Below is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of my book: Tyranny 2.0 about the lote tree which is a warning to mankind
And when We said to you, “Your Lord has encompassed mankind,” and We did not make the dream which We showed you and the accursed tree in the Qur’an, except as a trial for mankind. And We frighten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression.
(17:60)
The Qur’an elaborates on this dream/vision shown to Muhammad in two other places.
By the star when it fell,
Your companion has neither erred, nor strayed,
Nor does he utter from desire.
It is not but an inspiration inspired,
Taught to him by one mighty in power,
Possessor of firmness; he rose,
When he was on the highest horizon.
Then he approached and descended,
And was at a distance of two bows’ length, or nearer,
Then He inspired unto His servant what He inspired.
The heart did not lie about what it saw.
So will you dispute with him over what he sees?
And he has seen him in another descent
Near the lote tree of the destination –
Near which is the Garden of habitation –
When there covered the lote tree that which covered;
The vision did not swerve, nor did it transgress.
He has seen from the signs of his Lord, the greatest.
(53:1-18)
No! I swear by the retreaters,
The runners, the sweepers,
And the night when it darkens,
And the dawn when it breathes,
It is the word of a noble messenger
Possessing power, near the Owner of the Throne secure,
Obeyed, moreover trustworthy.
Your companion is not possessed;
He saw him on the clear horizon;
He is not of the unseen, withholding.
And it is not the word of an accursed Satan;
So where are you going?
It is not but a reminder to all beings,
For whoever of you wills to be upright;
But you will not, unless God wills, the Lord of all Being.
(81:15-29)
We can infer that in his dream/vision, Muhammad saw the ruh through which God taught him the Qur’an; the same ruh through which God taught the names of all things to Adam.
Muhammad’s vision/dream of the ruh is a trial for mankind because those who reject the fact that God revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad through the ruh in effect reject the divine authorship of the Qur’an and the Hereafter. We also see an oblique mention of the lote tree in the dream/vision shown to Muhammad.
Near the lote tree of the destination –
Near which is the Garden of habitation –
When there covered the lote tree that which covered;
The vision did not swerve, nor did it transgress.
He has seen from the signs of his Lord, the greatest.
(53:14-18)
We shall now investigate the nature of this lote tree. The Qur’an describes it as a thorny tree and uses it as an example of bad vegetation that sprung up after God’s punishment. This coupled with the fact that signs in the Qur’an are primarily used to frighten men leaves only one possibility as to why Muhammad’s “vision did not swerve, nor did it transgress” when he saw the lote tree; he was terror-stricken i.e. the lote tree is a warning to mankind and it should frighten them.
We find confirmation of this idea in the verse just before the mention of Muhammad’s vision and the lote tree.
And nothing stopped Us from sending the signs except that the formers denied them and We brought Thamud the she-camel as a visible sign, but they
wronged her. And We do not send the signs, except to frighten.
And when We said to you, “Your Lord has encompassed mankind,” and We did not make the dream which we showed you and the accursed tree in the Qur’an, except as a trial for mankind. And We frighten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression.
(17:59-60)
The Qur’an also refers to the accursed lote tree as the tree of zaqqum. In the Hereafter, those among mankind who denied the Hereafter – and by extension, the existence of this lote tree – will eat from it. A most ironic punishment.
Is that a better descent, or the tree of zaqqum?
We made it a trial for the wrongdoers.
It is a tree that emerges from the root of Hell;
Its branches like the heads of Satans,
And they eat from it, and fill their bellies from it,
Then on top of it they have a mixture of boiling water,
Then their return is to Hell.
(37:62-68)
The tree of zaqqum.
Is the food of the sinner,
Like oil, boiling in the bellies
Like boiling liquid.
(44:43-46)
Similarly, in the Hereafter, those who deny the existence of Hell will “eat” from it.
The Day they will be tried by the Fire,
Taste your trial. This is what you were seeking to hasten!”
(51:13-14)
In conclusion, the accursed tree is a trial for mankind because those who reject its existence – by extension – reject the Hereafter. On the Day of Judgment, all of mankind will be gathered to Hell, in the midst of which grows the tree of zaqqum. God will deliver those upon whom He has mercy and leave the wretched to sustain themselves on the tree of zaqqum.
Man says, “When I am dead, am I going to be brought out alive?”
Does man not remember that We created him before, when he was nothing?
So, by your Lord, We will gather them, and the Satans, then We will present them around Hell on bent knees.
Then We will extract from every sect whichever of them was the strongest in insolence against the Almighty;
Then We will best know those deserving to burn therein.
Not one of you is there, but he will arrive at it; that is upon your Lord an inevitability decreed.
Then We shall deliver those who were godfearing;
and the evildoers We shall leave there, on bent knees.
