Tafsir Surah Al-Waqi'ah ayah 31 | Learn Quran Tafsir

The Reward of Those on the Right After

Allah mentioned the final destination of those foremost in faith, the nearest to Him, He next mentioned the end of those on the right, the righteous believers.

Maymun bin Mihran said that those on the right side are lesser in rank than the foremost in faith.

Allah said,

وَأَصۡحَابُ الۡيَمِينِ مَا أَصۡحَابُ الۡيَمِينِ

And those on the right -- how (fortunate) will be those on the right?

who are those on the right, what is their condition and what will their final destination be like?

Allah next answers this question by saying,

فِي سِدۡرٍ مَّخۡضُودٍ

(they will be) among Sidr Makhdud.

Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ibn Al-Ahwas, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, As-Safr bin Nusayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Abdullah bin Kathir, As-Suddi, Abu Hazrah and several others said,

The kind without thorns.

And from Ibn Abbas:

It is the one that is laden with fruits.

This is also reported from Ikrimah and Mujahid.

Similar was also said by Qatadah as we mentioned.

So it is the one with a full load of fruits without thorns. So it appears that both meanings apply here.

The lote tree, of this life is thorny and carries few fruits. In the Hereafter, it is the opposite; it does not have thorns and carries plenty of fruit, the weight of which strains its trunk.

Utbah bin Abd As-Sulami said, I was sitting with Allah's Messenger , when a Bedouin came and said,

`O Messenger of Allah! Have you heard about the tree that has more thorns than any other being in Paradise' Meaning the Talh tree.

So Allah's Messenger said:

إِنَّ اللهَ يَجۡعَلُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ شَوۡكَةٍ مِنۡهَا ثَمَرَةً مِثۡلَ خُصۡوَةِ التَّيۡسِ الۡمَلۡبُودِ فِيهَا سَبۡعُونَ لَوۡنًا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ لَا يُشۡبِهُ لَوۡنٌ اخَر

For each spot that there was a thorn on it, Allah instead put fruit, similar to a castrated tight skinned ram, a food having seventy colors, each different than the other.

Allah's said,

وَطَلۡحٍ مَّنضُودٍ

and among Talh Mandud.

refers to large thorny shrub that used to grow in the area of Hijaz (Western Arabia).

Mujahid said that

مَّنضُودٍ

(Mandud) means:

Its fruits are piled on top of each other. Allah is reminding the Quraysh of these kinds of trees, since they used to like the shade that the Talh and Sidr provided for them.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Sa`id said that

وَطَلۡحٍ مَّنضُودٍ

(Talh Mandud) means:

The banana tree.

And he (Ibn Abi Hatim) said,

Similar is reported from Ibn Abbas, Abu Hurayrah, Al-Hasan, `Ikrimah, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, Qatadah and Abu Hazrah.

Mujahid and Ibn Zayd said similalry, Ibn Zayd added,

The people of Yemen call the banana tree, Talh.

Ibn Jarir mentioned no other explanation for Talh.

Allah said,

وَظِلٍّ مَّمۡدُودٍ

And in shade Mamdud (extended).)

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,

إِنَّ فِي الۡجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِايَةَ عَامٍ لَا يَقۡطَعُهَا اقۡرَوُوا إِنۡ شِيۡتُمۡ

وَظِلٍّ مَّمۡدُودٍ

In Paradise, there is a tree that a rider can travel for a hundred years under its shade but would not be able to pass it. Recite if you will:(And in shade extended).

Muslim also collected this Hadith.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ فِي الۡجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِايَةَ عَامٍ اقۡرَوُوا إِنۡ شِيۡتُمۡ

وَظِلٍّ مَّمۡدُودٍ

There is a tree in Paradise the shade of which a rider would take one hundred years to pass. Recite if you will:(And in shade extended).

Muslim, Al-Bukhari and Abdur-Razzaq collected this Hadith.

Allah said,

وَمَاء مَّسۡكُوبٍ

And by water flowing constantly,

وَفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ

لاَّا مَقۡطُوعَةٍ وَلَا مَمۡنُوعَةٍ

And fruit in plenty, whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.

indicating that they will have plenty of fruits of various kinds, that which no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of and no heart has ever imagined, as Allah said,

كُلَّمَا رُزِقُواۡ مِنۡهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزۡقاً قَالُواۡ هَـذَا الَّذِى رُزِقۡنَا مِن قَبۡلُ وَأُتُواۡ بِهِ مُتَشَـبِهاً

Every time they will be provided with a fruit therefrom, they will say:This is what we were provided with before, and they will be given things in resemblance. (2:25)

The shape will appear similar, but the taste is different.

In the Two Sahihs, Sidrat Al-Muntaha (the tree in the seventh heaven) is described as:

فَإِذَا وَرَقُهَا كَأذَانِ الۡفِيَلَةِ وَنَبۡقُهَا مِثۡلُ قِلَإلِ هَجَر

its leaves were like the ears of elephants and its Nabir fruits resembled the clay jugs of Hajar.

The Two Sahihs also collected a Hadith from Ibn Abbas, who said,

The sun was eclipsed and Allah's Messenger led the people in the Eclipse prayer. They asked, `O Allah's Messenger, we ﷺ you reach out for something while standing (in prayer), but then you stepped back.'

