The Quran

Preface

وَإِذ قُلنا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحاطَ بِالنّاسِ ۚ وَما جَعَلنَا الرُّؤيَا الَّتي أَرَيناكَ إِلّا فِتنَةً لِلنّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ المَلعونَةَ فِي القُرآنِ ۚ وَنُخَوِّفُهُم فَما يَزيدُهُم إِلّا طُغيانًا كَبيرًا

Yusuf Ali

Behold! We told thee that thy Lord doth encompass mankind round about:¹ We granted the vision which We showed thee,² but as a trial for men,- as also the Cursed Tree³ (mentioned) in the Qur-ān: We put terror (and warning) into them, but it only increases their inordinate transgression!

The reference may be to 72:28, probably an earlier Meccan revelation. But the argument is independent of time. This verse falls naturally into three divisions. Warnings and Portents and Signs are sent or not sent according to God’s All-Wise Plan or Mercy and Justice: this is in no wise inconsistent with the apparent freedom given to the wicked: because (1) in any case God is all around all His creatures, and His delay as a Sign of Mercy in no way diminishes His power; (2) the Visions of Truth vouchsafed to Prophets of God are themselves Signs by which they can warn the ungodly; and (3) sometimes it is more merciful to give them time by not immediately bringing the matter to judgment. (R).
Some Commentators take this as referring to the Mi'raj (17:1) and others to other spiritual visions. Such visions are miracles, and become a stumbling block to unbelievers. They are an encouragement to men of faith. Thus they are “a trial for men”.
The tree of Zaqqūm, a bitter and pungent tree described as growing at the bottom of Hell, a type of all that is disagreeable. See 37:62-65; 44:43-46; and 56:52. All these are Sūras chronologically earlier than this Sūra. The application of the name to a tree of the myrobalan kind in the region of Jericho is, I think, of post-Quranic date. It is a trial for wrongdoers. See 37:63 and n. 4073.