(19:66-72)
The lote tree as a trial for mankind
The theme of a trial is also present in the vision of the ruh shown to Muhammad and the mention of an accursed tree in the Qur’an. Both instances are referred to as “being trials for mankind”.And when We said to you, “Your Lord has encompassed mankind,” and We did not make the dream which We showed you and the accursed tree in the Qur’an, except as a trial for mankind. And We frighten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression.
(17:60)
The Qur’an elaborates on this dream/vision shown to Muhammad in two other places.
By the star when it fell,
Your companion has neither erred, nor strayed,
Nor does he utter from desire.
It is not but an inspiration inspired,
Taught to him by one mighty in power,
Possessor of firmness; he rose,
When he was on the highest horizon.
Then he approached and descended,
And was at a distance of two bows’ length, or nearer,
Then He inspired unto His servant what He inspired.
The heart did not lie about what it saw.
So will you dispute with him over what he sees?
And he has seen him in another descent
Near the lote tree of the destination –
Near which is the Garden of habitation –
When there covered the lote tree that which covered;
The vision did not swerve, nor did it transgress.
He has seen from the signs of his Lord, the greatest.
(53:1-18)
No! I swear by the retreaters,
The runners, the sweepers,
And the night when it darkens,
And the dawn when it breathes,
It is the word of a noble messenger
Possessing power, near the Owner of the Throne secure,
Obeyed, moreover trustworthy.
Your companion is not possessed;
He saw him on the clear horizon;
He is not of the unseen, withholding.
And it is not the word of an accursed Satan;
So where are you going?
It is not but a reminder to all beings,
For whoever of you wills to be upright;
But you will not, unless God wills, the Lord of all Being.
(81:15-29)
We can infer that in his dream/vision, Muhammad saw the ruh through which God taught him the Qur’an; the same ruh through which God taught the names of all things to Adam.
Muhammad’s vision/dream of the ruh is a trial for mankind because those who reject the fact that God revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad through the ruh in effect reject the divine authorship of the Qur’an and the Hereafter. We also see an oblique mention of the lote tree in the dream/vision shown to Muhammad.
Near the lote tree of the destination –
Near which is the Garden of habitation –
When there covered the lote tree that which covered;
The vision did not swerve, nor did it transgress.
He has seen from the signs of his Lord, the greatest.
(53:14-18)
We shall now investigate the nature of this lote tree. The Qur’an describes it as a thorny tree and uses it as an example of bad vegetation that sprung up after God’s punishment. This coupled with the fact that signs in the Qur’an are primarily used to frighten men leaves only one possibility as to why Muhammad’s “vision did not swerve, nor did it transgress” when he saw the lote tree; he was terror-stricken i.e. the lote tree is a warning to mankind and it should frighten them.
We find confirmation of this idea in the verse just before the mention of Muhammad’s vision and the lote tree.
And nothing stopped Us from sending the signs except that the formers denied them and We brought Thamud the she-camel as a visible sign, but they
wronged her. And We do not send the signs, except to frighten.
And when We said to you, “Your Lord has encompassed mankind,” and We did not make the dream which we showed you and the accursed tree in the Qur’an, except as a trial for mankind. And We frighten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression.
(17:59-60)
The Qur’an also refers to the accursed lote tree as the tree of zaqqum. In the Hereafter, those among mankind who denied the Hereafter – and by extension, the existence of this lote tree – will eat from it. A most ironic punishment.
Is that a better descent, or the tree of zaqqum?
We made it a trial for the wrongdoers.
It is a tree that emerges from the root of Hell;
Its branches like the heads of Satans,
And they eat from it, and fill their bellies from it,
Then on top of it they have a mixture of boiling water,
Then their return is to Hell.
(37:62-68)
The tree of zaqqum.
Is the food of the sinner,
Like oil, boiling in the bellies
Like boiling liquid.
(44:43-46)
Similarly, in the Hereafter, those who deny the existence of Hell will “eat” from it.
The Day they will be tried by the Fire,
Taste your trial. This is what you were seeking to hasten!”
(51:13-14)
In conclusion, the accursed tree is a trial for mankind because those who reject its existence – by extension – reject the Hereafter. On the Day of Judgment, all of mankind will be gathered to Hell, in the midst of which grows the tree of zaqqum. God will deliver those upon whom He has mercy and leave the wretched to sustain themselves on the tree of zaqqum.
Man says, “When I am dead, am I going to be brought out alive?”
Does man not remember that We created him before, when he was nothing?
So, by your Lord, We will gather them, and the Satans, then We will present them around Hell on bent knees.
Then We will extract from every sect whichever of them was the strongest in insolence against the Almighty;
Then We will best know those deserving to burn therein.
Not one of you is there, but he will arrive at it; that is upon your Lord an inevitability decreed.
Then We shall deliver those who were godfearing;
and the evildoers We shall leave there, on bent knees.
(19:66-72)