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The story itself has beautiful effects on the human soul were mentioned a lot in many verses in Holy Quran. The story mentioned in Surat Al Qalam talks about people who lived in the past time, close to the Darwan area of Sana’a Yemen. They had a great farm and inherited it from their good father, that followed the straight path by giving the right of the poor; obedience of Allah (swt), and gifting to those in need.
But his sons after him were driven away from his path. They didn’t give the right of the poor from their father’s farm. They denied the right of the poor and the needy, and they were punished by losing the whole farm.
The atmosphere of the story reveals to us that these sons were not infidels, but they were Muslims, but they took advantage of grace, and prevented Zakat, and cruelty treated the needy and did not mercy them so Allah mercy to be on the survival of their paradise.
These holy verses were revealed on the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) when he were in Makkah between the people of Quraish, who were still fighting and looting him. Allah (swt) have giving them (People of Quraish) the great provision such as the security and goodness of living, where Allah (swt) fed them from hunger and secured them from fear, while the other towns surrounding Quraish were living poorly.
Allah (swt) says:
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُّطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ (112)
(112) And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.
And Allah (swt) says:
وَقَالُوا إِن نَّتَّبِعِ الْهُدَىٰ مَعَكَ نُتَخَطَّفْ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا ۚ أَوَلَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّهُمْ حَرَمًا آمِنًا يُجْبَىٰ إِلَيْهِ ثَمَرَاتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رِّزْقًا مِّن لَّدُنَّا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (57)
(57) And they say, “If we were to follow the guidance with you, we would be swept from our land.” Have we not established for them a safe sanctuary to which are brought the fruits of all things as provision from Us? But most of them do not know.
When Quraish were living within these blessings and great provisions, yet turning away from the truth and fighting those who believe in Islam, then Allah sent down these verses on his messenger Mohammed (pbuh) to preach Quraish and warn them that, if they don’t thank Allah (swt) and believe in the message of Prophet Mohammed (pbu), then Allah will take these blessings from them and replace them with indignations, as he did with the people of Darwan’s farm.
The owner of the farm was a man from Yemen, lives in a town called Darwan that is 6 miles distance from Sana’a. He lived there and had a farm that people there used to name it (paradise), in it all kind of fruits. This good man sworn that he’ll never take a fruit in his house until he divides the fruits into 3 parts:
Therefore, Allah (swt) have blessed his farm and gave him the great provision in it for him and his family.
This man passed away, he had 5 sons that inherited the paradise from their father. The father’s farm produced great amount of fruits in the same year that the father died, so when the sons looked at this produced goodness, they became arrogant and tyrants. They said to each other: “Our father was an idiot, he distributed from these fruits to the poor, let us pledge among ourselves not to give any of the poor and needy anything from our paradise in this year, until we get rich and increase our money”.
The most moderate brother of them who was the closest people like his good father said: “Follow your father’s path”. They other brothers refused.
They brothers gathered together, met and swore to cut the farm’s fruit in the early morning before any of the poor or needy people will show up. They sworn that they will make no exceptions. In one of the story’s versions it’s said that they even didn’t say “ان شاء الله” “In Sha’a Allah”. They were so convinced that they have the full control over their paradise.
Allah (swt) sent an affliction on their farm and destroyed it. It’s said that it was a frost wave, some said its a fire that burned everything down. As there is a relationship between the bad intention and the bad Behavior. When the people of the farm had the bad intention of preventing the needy from getting some of the farm’s goodness, Allah punished them because of their intention, and the result is Allah (swt) destroyed their entire crop. And it became as though reaped. Ibn Abbas said that it became burned like the darkness of the night.
They brothers called each other in the morning so they can cut all the fruits of their farm early before any of the poor or needy will come. They were talking to each other with lowered voices so others can’t hear them. They thought that they can do their plan as they planned for it the night before.
When they saw their farm after Allah punishment, they said “”Indeed, we are lost, rather we are deprived”. The most moderate brother among them said: “Didn’t I say to you to Glorify Allah”?
The great loss was the reason for their return to Allah (swt) and was the cause of repentance and remorse and self-accounting for themselves and in their turn and regret. And if Allah (swt) had not disciplined them, it would not have been these words of them “Indeed, we’re lost “.
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ (17) وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ (18) فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ (19) فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ (20) فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ (21) أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَارِمِينَ (22) فَانطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ (23) أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ (24) وَغَدَوْا عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ (25) فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ (26) بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ (27) قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ (28) قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ (29) فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ (30) قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ (31) عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ (32) كَذَٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ (33)
Narrated `Abdullah:
It (i.e., the imagined smoke) was because, when the Quraish refused to obey the Prophet, he asked Allah to afflict them with years of famine similar to those of (Prophet) Joseph. So they were stricken with famine and fatigue, so much so that they ate even bones. A man would look towards the sky and imagine seeing something like smoke between him and the sky because of extreme fatigue. So Allah revealed:– ‘Then watch you for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible, covering the people; this is a painfull of torment.’ (44.10-11) Then someone (Abu Sufyan) came to Allah’s Apostle and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Invoke Allah to send rain for the tribes of Mudar for they are on the verge of destruction.” On that the Prophet said (astonishingly) “Shall I invoke Allah) for the tribes of Mudar? Verily, you are a brave man!” But the Prophet prayed for rain and it rained for them. Then the Verse was revealed. ‘But truly you will return (to disbelief).’ (44.15) (When the famine was over and) they restored prosperity and welfare, they reverted to their ways (of heathenism) whereupon Allah revealed: ‘On the Day when We shall seize you with a Mighty Grasp. We will indeed (then) exact retribution.’ (44.16) The narrator said, “That was the day of the Battle of Badr.”
