Surah At-Tin, Ayah 2

Which was revealed in Makkah

The Recitation of Surat At-Tin in the Prayer while traveling

Malik and Shu`bah narrated from `Adi bin Thabit, who narrated that Al-Bara' bin `Azib said, "The Prophet used to recite in one of his Rak`ahs while traveling `At-Tin waz-Zaytun' (Surat At-Tin), and I have never heard anyone with a nicer voice or recitation than him." The Group has recorded this Hadith in their books.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Explanation of At-Tin and what comes after it

Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that what is meant by At-Tin is the Masjid of Nuh that was built upon Mount Al-Judi. Mujahid said, "It is this fig that you have."

وَالزَّيْتُونِ

(By Az-Zaytun.) Ka`b Al-Ahbar, Qatadah, Ibn Zayd and others have said, "It is the Masjid of Jerusalem (Bayt Al-Maqdis)." Mujahid and `Ikrimah said, "It is this olive which you press (to extract the oil)."

Commentary

وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ (I swear by the Fig and the Olive...95:1). This verse takes an oath by four objects. Two of them are trees, the fig tree and the olive tree. [ The third object ] is Tur, the mount of Sinai, and the fourth object is the City of Makkah. The two trees have been specified because they possess abundant blessings and advantages in the same way as Tur and the City of Makkah possess abundant blessings. Some authorities say that the 'fig' and the 'olive' symbolise, in this context, the lands in which these trees predominate: that is, the countries bordering on the eastern part of the Mediterranean, especially Palestine and Syria. Most of the Prophets (علیہم السلام) lived and preached in these lands, including Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . The latter Prophet was made to migrate from here to Makkah. The oaths, in this way, comprehend all the holy places where Allah-inspired men were born and raised as Prophets t. Syria was the land and home of all the Prophets (علیہم السلام) . Mount Sinai stresses specifically the messenger-ship of Musa (علیہ السلام) where Allah spoke to him. 'Peaceful City' refers to Makkah, the birthplace and residence of the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ .