Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-An'am -> Allah Created the Produce, Seed Grains and Cattle

Allah states that He created everything, including the produce, fruits and cattle that the idolators mishandled by their misguided ideas, dividing them into various designated parts, allowing some and prohibiting some. Allah said,

﴿وَهُوَ الَّذِى أَنشَأَ جَنَّـتٍ مَّعْرُوشَـتٍ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَـتٍ﴾

(And it is He Who produces gardens Ma`rushat and not Ma`rushat,) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, "Ma`rushat refers to what the people trellise, while `not Ma`rushat' refers to fruits (and produce) that grow wild inland and on mountains.'' `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Ma`rushat are the grapevines that are trellised, while `not Ma`rushat' refers to grapevines that are not trellised.'' As-Suddi said similarly. As for these fruits being similar, yet different, Ibn Jurayj said, "They are similar in shape, but different in taste.'' Muhammad bin Ka`b said that the Ayah,

﴿كُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِ إِذَآ أَثْمَرَ﴾

(Eat of their fruit when they ripen,) means, "(Eat) from the dates and grapes they produce.'' Allah said next,

﴿وَءَاتُواْ حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ﴾

(but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest, ) Mujahid commented, "When the poor people are present (on the day of harvest), give them some of the produce.'' `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Mujahid commented on the Ayah,

﴿وَءَاتُواْ حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ﴾

(but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest.) "When planting, one gives away handfuls (of seed grains) and on harvest, he gives away handfuls and allows them to pick whatever is left on the ground of the harvest.'' Ath-Thawri said that Hammad narrated that Ibrahim An-Nakha`i said, "One gives away some of the hay.'' Ibn Al-Mubarak said that Shurayk said that Salim said that Sa`id bin Jubayr commented;

﴿وَءَاتُواْ حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ﴾

(but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest,) "This ruling, giving the poor the handfuls (of seed grains) and some of the hay as food for their animals, was before Zakah became obligatory.'' Allah has chastised those who harvest, without giving away a part of it as charity. Allah mentioned the story of the owners of the garden in Surat Nun,

﴿إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـبَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُواْ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ - وَلاَ يَسْتَثْنُونَ - فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ - فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ - فَتَنَادَوْاْ مُصْبِحِينَ - أَنِ اغْدُواْ عَلَى حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـرِمِينَ - فَانطَلَقُواْ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـفَتُونَ - أَن لاَّ يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِّسْكِينٌ - وَغَدَوْاْ عَلَى حَرْدٍ قَـدِرِينَ - فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُواْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَّكُمْ لَوْلاَ تُسَبِّحُونَ قَالُواْ سُبْحَـنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـلِمِينَ فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـوَمُونَ قَالُواْ يوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـغِينَ عَسَى رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْراً مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَى رَبِّنَا رَغِبُونَ كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ الاٌّخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

(When they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning. Without saying: "If Allah wills." Then there passed by on the (garden) a visitation (fire) from your Lord at night, burning it while they were asleep. So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke. Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits." So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying). "No poor person shall enter upon you into it today." And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom). But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray." (Then they said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!" The best among them said: "Did I not tell you, why say you not: `If Allah wills'." They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been wrongdoers.'' Then they turned one against another, blaming. They said: "Woe to us! We have transgressed. We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord." Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they but knew.) ﴿68:18-33﴾.