Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Hashr Verse 5

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Whatever palm-trees you have cut down, or have left them standing on their roots, it was with Allah’s permission, and so that He might disgrace the transgressors.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Whatever palm trees you ˹believers˺ cut down or left standing intact, it was ˹all˺ by Allah’s Will, so that He might disgrace the rebellious.[[ The Prophet (ﷺ) had instructed the Muslim army not to cut down trees, but some soldiers had to remove some palm trees to be able to enter the fort, to the dismay of Banu An-Naḍîr. When Muslims disagreed on that act, this verse was revealed.]]

Ruwwad Translation Center

Whatever palm trees you cut down or left standing on their trunks, it was by Allah’s Will, so that He might disgrace the evildoers.

A. J. Arberry

Whatever palm-trees you cut down, or left standing upon their roots, that was by God's leave, and that He might degrade the ungodly.

Abdul Haleem

Whatever you [believers] may have done to [their] palm trees–– cutting them down or leaving them standing on their roots––was done by God’s leave, so that He might disgrace those who defied Him.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Whatsoever fine palms ye cut down or left standing on roots there of, it was by the leave of Allah, and in order that He might abase the transgressors.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Whether ye cut down (O ye Muslim!) The tender palm-trees, or ye left them standing on their roots, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might cover with shame the rebellious transgresses.

Abul Ala Maududi

The palm-trees that you cut down or those that you left standing on their roots, it was by Allah's leave that you did so. (Allah granted you this leave) in order that He might humiliate the evil-doers.

Ahmed Ali

The palm trees that you cut down or left standing intact was by God's dispensation, so that He might disgrace the transgressors.

Ahmed Raza Khan

The trees you had cut down or left standing on their roots was all by Allah’s permission, and in order to disgrace the sinners.

Ali Quli Qarai

Whatever palm trees you cut down or left standing on their roots, it was by Allah’s will and in order that He may disgrace the transgressors.

Ali Ünal

Whatever (of their) palm-trees you may have cut down or left them standing on their roots, it was by God’s leave and so that He might disgrace the transgressors.

Amatul Rahman Omar

You cut down no palm-tree (of theirs) bearing small dates of inferior quality or left it standing on its roots but it was by Allâh´s leave. (Allâh gave you this leave) so that He might disgrace the transgressors.

English Literal

What you cut off from a palm , or you left it standing on its roots , so (it is) with God`s permission/pardon, and to reimburse the debauchers .

Faridul Haque

The trees you had cut down or left standing on their roots was all by Allah’s permission, and in order to disgrace the sinners.

Hamid S. Aziz

Whatever palm-tree you cut down or leave standing upon its roots, It is by Allah´s command, and that He may abase (or confound) the transgressors.

Hilali & Khan

What you (O Muslims) cut down of the palm-trees (of the enemy), or you left them standing on their stems, it was by Leave of Allah, and in order that He might disgrace the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

That is because they were opposed to Allah and His Messenger, and whoever is opposed to Allah, surely Allah is Severe in retribution.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Whatever palm-tree you cut down or leave standing upon its roots, It is by Allah's command, and that He may abase the transgressors.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Whatsoever palm-trees ye cut down or left standing on their roots, it was by Allah's leave, in order that He might confound the evil-livers.

Muhammad Sarwar

All the productive palm-trees (of the Jews hostile to you) which you cut down or left untouched were the will of God to bring disgrace upon the evil-doers.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Whatever palmtree you cut down or left standing upon its roots, it is by the permission of Allah, so that He might humiliate the impious.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might disgrace the rebellious.

Wahiduddin Khan

Whatever palm trees you cut down or left standing on their roots, it was by God's leave, so that He might disgrace the transgressors.

Talal Itani

Whether you cut down a tree, or leave it standing on its trunk, it is by God’s will. He will surely disgrace the sinners.

Tafsir jalalayn

Whatever palm-trees you cut down, O Muslims, or left standing on their roots, it was by God's leave; He gave you the choice in this matter, and in order that, by giving [you] leave to cut them down, He might disgrace those who are immoral, the Jews, in return for their objection that the cutting down of productive trees was [deliberate] spoiling [of the land].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might disgrace the rebellious.
Linah is an especially good type of date tree.

Abu Ubaydah said that Linah is a different kind of dates than Ajwah and Barni.

Several others said that Linah refers to every type of date fruits, except for the Ajwah (ripen dates), while Ibn Jarir said that it refers to all kinds of date trees.

Ibn Jarir quoted Mujahid saying that it also includes the Buwayrah type.

When the Messenger of Allah laid siege to Bani An-Nadir, to humiliate them and bring fear and terror to their hearts, he ordered their date trees to be cut down.

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Yazid bin Ruman, Qatadah and Muqatil bin Hayyan said,

"Bani An-Nadir sent a message to the Messenger, saying that he used to outlaw mischief in the earth, so why did he order that their trees be cut down? Allah sent down this honorable Ayah stating that whatever Linah was felled or left intact by the Muslims, has been done by His permission, will, leave and pleasure to humiliate and disgrace the enemy and degrade them."

Mujahid said,

"Some of the emigrants discouraged others from chopping down the date trees of Jews, saying that they were war spoils for Muslims. The Qur'an approved of the actions of those who discouraged and those who approved of cutting these trees, stating that those who cut them or did not, did so only by Allah's leave."

There is also a Hadith narrated from the Prophet with this meaning.

An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement,

مَا قَطَعْتُم مِّن لِّينَةٍ أَوْ تَرَكْتُمُوهَا قَايِمَةً عَلَى أُصُولِهَا فَبِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ

وَلِيُخْزِيَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might disgrace the rebellious.

"They forced them to come down from their forts and were ordered to cut their trees cut down. So the Muslims hesitated, and some of them said, `We cut down some and left some. We must ask Allah's Messenger if we will earn a reward for what we cut and if we will be burdened for what we left intact.' Allah sent down this Ayah,

مَا قَطَعْتُم مِّن لِّينَةٍ أَوْ تَرَكْتُمُوهَا قَايِمَةً عَلَى أُصُولِهَا فَبِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ

What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah."

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Umar said;

the Messenger of Allah ordered that the date trees of Bani An-Nadir be cut down and burned.

The Two Sahihs collected a similar narration.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abdullah bin Umar said,

"Bani An-Nadir and Bani Qurayzah fought (against the Prophet), and the Prophet exiled Bani An-Nadir and allowed Bani Qurayzah to remain in their area until later, when the Prophet fought against Qurayzah. Their men were executed and their women, children and wealth were confiscated and divided among Muslims. Some of them, however, were saved because they returned to the Prophet's side, who granted them asylum, and they embraced Islam. All of the Jews of Al-Madinah, Bani Qaynuqa`, the tribe of Abdullah bin Salam, Bani Harithah and the rest of the Jewish tribes in Al-Madinah were exiled."

The Two Sahihs also recorded from Ibn Umar;

the Messenger of Allah burned down the date trees of Bani An-Nadir and had them cut down the date palms of Al-Buwayrah. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored revealed this Ayah,

مَا قَطَعْتُم مِّن لِّينَةٍ أَوْ تَرَكْتُمُوهَا قَايِمَةً عَلَى أُصُولِهَا فَبِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ

وَلِيُخْزِيَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might disgrace the rebellious.

Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that the battle of Bani An-Nadir occurred after the battles of Uhud and Bi'r Ma`unah