This is the story of the brothers who had a garden and they prevented the rights of the poor, the needy and the orphans. As a consequent, Allah (swt) destroyed its fruits and burnt its trees. It is worth noting that we may see this in our daily life, a person may be afflicted by a calamity, which is either a reward or a punishment.

(… بَلَوْنَاهُمْ… ) (…We have tried them …): People can be tried with blessings as well as with misfortunes. The trial itself, does not raise fear, rather it is the result of that trial because the trial is a test. If you pass it successfully, it will be good for you, otherwise you will encounter the bad consequences. Allah (swt) here speaks about the people of Mecca, whom He (swt) has tried and tested the polytheists of Quraysh when the Prophet (saws) invoked Him (swt) against them, saying:

“O Allah! Be hard on the tribe of Mudar and let them suffer from famine years like that of the time of Joseph.” [1]

(… إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ… ) (…We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden …): The trial was as a punishment for them. The stem of the Arabic word of (the garden) means (veil), so it signifies a grove planted with trees that if one walks through it, he would be veiled by its trees, unlike the grove with short flowers that give a beautiful sight. So that, this word denotes veiling and covering. One of its Arabic derivatives is insanity, because it covers to the mind.

The owners of this garden inherited it from their father who used to give a portion of it as a charity for the needy at the time of harvest. However, his sons claimed that their money was little and their children were many, so they did not want to give charity as their father used to do. As a result, the consequence of their misdeed was as mentioned in the Holy Quran.

(  إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ… ) (…when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning): They swore to cut the fruits in the early morning without the poor noticing it, but they did not say: ”If Allah wills”. Thus, Allah (swt) destroyed it while they were asleep. In the morning, they went to their garden saying to each other: “There will surely not enter it today upon you any poor person”. Hence, they blocked obtaining Allah’s blessings when they prevented the poor. Afterwards, they realized their fault and returned back to their senses saying:

 عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ

(Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous.”) (Al-Qalam: 32)

[1] Sahih al-Bukhari: Book of: Call to Prayer, Chapter: One should say Takbir while going in prostration, Hadith No. 804.