Surah Ad-Dukhan, Verse 43

Tafsir of 44:43

The Condition of the Idolators and Their Punishment on the Day of Resurrection Allah tells us how He will punish the disbelievers who deny the meeting with Him: إِنَّ شَجَرَةَ الزَّقُّومِ - طَعَامُ الاٌّثِيمِ (Verily, the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the sinners.) Those who sinned by their words and in deeds. These are the disbelievers. More than one commentator stated that this referred to Abu Jahl; undoubtedly he is included among those referred to in this Ayah, but it is not specifically about him. Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Ad-Darda' was reciting to a man: إِنَّ شَجَرَةَ الزَّقُّومِ - طَعَامُ الاٌّثِيمِ (Verily, the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the sinners.) The man said, "The food of the orphan." Abu Ad-Darda', may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Say, the tree of Zaqqum is the food of the evildoer." i.e., he will not have any other food apart from that. Mujahid said, "If a drop of it were to fall on the earth, it would corrupt the living of all the people of earth." A similar Marfu` report has been narrated earlier. كَالْمُهْلِ (Like boiling oil,) means, like the dregs of oil.…

Source: Ibn Kathir (Abridged)