(…and (likewise) the Accursed Tree in the Qur’an…) [17:60]. Isma‘il ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Ahmad al-Wa‘iz informed us> Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Faqih> Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Qattan> Ishaq ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Zurayr> Hafs ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman> Muhammad ibn Ishaq> Hakim ibn ‘Abbad ibn Hunayf> ‘Ikrimah> Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: “When the tree of al-Zaqqum was mentioned in the Qur’an [37:62; 44:43 and 56:52], the Quraysh were threatened with it. Abu Jahl said: ‘Do you know what this Zaqqum, with which Muhammad threatens you, is?’ They said: ‘No!’ He said: ‘Meat and broth with cream. By Allah, if he let us put our hands on it we will devour it!’ Allah, glorious and exalted is He, revealed (…and (likewise) the Accursed Tree in the Qur’an…) saying: this tree is repulsive (We warn them, but it increaseth them in naught save gross impiety)”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
