Love and Hate for God’s Sake

Malediction upon specific companions in the Qur’an

Just as was previously explained, the Noble Qur’an has itself imprecated against someone groups of individuals who possessed certain negative traits, and by applying the general imprecations mentioned in these verses into specific historical examples, we see that the words of the Qur’an fit some of the companions of the Prophet (S); however in other instances, there are clear verses of specific companions who have been imprecated against.

One such verse of the Qur’an is the following:

“When We said to you, ‘Indeed your Lord comprehends all humanity,’ We did not appoint the vision that We showed you except as a test for the people and the tree cursed in the Qurʾan. We deter them, but it only increases them in great rebellion.”[^1]

In relation to the exegesis of this verse, the commentators of the Noble Qur’an have stated that the meaning of the “cursed tree” is the family tree and lineage of Hakam Ibn Abil ʿAs; and the meaning of the ‘vision’ which was seen is the dream which the Noble Prophet (S) saw in which the children of Marwan b. Hakam were one by one, ascending his pulpit (mimbar).[^2]

[^1]: Al-Qurʾan, Suratul Israʾ (17), verse 60

[^2]: Tafsir of Imam Fakhr ad-Din al-Razi, vol. 21, pg. 365