Allah-azwj Says in the Holy Quran:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ ۚ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ ۚ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا {6017:}
And when We Said to you: “Surely your Lord Encompasses the people”, and We did not Make the dream which We Showed you except as a Trial for the people, and the Accursed tree in the Quran; and We Scared them, but it did not increase them except in great transgression [17:60]
The Accursed tree – the Clan of Ummaiyya and the two obscene ones
عن أبي الطفيل، قال: كنت في مسجد الكوفة فسمعت عليا (عليه السلام) يقول، و هو على المنبر و ناداه ابن الكواء، و هو في مؤخر المسجد، فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين، أخبرني عن قول الله: وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ، فقال: «الأفجران من قريش، و من بني امية»
From Abu Tufayl who said,
‘I was in Masjid Al-Kufa, so I heard Ali-asws saying, and he-asws was upon the Pulpit, and Ibn Al-Kawa called out to him-asws, and he was at the back of the Masjid, saying, ‘O Amir-Al-Momineen-asws! Inform me about the Words of Allah-azwj: and the Accursed tree in the Quran [17:60]!’ So he-asws said: ‘Two obscene ones from the Quraysh, and from the clan of Ummaiyya’.[1]
عن الحلبي، عن زرارة و حمران و محمد بن مسلم، قالوا: سألناه عن قوله: وَ ما جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْناكَ. قال: «إن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) رأى أن رجالا على المنابر، يردون الناس ضلالا: زريق، و زفر».
From Al Halby, from Zurara and Humran and Muhammad Bin Muslim who said,
‘We asked him (Al-Sadiq-asws) about His-azwj Words: the dream which We Showed you [17:60]. He-asws said: ‘Rasool-Allah-saww saw (some) men upon the Pulpit intending to stray the people, being Zareyq and Zafar (one and two).
و قوله: وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ، قال: «هم بنو امية»
And His-azwj Words: and the Accursed tree in the Quran [17:60]. He-asws said: ‘They are clan of Ummaiyya’’.[2]
و في رواية اخرى، عنه (عليه السلام): «أن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) قد رأى رجالا من نار على منابر من نار، يردون الناس على أعقابهم القهقرى، و لسنا نسمي أحدا».
And in another report from him (Al-Sadiq-asws having said): ‘Rasool-Allah-saww had seen (in a dream), men of fire upon pulpits of fire, intending to turn the people backwards, and we-asws are not going to name anyone’’.[3]
و في رواية سلام الجعفي، عنه (عليه السلام)، أنه قال: «إنا لا نسمي الرجال بأسمائهم، و لكن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) رأى قوما على منبره يضلون الناس بعده عن الصراط القهقرى».
And in a report of Salam al Ju’fy,
‘From him (Al-Sadiq-asws) having said: ‘We-asws will not name the men by their names, but Rasool-Allah-saww saw a people upon his-saww Pulpit straying the people after him-saww, from the path backwards’.[4]
عن عبد الرحيم القصير، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) في قوله: وَ ما جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْناكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ، قال: «أري رجالا من بني تيم و عدي على المنابر يردون الناس عن الصراط القهقرى».
From Abdul Raheem Al Qaseyr,
‘From Abu Ja’far-asws regarding His-azwj Words: and We did not Make the dream which We Showed you except as a Trial for the people [17:60]. He-asws said: ‘He‑saww saw men from the clan of Taym (Abu Bakr’s clan), and Adayy (Umar’s clan), upon the pulpits returning the people back from the path’.
قلت: وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ؟ قال: «هم بنو أمية، يقول الله: وَ نُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَما يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْياناً كَبِيراً».
I said, ‘and the Accursed tree in the Quran [17:60]?’ He-asws said: ‘They are the clan of Ummaiyya. Allah-azwj is Saying: and We Scared them, but it did not increase them except in great transgression [17:60]’’.[5]
علي بن سعيد، قال: كنت بمكة فقدم علينا معروف بن خربوذ، فقال: قال لي أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «إن عليا (عليه السلام) قال لعمر: يا أبا حفص، ألا أخبرك بما نزل في بني أمية؟ قال: بلى. قال: فإنه نزل فيهم وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فغضب عمر و قال: كذبت، بنو أمية خير منك، و أوصل للرحم».
