َ فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ ﴿۱۹﴾ فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ ﴿۲۰﴾ فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿۲۱﴾ أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَى حَرْثِكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَارِمِينَ ﴿۲۲﴾ فَانْطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ ﴿۲۳﴾ أَنْ لَا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِسْكِينٌ ﴿۲۴﴾ وَغَدَوْا عَلَى حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ ﴿۲۵﴾ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ ﴿۲۶﴾ بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ ﴿۲۷﴾ قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ ﴿۲۸﴾ قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ ﴿۲۹﴾

﴾19﴿ Fataafa 'alaihaa taaa'i fum mir rabbika wa hum naaa'imoon
﴾20﴿ Fa asbahat kassareem
﴾21﴿ Fatanaadaw musbiheen
﴾22﴿ Anighdoo 'alaa harsikum in kuntum saarimeen
﴾23﴿ Fantalaqoo wa hum yatakhaafatoon
﴾24﴿ Al laa yadkhulannahal yawma 'alaikum miskeen
﴾25﴿ Wa ghadaw 'alaa hardin qaadireen
﴾26﴿ Falammaa ra awhaa qaalooo innaa ladaaalloon
﴾27﴿ Bal nahnu mahroomoon
﴾28﴿ Qaala awsatuhum alam aqul lakum law laa tusabbihoon
﴾29﴿ Qaaloo subhaana rabbinaaa innaa kunnaa zaalimeen

﴾19﴿ So there came upon it a visitation from your Lord during the night while they were asleep
﴾20﴿ And it became as though it had been completely cut down
﴾21﴿ Then they called out to one another in the morning
﴾22﴿ Saying, Go early to your field if you are to harvest
﴾23﴿ So they went forth while whispering to one another
﴾24﴿ (Make sure) that no poor person enters your garden today
﴾25﴿ And in the morning, they went forth, assuming they had full control over their harvest
﴾26﴿ But when they saw it, they said, Surely, we have lost our way
﴾27﴿ Rather, we are deprived
﴾28﴿ The most sensible among them said, Did I not tell you to glorify Allah (and keep Him free from any partners)
﴾29﴿ They said, Glory be to our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers

[19,20] This is the detailed description of the punishment that was referred to earlier with the word (بَلَوْنَا), in one of its meanings.
(طَائِفٌ) – According to Farā’ and Jarīr, this specifically refers to a calamity or punishment that comes during the night.
(نَائِمُونَ , فَأَصْبَحَتْ) – These two phrases are evidence that the punishment occurred during the night.
(كَالصَّرِيمِ) – There are three well-known interpretations of this word:
1. A tree whose fruits have been cut off, or a field that has been harvested.
2. The dark night.
3. Black ashes—meaning the garden was burnt and appeared completely dark, like ashes.
[21,22] This is a detailed explanation of the cause of the punishment—meaning, they chose a method that would ensure the poor wouldn’t find out.
The first step was calling each other together—(تَنَادَوْا)—calling out to one another.
They chose the early morning time specifically so that the poor would still be asleep or occupied in the worship of Allah the Exalted.
[23,24] (يَتَخَافَتُونَ) – This is derived from khafat, meaning extreme lowering of the voice; it is used to express strong secrecy and concealment. Their behavior was as if they were going to steal something.
(أَنْ لَا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا) – This explains what they were whispering about: they were secretly saying this statement. Or, a lām al-ajliyyah (for the sake of) is implied—i.e., the reason for their whispering was to prevent anyone from entering.
This emphasizes their intent to block the poor completely—meaning they would not allow the needy to enter at all, even if they wished to.
[25] (عَلَى حَرْدٍ) – This word carries multiple possible meanings: intention, desire, denial, anger, and gathering together—all of which are contextually possible here.
(قَادِرِينَ) – Meaning: they considered themselves capable of harvesting their garden, fearing no obstacle.
Or, they believed they were capable of preventing the poor from entering, due to their arrogance and pride.
[26,27] (قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ) – This was due to their extreme shock and confusion. They could not believe their garden was in such a state, so they said, “We must have taken the wrong path.”
(بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ) – Then, after reflecting, they admitted their deprivation, saying, “No, in fact, we have been deprived.”
In connection to this, Qurtubi mentions a marfū‘ hadith from Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him): “Guard yourselves from sins, for indeed a servant may be deprived of provision prepared for him because of a sin he commits.”
[28] (أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ) – This indicates that one of them had already called them to remembrance of Allah, encouraged them to say tasbīḥ, and warned them to avoid shirk.
However, they did not accept his call, and he did not fully disassociate himself from them—so he too was afflicted by the punishment.
The punishment came upon them because of their shirk.
[29] This is their confession of their wrongdoing and an expression of repentance—though at this moment, it brings them no benefit.
However, it can benefit them in the future if they remain sincere and steadfast upon it.