72. The affliction alluded to in this verse was the famine which occurred in Makkah some time after the advent of Prophethood. According to Abdullah bin Masud, when the Quraish persistently refused to accept the invitation of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and started putting up stiff resistance, he prayed: O Allah, help me against them with a seven year famine like the seven year famine of the time of Prophet Joseph. So a severe famine started in Makkah with the result that people were obliged to eat carrion. This famine has been alluded to in a number of Makki Surahs. For instance see (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayats 42-44); (Surah Al- Aaraf, Ayats 94-99); (Surah Yunus, Ayats 11, 12, 21); (Surah An-Nahl, Ayats 112-113) and (Surah Ad-Dukhan, Ayats 10- 16 ) along with the relevant E.Ns.