References:
وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًا (27) يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيلًا (28) لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَنِي ۗ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِلْإِنسَانِ خَذُولًا (29)
Allah (swt) revealed to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him the Holy Quran, which was the immortal miracle of Islam till the day of judgment. Allah wisdom was to descend the Suras and Ayat of Quran in parts and not at all at once, which are interpreted according to the circumstances and events.
The Suras and Ayas were descend in 2 periods during the Islamic call:
Since Allah sent Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him as a Messenger and Prophet with this message, and the infidels Quraish were planning against this great religion and its people.
The infidels of Quraysh had many harsh leaders, which Muslims received from them various kinds of torment and harm. One of them was Uqba ibn Abi Maayt, who was well know among his people in generosity.
It’s said that Uqba ibn Abi Maayt does not come back from his travel until he prepares the tables of food and invite the big heads of Quraish for his parties.
One day Uqba was returning from his travel, so he invited all the well known men of Quraish including the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). The Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) refused his invitation.
When Uqba came the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), the Prophet said to him: “I will not accept your invitation until you accept Islam”. And because Uqba doesn’t like any of the Quraish men to be absent in his event, so he showed his Islam to the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh).
When Abi Bin Khalaf hear about this, and he was a close friend of Uqba, have sworn that he won’t see or talk to Uqba until he disbelieves in Islam, meets the Prophet (pbuh) and insult him and touch his neck.
And the damned Uqba did so to please his infidel friend Abi Bin Khalaf.
He is the head of Almunafiqun. Its good to mentioned that the Prophet (pbuh) killed Abi Bin Khalaf when Abi said that he was going to kill the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh).
Allah (swt) revealed the following ayas in response to the Uqba and Abi Bin Khalaf:
وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًا (27) يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيلًا (28) لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَنِي ۗ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِلْإِنسَانِ خَذُولًا (29)
وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا (63) وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا (64) وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا (65) إِنَّهَا سَاءَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا(66) وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا (67)وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا (68)يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا (69) إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا (70) وَمَن تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا (71) وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا (72) وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَمْ يَخِرُّوا عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا (73) وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا (74) أُولَٰئِكَ يُجْزَوْنَ الْغُرْفَةَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَيُلَقَّوْنَ فِيهَا تَحِيَّةً وَسَلَامًا (75) خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ حَسُنَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا (76) قُلْ مَا يَعْبَأُ بِكُمْ رَبِّي لَوْلَا دُعَاؤُكُمْ ۖ فَقَدْ كَذَّبْتُمْ فَسَوْفَ يَكُونُ لِزَامًا (77)
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَتُغْلَبُونَ وَتُحْشَرُونَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ ۚ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ (12)
In honor of Amran, who is the father of Mary the Virgin, or the mother of Jesus, and the story of the divine ability to bear the birth of Mary the virgin, her son Isa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him).
About the principle of steadfastness on the correct approach, and the Sura have listed many ways to help the Muslim to maintain his religion, also listed many events, such as the event Battle of Ohud, in which the archers disobeyed the order of the Prophet Muhammad to not abandon their position on the mountain. Which made Khalid Bin Al Waleed to take the opportunity and was a master of the Arabs in the war and the battles and was a polytheist then did not enter into Islam yet. He made a loop around the Muslims army from behind, as a result, the victory was for the polytheists.
The most important factors of stability in the sura:
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَتُغْلَبُونَ وَتُحْشَرُونَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ ۚ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ (12)
(12) Say to those who disbelieve, “You will be overcome and gathered together to Hell, and wretched is the resting place.”
أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ (83)
(83) So is it other than the religion of Allah they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned?
إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ (96)
(96) Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Makkah – blessed and a guidance for the worlds.
References:
أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ (33) وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَىٰ (34) أَعِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰ (35) أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ (36) وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ (37) أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ (38) وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ (39) وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ (40)
One of the unbelievers entered Islam. His friend asked him: “Why did you enter in the religion of Mohammed?” He said: “I have so many sins that I want to get ready of.
His friend is trying to make him return from Islam, so he made him an offer. He told him: “What you say If I take all you sins and I give you money on top of that?” The new Muslim accepted this offer and returned to be unbeliever again.
Allah (swt) revealed the following ayat:
أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ (33) وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَىٰ (34) أَعِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰ (35) أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ (36) وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ (37) أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ (38) وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ (39) وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ (40)