Ali Bin Saeed said,
‘I was at Makkah, so Ma’rouf Bin Kharbouz came over and said, ‘Abu Abdullah-asws said to me: ‘Ali-asws said to Umar: ‘O Abu Hafsa! Shall I-asws inform you with what has been Revealed regarding the Clan of Ummaiyya?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He-asws said: ‘It has been Revealed with regards to them: and the Accursed tree in the Quran [17:60]’. So Umar got angered and said, ‘You-asws are lying! The Clan of Ummaiyya is better than you-asws, and more in maintaining relationships’.[6]
The dream of Rasool-Allah-saww
ونزل فيكم قول الله عز وجل: (وما جعلنا الرؤيا التي أريناك إلا فتنة للناس والشجرة الملعونة في القرآن)، وذلك حين رآى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله اثني عشر إماما من أئمة الضلالة على منبره يردون الناس على أدبارهم القهقرى، رجلان من حيين مختلفين من قريش وعشرة من بني أمية،
And it was regarding you (the Clan of Ummaiyya) that the Words of Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic: and We did not Make the dream which We Showed you except as a Trial for the people, and the Accursed tree in the Quran [17:60] – were Revealed, and that was when Rasool-Allah-saww saw (in a dream) twelve imams from the imams of misguidance upon his-saww Pulpit, reverting the people backwards upon their heels. Two men from two different tribes from Quraysh, and ten from the Clan of Ummaiyya.
أول العشرة صاحبك الذي تطلب بدمه وأنت وابنك وسبعة من ولد الحكم بن أبي العاص، أولهم مروان، وقد لعنه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وطرده وما ولد حين استمع لنساء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله.
The first of the ten is your companion whose blood you are seeking (Usman), and you, and your son, and seven from the sons of Al-Hakam Bin Abu Al-A’as, the first of them being Marwaan. And Rasool Allah-saww had cursed him, and expelled him along with his son when they were intently listening in to the (conversations) of the wives of the Rasool Allah-saww.
يا معاوية، إنا أهل بيت اختار الله لنا الآخرة على الدنيا ولم يرض لنا الدنيا ثوابا. وقد سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله أنت ووزيرك وصويحبك، يقول: (إذا بلغ بنو أبي العاص ثلاثين رجلا اتخذوا كتاب الله دخلا وعباد الله خولا ومال الله دولا).
O Muawiya, for us-asws, the People-asws of the Household, Allah-azwj has Chosen the Hereafter instead of the world, and Allah-azwj was not Pleased with the world as a Reward for us-asws. And you and your Vizier (Amro Al-A’as) and your companions have heard the Rasool Allah-saww say: ‘When the Clan of Abu Al-A’as reach thirty men, they will take the Book of Allah-azwj to deceive with, and the servants of Allah-azwj as their followers, and the wealth of Allah-azwj for their own’.
يا معاوية، إن نبي الله زكريا نشر بالمنشار ويحيى ذبح وقتله قومه وهو يدعوهم إلى الله عز وجل، وذلك لهوان الدنيا على الله. إن أولياء الشيطان قديما حاربوا أولياء الرحمن، قال الله: (إن الذين يكفرون بآيات الله ويقتلون النبيين بغير حق ويقتلون الذين يأمرون بالقسط من الناس فبشرهم بعذاب أليم).
O Muawiya, the Prophet-as of Allah-azwj Zakariya-as was sawn off by a chainsaw, and Yahya-as was slaughtered, and his-as people killed him-as, and he-as was calling them to Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic, and that is how disgraceful the world is to Allah-azwj. The friends of Satan-la have always been at war with the friends of the Beneficent-azwj. Allah-azwj Says: Surely, (as for) those who are disbelieving in the Signs of Allah and are killing the Prophets without right and are killing those who are enjoining with the justice, announce to them a painful Punishment [3:21].
يا معاوية، إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قد أخبرني أن أمته سيخضبون لحيتي من دم رأسي، وإني مستشهد، وستلي الأمة من بعدي، وأنك ستقتل ابني الحسن غدرا بالسم، وأن ابنك يزيد لعنه الله سيقتل ابني الحسين، يلي ذلك منه ابن الزانية
O Muawiya, the Rasool Allah-saww has informed me-asws that his-asws community will dye my-asws beard with the blood from my-asws head, and I-asws will be martyred, and after me-asws the community will follow you, and you will kill my-asws son Al-Hassan-asws treacherously by poison, and that your son Yazeed-la, may Allah-azwj Curse him, will kill my-asws son-asws Al-Husayn-asws, that (deed) will be carried out by the son of a whore.[7]
في سند الصحيفة السجادية عن أبى عبد الله عليه السلام قال: ان أبى حدثنى عن أبيه عن جده عن على عليه السلام ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله اخذته نعسة وهو على منبره فراى في منامه رجالا ينزون على منبره نزو القردة يردون الناس على أعقابهم القهقرى
In a link Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiya, who has narrated:
‘Abu Abdullah-asws has said that my-asws father-asws narrated to me-asws from his-asws father-asws, from his-asws grandfather-asws from Ali-asws that the Rasool-Allah-saww brought him-asws near whilst he-saww was on the pulpit, that he-saww had seen in his-saww dream that men were jumping on his-saww Pulpit like the jumping of the monkeys, reverting the people backwards and the people were responding and turning.
