The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Page 132
126 إِنَّ شَجَرَتَ الزَّقُوْمِ طَعَامُ الْأَثِيْمِ O كَالْمُهْلِ يَغْلِيُّ فِي الْبُطُونِ كَغَلِي الْحَمِيمِ. . . ذُقُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ 0 175 That is, are the gardens of paradise better entertainment or the tree of Zaqqūm which We have made a means of trial for the wrongdoers? It is a tree that springs forth from the root of hell, that is to say, it grows out of arrogance and self-esteem. Its fruit is, as if it were, the heads of Satan. The meaning of 'Satan' is 'one who perishes', and it is derived from [the Arabic root] sha-ya-ta. So in sum the meaning is that to eat it is to be ruined. Then it is said: The tree of Zaqqūm is the food of the deliberately sinful. It will boil in their bellies like molten copper. The sinful one will be commanded: Now suffer this, thou who didst hold thyself mighty and noble. This is a wrathful expression meaning that if he had not been arrogant and had not turned away from the truth out of pride and a false notion of his dignity, he would not have had to suffer in this fashion. This verse indicates that the word Zaqqum is a composite of Zuqq and Amm, and Amm is an abridgment of the verse: 176 إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ 175. Verily, the tree of Zaqqūm. Will be the food of the sinful, Like molten copper, it will boil in their bellies, Like the boiling of scalding water. . . . . . Taste it! You did consider yourself the mighty, the honourable. (The Holy Quran, ad-Dukhān 44:44-47,50)