Circumstances of Revelation
Place: Mecca, according to the introduction, which adds that its contents are appropriate for either Mecca or Medina. → Introduction
Verses 3–11, the palm tree: Imam al-Riḍā reports that a man had a palm tree in another man's land and used to disturb the landowner. The Prophet offered him a palm tree in paradise in exchange for it, and he refused. Abū al-Daḥdāḥ of the Anṣār then traded a plot of land for the tree, the Prophet promised him a palm tree in paradise, and God revealed these verses. Tafsīr al-Qummī says the wariest (verse 17) is Abū al-Daḥdāḥ. Ibn ʿAbbās gives the same story, in which the Anṣārī bought the tree for forty trees and gave it to the Prophet, who gave it to the owner of the house; ʿAṭāʾ names him Abū al-Daḥdāḥ. → Narrations
Verse 17, general meaning: Al-Mizan's view: the verse has a general meaning and is not restricted to a specific situation or individual, as the general descriptions in the following verses confirm, although it is still possible that these verses, or the whole sūrah, were revealed on a specific occasion, as some narrations say. → Commentary on verse 17
Verse 17, Abū Bakr: Some Sunni narrations say the sūrah was revealed about Abū Bakr, and al-Rāzī says the Sunni exegetes agree that the wariest refers to him, adding that the Shia unanimously reject this and say it was revealed about ʿAlī. Al-Mizan's view: the Shia reject the report about Abū Bakr on the basis of the authentic narration of al-Ḥimyarī and similar narrations, which show that the verses were revealed about Abū al-Daḥdāḥ; but there is no unanimity that they are about ʿAlī. → Narrations
Verses 17–19, an application: Imam al-Ṣādiq is reported to have applied the wariest to the Prophet and the one who gives his wealth, seeking purification to ʿAlī. Al-Mizan: the chain is weak, and in any case it is an application of the verses (jary wa taṭbīq), not their interpretation. → Narrations
A summary prepared from Tafsīr al-Mīzān: where and when the sūrah was revealed, and the occasions reported for its verses, with the ʿAllāmah's view of them. Each point links to the full discussion.