سورة : AtTin

(Is not) is a question in negative form, so, the answer is (yes); meaning, it has been proven that there is (no most just of judges) except Allah (swt). Allah (swt) does not ask a question, but affirms a fact, and He (swt) wants this affirmation to come from them by saying (yes) because this matter is undeniable, and (Yes) makes the negative imperative.

Whenever you find a plural noun in which Allah (swt) describes Himself with along with His slaves, you know that this attribute is applied to them too, however, Allah’s (swt) attributes are eternal whereas, people are changeable, subject to strength and weakness, changes.

Hence, (the most just of judges) will judge between you and the deniers, and Allah (swt) is (the most just of judges) in all what He (swt) created and made, this indicated His (swt) knowledge and wisdom (glorified is He). Abo Horayra (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that:

“Whoever recited “By the fig and the olive” Then he recited: ‘Is not Allah the best of judges?’ then let him say: ‘Of course, and I am a witness to that.’”

And we are all witness to that.

This speech is directed to the human whom Allah (swt) said about: (We have certainly created man in the best of stature; (4)), As if Allah (swt) is saying: O mankind, we created you and made you in the best stature, sent to you messages; at Mount Sinai and the secure city of Makkah, yet, what causes you to deny in spite of  that we showed you the signs.

بِالدِّينِ (the religion): Since it is defined with (the) so that it refers to the religion of Islam. Allah (swt) says:

 {إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ}

(Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam…) (Ali-Imram: 19)

Because all the divine messages came with the message of Islam. (the religion) also refers to the (Recompense).

So, what causes you, o mankind, to deny the Recompense?

Allah’s (swt) willed the Resurrection day, which is certainly right, because it gives balance to the existence, protects the poor and the oppressed, keeps the rightness in the universe, prevents life from turning into a jungle where the strong kills the weak, and the tyrant kills the oppressed. Allah (swt) is the Owner of this Day and will judge the creations for their deeds.

For those who believe and do righteous, their same deeds that they used to do when they were young and healthy are written to them when they get old.

Faith is the harmony between life’s actions with what is inside the heart, in accordance to Allah’s (swt) satisfaction. Verify, the system of life stands up only on faith:

 {وَالْعَصْرِ % إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ % إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ }

(By time, % Indeed, mankind is in loss, % Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.) (Al-Asr: 1-3)

It agrees:

 ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ

(Then We return him to the lowest of the low, (5))

Because after both of them: (Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds).

Faith requires deeds, faith and deeds represent belief, good behavior and straightness. You cannot say: There is faith without deeds, Allah (swt) says:

 {نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ}

(..Excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers…) (Al-Ankabout: 58)

أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ (a reward uninterrupted): A reward is neither incomplete nor cut; rather, it is continuous and permanent, so that the believer will be content with his reward in this life, when he prays, pays alms, pays charity, smiles, fasts, makes Hajj and whatever he does according to Allah’s (swt) method, he will get a reward, not only as much as the deeds, but triple rewards. Verify, Allah’s (swt) bestowment is not transient as the life’s bestowment, but it is uncut, eternal and fixed:

 {بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ }

(Yes [on the contrary], whoever submits his face in Islam to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.) (Al-Baqara: 112)

Meaning, moving the mankind from one condition to another, returning him to the declining age; weakness, senility, back bending and weakness in mind.

This verse is the (Jawab of the oath), that is, the sentence that follows the oath. Allah (swt) bestows favours on all mankind; He (swt) has created the universe and mankind, who is the main subject of the Message. Allah (swt) talked about forming and assembling of mankind in the best stature and talked about the stages of creation as well:

 وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ % ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ % ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ ۚ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ

(And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay. % Then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging. % Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.) (Al-Muminoon: 12-14)

Allah (swt) created the mankind from clay then shaped him as He willed; Allah (swt) placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging, then Allah (swt) developed this sperm-drop into another creation. Allah (swt) says: (We create) and does not say (We made) because He (swt) creates the sperm-drop, then He (swt) makes it into a clinging clot, then makes this into a lump then makes from the lump, bones, then covers the bones with flesh, at last, He (swt) develops him into another creation. This is all about the physical creation of mankind, whereas, the creation of mankind in the midst of life’s hardship and difficulties, Allah (swt) says:

 {لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ }

(We have certainly created man into hardship.) (Al-Balad: 4)

أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ (the best of stature): Making something as it should be in composition; that means; this creature walks on two feet, while others walk on four, he has a straight shape with best stature and form. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.

But are not the angels created in the best form? Are not they more beautiful than the human kind? The answer is: Yes, the angels are created in best form which suits their responsibilities, and the mankind as well, is created in the best form in convenience with other inferior creatures.

Allah (swt) points out to Makkah, the secure city, which Allah (swt) has made it secure in response to Ibrahim’s (pbuh) supplication:

{إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا }

(And [mention] when Abraham said, “My Lord, make this a secure city…) (Al-Baqara: 126)

Allah (swt) here swears by four things: By two trees (the fig and the olive) and by two places: (Mount Sinai) – where Allah (swt) talked to Musa (pbuh)- and (the secure city) – Makkah that Allah (swt) made it a place for His sacred house and for the revelation upon the prophet Muhammad (saws).

Mount Sinai is the mountain where Allah (swt) talked to Mousa (pbuh).

سِينِينَ (Sinai): The sacred of the perfect because it is full of fruitful trees. Some interpreters considered it the erea or the place of the mountain. It is mentioned in another Surah as:

{ وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِن طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ تَنبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ وَصِبْغٍ لِّلْآكِلِينَ }

(And [We brought forth] a tree issuing from Mount Sinai which produces oil and food for those who eat.) (Al-Muminoon: 20)

Allah (swt) swears by two types of trees: The fig and the olive, because of their great benefit to humans. Allah (swt) mentions the olive in more than one place in His Book. Allah (swt) says:

 {وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِن طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ تَنبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ وَصِبْغٍ لِّلْآكِلِينَ}

(And [We brought forth] a tree issuing from Mount Sinai which produces oil and food for those who eat.) (Al-Muminoon: 20)

 اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

(Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.) (An-Nour: 35)

It is an ascension of lighting a lamp from an olive oil tree, not a normal tree; neither of the east, nor from the west, blessed, of the highest purity oil comes out of it, which would almost glow even if untouched by fire, as if light upon light, there is not any point of darkness in this small circle. Such as Allah’s (swt) lighting of this vast universe, there is no point of darkness, rather, the whole universe is covered with Allah’s (light).

The oath here by the fig and the olive, not just because they are two plants or trees that people benefit from, rather, they remind us of the place where Muses received the message at Mount Sina’ where the Torah was descended and the place where our Messenger (saws) received the message in Makkah, the sacred city.