بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Name: The Surah has been so named after the very first word at-tin.
Period of Revelation: Makkan
Theme and Subject Matter
The basic fact outlined in this Surah is that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has given man an upright nature. This is essentially in perfect harmony with the nature of faith. With faith it attains its ultimate perfection. But when man deviates from this upright nature and from the straight path of faith he sinks into the lowest abyss.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala swears to the validity of this by the tin [fig], the zaytoun [olive], Toor [Mount Sinai in Sineen], and al-balad al-ameen [the secure city of Makkah]. The Toor in Sinai is the mountain on which Musa `alayhi salaam received his divine summons. The secure city is Makkah, which houses the Ka`bah. The relationship between the two is obvious. But a similar relationship is not readily clear with regard to the figs and olives. Suggestions as to the significance of these are numerous. We cannot say anything definite on this matter. However, on the basis of parallel frameworks in other Surahs, the most likely explanation of the fig and olive mentioned here is that they refer to certain places or events which have some relevance to religion and faith or to man as the creature fairest in shape and form.
In Maarif-ul-Qur’an, Mufti Muhammad Shafi Usmani writes the two trees have been specified because they possess abundant blessings and advantages in the same way as Toor and the City of Makkah possess abundant blessings. Some authorities say that the fig and olive symbolize the lands in which these trees predominate – Palestine and Syria. Most of the Prophets lived and preaches in these lands including Prophet Ibraheem ‘alayhi salaam who was later made to migrate to Makkah.
The oaths, in this way comprehend all the places where Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala sent Prophets ‘alayhi salaam. Syria was the land and home of all the Prophets. Mount Sinai stresses specifically the messengership of Musa ‘alayhi salaam while the secure city of Makkah was the birth place of Muhammad salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
After swearing an oath by the habitats of some illustrious Prophets `alayhi salaam it was stated that man has been created in the most excellent of molds. From them emerged some of the finest men that attained the position of Prophethood – a position that has not been attained by any other creation of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala.
The Surah then draws our attention to the two kinds of men: those who in spite of having been created in the finest of molds become inclined to evil and those who by adopting the way of righteousness attain a noble position. This factual reality has been used as an argument to prove that when among the people there are these two separate and quite distinct kinds, how one can deny the judgment and retribution of deeds. If the morally degraded are not punished and the morally pure are not rewarded then it would mean that there is no justice in the Kingdom of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala. How then can one conceive that Allah, Who is the most just of all judges, would not do justice?
Virtue of this Surah:
Malik and Shu`bah narrated from ‘Adi bin Thabit, who narrated that Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib said, “The Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to recite in one of his Rak‘ahs while traveling ‘At-Tin waz-Zaytoun’ (Surat At-Tin), and I have never heard anyone with a nicer voice or recitation than him.”’ The Group has recorded this hadeeth in their books.
Verse By Verse Qur'an Study Circle 
This is a very satisfactory clear explanation of this surah. Thank you.