) a test to the people, and the tree the cursed in the Koran, and We194frighten them, so it does not increase them except great tyranny .

Faridul Haque

And when We proclaimed to you, "Indeed all mankind is within the control of your Lord"; and We did not create the spectacle * which We showed you except to try mankind, and the Tree ** which is cursed in the Qur’an; and We warn them - so nothing increases for them except extreme rebellion. (* The Ascent of the Holy Prophet to the heavens and beyond, which the disbelievers denied as just a dream. ** The Zakkum tree which will grow in hell and be the food for its inhabitants.)

Hamid S. Aziz

And when We said to you, "Verily, your Lord encompasses mankind!" and We granted the Vision which We showed you only as a trial unto men - and also the Cursed Tree (mentioned) in the Quran (See 44:43-49, 37:62-65); for We put warning (or fright) into them, but it only increase them in gross rebellion.

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when We told you: "Verily! Your Lord has encompassed mankind (i.e. they are in His Grip)." And We made not the vision which we showed you (O Muhammad as an actual eye-witness and not as a dream on the night of Al-Isra') but a trial for mankind, and likewise the accursed tree (Zaqqum, mentioned) in the Quran. We warn and make them afraid but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allah.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And nothing hindered Us from sending signs, but the ancients rejected them. And We gave to Thamud the she-camel, a manifest sign, but they did her wrong, and We send not signs but to warn.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when We said to you: Surely your Lord encompasses men; and We did not make the vision which We showed you but a trial for men and the cursed tree in the Quran as well; and We cause them to fear, but it only adds to their great inordinacy.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And (it was a warning) when we told thee: Lo! thy Lord encompasseth mankind, and We appointed the sight which We showed thee as an ordeal for mankind, and (likewise) the Accursed Tree in the Qur'an. We warn them, but it increaseth them in naught save gross impiety.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), We told you that your Lord has encompassed all mankind. We made the vision which We showed you and the condemned tree, mentioned in the Quran, as a trial for the human being. Even though We warn them, it only increases their rebellion.

Qaribullah & Darwish

When We said to you: 'Indeed, your Lord encompasses all people' We did not make the vision which We showed to you, and the tree cursed in the Koran except to be a trial for people, and We frighten them, but it only increases them in great insolence.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when We told you: "Verily, your Lord has encompassed mankind." And We made not the vision which We showed you but a trial for mankind, and (likewise) the accursed tree in the Qur'an. We warn and make them afraid but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allah.

Wahiduddin Khan

We told you that your Lord encompasses mankind. We granted the vision which We showed you, as well as the tree that is cursed in the Quran, only as a test for mankind. We warn them, but this only increases their insolence.

Talal Itani

We said to you that your Lord encompasses humanity. We did not make the vision We showed you, except as a test for the people, and the tree cursed in the Quran. We frighten them, but that only increases their defiance.

Tafsir jalalayn

And, remember, when We said to you, `Truly your Lord encompasses mankind', in knowledge and power [over them], such that they are within His grasp; so deliver the Message to them and do not fear anyone, because God will protect you from them. And We did not appoint the vision that We showed you, before your very eyes, during the Night Journey, except as a test for people, [for] the people of Mecca -- since they denied it and some of them [even] apostatised when he [the Prophet] informed them of it -- and [likewise] the tree cursed in the Qur'n, namely, the [tree called] Zaqqm [Q.37;62ff] that issues from the very root of the Blazing Fire [of Hell]; We made it a test for them, because they said, `Fire consumes trees, so how can it cause it [the Zaqqm tree] to issue forth?'. And We [seek to] deter them, with it, but it, Our deterrence, only increases them in gross insolence.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah has encompassed Mankind and made the Vision of His Prophet a Trial for Them

Allah says to His Messenger, encouraging him to convey the Message and informing him that He is protecting him from the people, that He is able to deal with them and that they are in His grasp and under His domination and control.

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ

And (remember) when We told you;"Verily, your Lord has encompassed mankind.."

Mujahid, Urwah bin Az-Az-Zubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others said,

"This means, He protected you from them."

وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّويَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ

And We made not the vision which We showed you but a trial for mankind,

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Abbas said;

"This is the vision which the Messenger of Allah saw with his own eyes on the night when he was taken on the Night Journey (Al-Isra').

وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي القُرْانِ

and (likewise) the accursed tree in the Quran.

refers to the Tree of Zaqqum."

This was also recorded by Ahmad, Abdur-Razzaq and others.

It was also reported by Al-Awfi from Ibn Abbas.

It was also interpreted as referring to the Night of the Isra' by Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Masruq, Ibrahim, Qatadah, Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and several others.

We have already quoted at length a comprehensive collection of Hadith about the Isra' at the beginning of this Surah, praise be to Allah. We have also already stated that some people gave up their Islam after they had been following the truth, because their hearts and minds could not comprehend that, and they denied what their knowledge could not grasp, but Allah caused it to increase and strengthen the faith of others, and so He says;
إِلاَّ فِتْنَةً
(but a trial), meaning a test.

As for the cursed tree, this is the Tree of Zaqqum.

When the Messenger of Allah told them that he had seen Paradise and Hell, and seen the Tree of Zaqqum, they did not believe that, and Abu Jahl, upon whom be the curses of Allah, even said,

"Bring us some dates and butter," and he started eating them and saying, "Let us have some Zaqqum, we don't know any other Zaqqum but this."

This was narrated by Ibn Abbas, Masruq, Abu Malik, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others.

Everyone who interpreted the Ayah to refer to the Night of the Isra', also interpreted it to refer to the Tree of Zaqqum.

وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ

(We) make them afraid,

meaning, `We make the disbelievers afraid with Our warnings and punishments and torment.'

فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلاَّ طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا



but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allah.

means, it only pushes them further into their disbelief and misguidance, and this is because Allah has forsaken them