Surah al-Qalam (The Pen ) 68 : 17

Overview (Verses 17 - 34)

A reminder of the outcome of the greed and denial of other people's rights then follows. This in a reference to a group of people who owned a garden. It seems that the story was well known to the Arabs addressed by the Qur'an. The reminder makes it clear that what people have of wealth and children is only a means to test them, in the same way as the people of the garden were put to trial. The result of all such tests will inevitably be revealed:
 
We try them as We tried the owners of a certain garden, who vowed that they would harvest its fruits on the morrow and made no allowance. A visitation from your Lord came upon that garden while they were asleep, so that by morning it was stripped bare and looked desolate. At daybreak they called out to one another: 'Go early to your tilth if you wish to gather all its fruits.' So they went off whispering to one another, Make sure that no needy person enters the garden today' Early they went, strongly bent on their purpose. When they saw it, they exclaimed. 'Surely we have lost our way! No! We are utterly ruined' The wisest among them said, 'Did I not tell you, "Will you not extol God's limitless glory? They said, 'Limitless in His glory is our Lord' Truly, we were doing wrong.' Then they turned upon each other with mutual reproach. They said Woe  betide us! We have done great wrong. It may be that our Lord will grant us something better instead. To our Lord we truly turn in hope.' Such is the suffering [in this lift], but greater indeed is the suffering in the lift to come,  f they but knew it. (Verses 17-33)

This story may well have been well known, but its narration in the Qur'an reveals what lies behind its episodes of God's power, the tests He sets for some of His servants and their requital at the end. This is, then, what is new in its presentation in the Qur'an. As it unfolds, we see a group of naïve people who appear to us in their thoughts and actions like simple rural people. Perhaps this type of person was closer to the addressees who were stubborn in their rejection of the faith, but who were not particularly sophisticated characters. Rather, they tended to be simple folk.

From an artistic point of view, the narrative represents one of the methods of story-telling in the Qur'an. It includes an element of surprise that captures the listener's interest. It shows the ludicrous nature of human scheming as compared with God's planning. Moreover, the events are brought alive as if we see them unfolding.

We see the owners of a garden agreeing to a plan. According to reports, the previous owner of the garden was a good man who had allocated a portion of its harvest to the poor. His heirs, however, wanted to keep all its fruits and yield for themselves, depriving the poor of their customary share.
 
The story now unfolds: "We try them as We tried the owners of a certain garden, who vowed that they would harvest its fruits on the morrow, and made no allowance." (Verses 17-18) They made up their minds to harvest its fruits very early in the morning, taking all for themselves and making no allowance for the poor. They swore to this and even went to bed with this evil intention. We leave them in their slumber to look at what takes .place during the night when they are totally unaware. God certainly does not sleep. His scheme is different from theirs: "A visitation from your Lord came upon that garden while they were asleep, so that by morning it was stripped bare and looked desolate." (Verses 19-20) We then leave the garden to look at the plotters and what they are now doing.

They wake up very early, calling each other to get ready: "At daybreak they called out to one another: 'Go early to your tilth if you wish to gather all its fruits.'" (Verses 21-22) Thus they remind and counsel one another. The surah carries its ridicule further, showing them on their way, speaking in whispers to ensure that no one learns of their plot to deprive the poor of their legitimate share: "So they went off, whispering to one another, Make sure that no needy person enters the garden today.'" (Verses 23-24) We, the reader and listener, know something unknown to the owners of the garden. We have seen the subtle hand making away with all its fruits, leaving it stripped bare. We, therefore, hold our breath to look at what these plotters do.

The surah adds more ridicule: "Early they went, strongly bent on their purpose." (Verse 25) They certainly felt able to deprive others, or at least to deprive themselves. Now for the surprise: "When they saw it, they exclaimed: 'Surely we have lost our way!"' (Verse 26) This is certainly not our garden. We seem to have lost our way. However, they soon make sure: "No! We are utterly ruined." (Verse 27) This is the truth of the matter.

Now that they are facing the results of their scheme that aimed to deprive the needy, the middle one among them, who was their best and wisest, reminds them of his earlier counsel. He apparently had a different point of view, but when he could not persuade them to accept it, he went along with them instead of holding on to the truth. Hence, he suffered the same fate as they. Hence, too, his reminder: "The wisest among them said: 'Did I not tell you, "Will you not extol God's limitless glory?"' (Verse 28) Now, when it is too late, they listen to sound counsel: "They said, 'Limitless in His glory is our Lord' Truly we were doing wrong.'" (Verse 29)

As happens in every situation when results turn bad, everyone tries to shift the blame away from himself: "Then they turned upon each other with mutual reproach." (Verse 30) Then, they finally stop blaming each other and acknowledge their common fault, hoping that God will forgive them and replace their lost harvest: "They said: 'Woe betide us! We have done great wrong. It may be that our Lord will grant us something better instead. To our Lord we truly turn in hope.' (Verses 31-32)

Before the curtains are drawn on the last scene we have the surah's parting comment: "Such is the suffering [in this life], but greater indeed is the suffering in the life to come, if they but knew it." (Verse 33) This, then, is a test of affluence. The people of Makkah should learn this lesson for they are being tested in the same way as the owners of the garden were tested. They should consider what their own test will bring in its wake. They should take heed and avoid what is certainly greater than any test and suffering endured in this present world: "Greater indeed is the suffering in the life to come, if they but knew it."

The ninth cites this well-known story, given it deals with their own environment. In this way it establishes a clear link between the application of God's law to communities of olden times and to the generation being addressed. It touches their hearts with what is close to their own lives. At the same time it tells the believers that the wealth they see the unbelievers enjoying is nothing but a test God sets for them. It has its own consequences. It is part of God's law that He tests people either with luxuries and comforts or with hardship. Those who behave with arrogance, deprive others of their share, and feel that what they are given is theirs by right may always face a result of the type suffered by those owners of the garden. Yet, "greater indeed is the suffering in the life to come, if they but knew it." (Verse 33) Believers who watch God in all their actions enjoy a different outcome: "For the God fearing there shall be gardens of bliss with their Lord." (Verse 34) The contrast between the two ends echoes the contrast between their behaviour and reality. Two opposite lines of action lead to two contrasting ends.