َ إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿۱۵﴾ سَنَسِمُهُ عَلَى الْخُرْطُومِ ﴿۱۶﴾ إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿۱۷﴾ وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ ﴿۱۸﴾

﴾15﴿ Izaa tutlaa 'alaihi aayaatunaa
﴾16﴿ Sanasimuhoo 'alal khurtoom
﴾17﴿ Innaa balawnaahum kamaa balawnaaa As-haabal jannati iz 'aqsamoo la-yasri munnahaa musbiheen
﴾18﴿ Wa laa yastasnoon

﴾15﴿ When Our verses are recited to him, he says, These are tales of the ancients
﴾16﴿ Soon We shall brand him on the snout
﴾17﴿ Indeed, We tested them as We tested the owners of the garden when they swore that they would surely harvest it in the morning
﴾18﴿ And they did not make any exception

[16] This is a rebuke and a warning, and there are many interpretations from the commentators:
The first is that it is to be taken literally and applies to this world. And it did happen—as the nose of Walid ibn al-Mughirah was injured on the day of Badr, and disgrace and shame remained with him forever.
The second interpretation is also literal but refers to the Hereafter, where there will be visible marks—such as their faces being blackened, their eyes green or dusty, and a branding mark placed on their noses.
These will be the distinguishing signs of the criminals on the Day of Judgment.
[17,18] This is a worldly parable for the deniers and those who associate partners with Allah in giving blessings.
The essence is: just as Allah the Exalted gave a group of people a blessing (a garden), but they were ungrateful—so the blessing was taken away from them and punishment came upon them—similarly, these people have been given the great blessing of the Qur’an and the sending of the Messenger, yet they are ungrateful for it. Allah will punish them in this world at a time and in a manner according to His will and decree.
(بَلَوْنَاهُمْ) – Balā’ means trial and test, referring to the blessing of the Qur’an, the sending of the Prophet, and other worldly blessings like safety and sustenance. Or, it can also mean punishment.
(أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ) – It is widely held that they were a group near the city of Ṣan‘ā in Yemen, about two farsakhs away. After the ascension of ‘Īsā (peace be upon him), a general punishment came upon them, which is referred to here by balawnā when it means punishment. The reason for their punishment is mentioned later in verses 18 and 21–25.
(وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ) – The most well-known explanation is that they did not say In shā’ Allāh (If Allah wills).
The second view is that they didn’t give the portion due to the poor.
The third view, reported from Abu Ṣāliḥ, is that they didn’t say Subḥān Allāh (Glory be to Allah). The reasoning for the first opinion is supported by verse 28.
Question: Why were they deserving of such a severe punishment just for not saying In shā’ Allāh—which doesn’t seem like a major sin?
Answer 1: According to the most accepted view, their deliberate avoidance of saying In shā’ Allāh was actually a denial of Allah’s will and decree. They held the belief that human actions are independent of Allah’s will—similar to the belief of the Qadariyyah sect in this Ummah. Such a denial is disbelief (kufr).
Answer 2: Based on the second view, the portion due to the poor refers to wealth given in the name of Allah the Exalted, while another portion was given in the name of others (as the polytheists used to do—dedicating offerings to ancestors or specific saints). This group would give the latter portion in the name of other than Allah, which is clear shirk.