Surah Al-Isra — Verse 60

Word Meanings:

• Aḥāṭa (أَحَاطَ): Encompassed, surrounded completely—referring to Allah’s absolute knowledge and power over all people.
• Ru’yā (الرُّؤْيَا): The vision or sight—here referring to what the Prophet ﷺ was shown during the Night Journey (Al-Isrā’) and the Ascension (Al-Mi‘rāj).
• Fitnah (فِتْنَة): A trial, test, or means of distinction between belief and disbelief.
• Ash-Shajarah al-Mal‘ūnah (الشَّجَرَةُ الْمَلْعُونَة): The cursed tree—referring to the Zaqqūm tree mentioned in the Qur’an, which grows in the depths of Hellfire.
• Ṭughyān (طُغْيَان): Transgression, arrogance, and stubborn persistence in disbelief.

Explanation of the Verse:

O Messenger of Allah, remember when We said to you: “Indeed, your Lord has encompassed all people in His knowledge and power.” This means that Allah fully knows the plots, schemes, and hostility of the disbelievers against you, and He is your Protector and Guardian. So proceed with your mission of conveying the message without fear, for no one can harm you except by Allah’s permission.

And We made the vision We showed you on the Night of Al-Isrā’ and Al-Mi‘rāj—when you witnessed the wonders of the heavens, the prophets, and the signs of your Lord—a test for the people. Through this miraculous event, the believers who trusted in Allah’s power were distinguished from the disbelievers who denied and mocked. Similarly, We made the cursed tree, the Zaqqūm tree mentioned in the Qur’an, a trial for the people. When the disbelievers heard that this tree grows in the depths of Hellfire, they ridiculed the idea, saying: “How can a tree grow in fire?”—thereby exposing their arrogance and refusal to submit to Allah’s absolute power.

We continue to warn these disbelievers with various signs, threats, and reminders of punishment, yet all this warning only increases them in stubbornness, transgression, and distance from the truth.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

This verse carries profound lessons for every believer. It reminds us that Allah’s knowledge and power encompass everything—nothing escapes His grasp, and no plot against His religion will ever succeed. When you face opposition or feel overwhelmed by the challenges of life, remember that Allah is with you, just as He was with His Prophet ﷺ.

The test of the vision and the cursed tree teaches us that faith is not blind acceptance—it is a conscious choice to trust Allah even when His words challenge our limited understanding. The disbelievers failed this test because they measured Allah’s power by their own finite logic. But the believer knows that Allah, who created fire and made it burn, can also make a tree grow within it, for He is the Creator of all causes and effects.

Let this verse strengthen your conviction: when you hear the truth, do not let arrogance or stubbornness turn you away from it. Instead, humble yourself before your Lord, for the same warnings that increase the disbelievers in transgression are the means by which the believers grow in faith, gratitude, and closeness to Allah. Choose to be among those who respond to Allah’s signs with submission and love, not with rejection and pride.