فاستوى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله جالسا والحزن يعرف في وجهه، فأتاه جبرئيل عليه السلام بهذه الآية ” وما جعلنا الرؤيا التى اريناك الا فتنة للناس والشجرة المعلونة في القرآن ونخوفهم فما يزيدهم الا طغيانا كبيرا ” يعنى بنى امية
Rasool-Allah-saww sat down, and grief was apparent from his-saww face. Jibraeel-as came to him-saww with this Verse: And when We Said to you: “Surely your Lord Encompasses the people”, and We did not Make the dream which We Showed you except as a Trial for the people, and the Accursed tree in the Quran; and We Scared them, but it did not increase them except in great transgression [17:60] – Meaning the Clan of Ummaiyya-la.’
قال: يا جبرئيل أعلى عهدي يكونون وفى زمنى ؟ قال: لا ولكن تدور رحى الاسلام من مهاجرك فتلبث بذلك عشرا، ثم تدور رحى الاسلام على رأس خمس وثلاثين من مهاجرك فتلبث بذلك خمسا، ثم لابد من رحى ضلالة هي قائمة على قطبها ثم ملك الفراعنة،
He-saww said: ‘O Jibraeel-as, is this going to happen during my-saww era?’ He said (Allah-azwj Says): ‘No, but Islam will rage on and soon afterwards ten of your-saww Emigrants will adopt that. Then Islam will rage on and thirty five heads from your-saww Emigrants and five of them will adopt that. Then this ignorance will not change and become established and they-la will become kings like the Pharaohs used to be.’
قال: وأنزل الله تعالى في ذلك ” انا انزلناه في ليلة القدر * ليلة القدر خير من ألف شهر ” يملكها بنو امية ليس فيها ليلة القدر،
He-asws said: ‘And Allah-azwj the Exalted Sent down regarding that: Surely We revealed it during the Night of Pre-determination [97:1] The Night of Pre-determination is better than a thousand months [97:3] – than that the Clan of Ummaiyya-la rule in, which do not contain the Night of Pre-determination’.
قال: فاطلع الله عزوجل نبيه صلى الله عليه وآله ان بنى امية تملك سلطان هذه الامة، وملكها طول هذه المدة، فلو طاولتهم الجبال لطالوا عليها حتى يأذن الله تعالى بزوال ملكهم، وهم في ذلك يستشعرون عداوتنا اهل البيت وبغضنا اخبر الله نبيه بما يلقى أهل بيت محمد وأهل مودتهم وشيعتهم منهم في ايامهم وملكهم.
He-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Made his-azwj Prophet-saww to foresee that the Clan of Ummaiyya-la will rule over this community as sultans, and their government will be of a long duration, and if they-la were to call out to the mountain it would follow them, until by the Permission of Allah-azwj their kingdom will decline, and during that they-la will exhibit their-la animosity toward us-asws the People of the Household-asws, and hatred towards us-asws which Allah-azwj Informed His-azwj Prophet-saww of, what they will mete out to the People-asws of the House of Muhammad-saww and the people who have affection for them-asws and their-asws Shias during their-la days and rule.’[8]
Abbreviations:
saww: – Sal lal la ho Allay hay Wa Aal lay he Wasallam
azwj: – Az Za Wa Jalla
asws: – Allay hay Salawat Wass Salam
AJFJ: Ajal Allah hey wa Fara Jaak
ra: – Razi Allah-azwj
La: – Laan Allah-azwj
[1] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 298/ 99.
[2] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 297/ 95
[3] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 298/ 96.
[4] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 298/ 97.
[5] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 298/ 100.
[6] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 298/ 96.
[7] Kitaab Sulaym Bin Qays Al Hilali – H 25
[8] Tafseer Noor Al Saqalayn – Ch 97 H 44