He said,

إِنِّي رَأَيۡتُ الۡجَنَّةَ فَتَنَاوَلۡتُ مِنۡهَا عُنۡقُودًا وَلَوۡ أَخَذۡتُهُ لَاَكَلۡتُمۡ مِنۡهُ مَا بَقِيَتِ الدُّنۡيَا

I ﷺ Paradise and reached out for a cluster of fruit from it. Had I done so, you would have kept eating from it for the remainder of the life of the world.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Utbah bin Abd As-Sulami said,

A Bedouin man came to the Messenger of Allah and asked him about the Hawd and Paradise. The Bedouin asked, `Does Paradise have fruits?'

The Prophet said,

نَعَمۡ وَفِيهَا شَجَرَةٌ تُدۡعَى طُوبَى

Yes, and it also has a tree called Tuba. (He said something more saying but I could not recall it).

The Bedouin asked, `Does it look like any of the trees that grow in our area'

The Prophet said,

لَيۡسَتۡ تُشۡبِهُ شَيۡيًا مِنۡ شَجَرِ أَرۡضِك

There is nothing resembling it among the trees in your land.

The Prophet then asked him,

Have you traveled to Ash-Sham area?

The Bedouin said:`No.'

The Prophet said,

تُشۡبِهُ شَجَرَةً بِالشَّامِ تُدۡعَى الۡجَوۡزَةَ تَنۡبُتُ عَلَى سَاقٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَيَنۡفَرِشُ أَعۡلَهَا

It looks like a tree that grows in Ash-Sham area and is called Al-Jawzah, which stands on one stem but its branches grow all around to the fullest extent.

The Bedouin asked, `How big is the cluster of its fruits?'

The Prophet said,

مَسِيرَةُ شَهۡرٍ لِلۡغُرَابِ الاَۡبۡقَعِ وَلَا يَفۡتُر

The distance that the crow flies in one month without rest.

The Bedouin asked, `How huge its trunk is?'

The Prophet said,

لَوِ ارۡتَحَلَتۡ جَذَعَةٌ مِن إِبِلِ أَهۡلِكَ مَا أَحَاطَتۡ بِأَصۡلِهَا حَتۡى تَنۡكَسِرَ تَرۡقُوَتُهَا هَرَمًا

If a four-year old she-camel that your family owns travels it, it will not completely pass its trunk until its shoulders break from old age.

The man asked, `Does it bear grapes?'

The Prophet answered in yes.

The Bedouin asked, `How big are the grapes?'

The Prophet said, Has your father ever slaughtered a ram?

The Bedouin answered, `Yes,' and the Prophet asked him,

فَسَلَخَ إِهَابَهُ فَأَعۡطَاهُ أُمَّكَ فَقَالَ اتَّخِذِي لَنَا مِنۡهُ دَلۡوًا

And then he skinned it and gave the skin to your mother and asked her to make a hanging bucket out of it.

The Bedouin again said yes and said, `This grape would suffice for me and my family!'

The Prophet agreed and said,

Yes, and also for the rest of your clan.

Allah's statement,

لاَّا مَقۡطُوعَةٍ وَلَا مَمۡنُوعَةٍ

Whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.

The supply of these fruits never runs out, winter or summer. Rather, they are always available for those who want to eat from them, forever. Whenever these fruits are desired, they will be available and easy to grasp by Allah's power.

Qatadah said,

Nothing will prevent them from reaching out to get these fruits, no branches, thorns or distance.

We mentioned a Hadith before that states that whenever someone takes a fruit in Paradise, another one grows in its place.

Allah said, afterwards:

وَفُرُشٍ مَّرۡفُوعَةٍ

And on couches, raised high.

meaning, high, soft and comfortable.

Allah said,

إِنَّا أَنشَأۡنَاهُنَّ إِنشَاء

فَجَعَلۡنَاهُنَّ أَبۡكَارًا

عُرُبًا أَتۡرَابًا

لاِّأَصۡحَابِ الۡيَمِينِ

Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins,`Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.

The Ayat describe the women who will be on the beds and couches, but since mentioning the beds hints to them, they were not directly mentioned. For instance, Allah said that Sulayman said,

إِذۡ عُرِضَ عَلَيۡهِ بِالۡعَشِىِّ الصَّـفِنَـتُ الۡجِيَادُ

فَقَالَ إِنِّى أَحۡبَبۡتُ حُبَّ الۡخَيۡرِ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِى حَتَّى تَوَارَتۡ بِالۡحِجَابِ

When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well-trained horses of the highest breed. He said, I did love the good instead of remembering my Lord, till the time was over, and it had hidden in the veil (of night). (38:31-32)

it (Tawarat) refers to the sun setting, according to the scholars of Tafsir.

Al-Akhfash said that Ayah,

إِنَّا أَنشَأۡنَاهُنَّ

(Verily, We have created them),

implied the maidens of Paradise although it did not mention them directly.

Abu Ubaydah said that they were mentioned before in Allah's statement,

وَحُورٌ عِينٌ

كَأَمۡثَالِ اللُّوۡلُوِ الۡمَكۡنُونِ

And Hur (fair females) with wide lovely eyes, like preserved pearls.

Therefore, Allah's statement,

إِنَّا أَنشَأۡنَاهُنَّ

(Verily, We have created them), meaning, in the other life, after they became old in this life, they were brought back while virgin, youthful, being delightfully passionate with their husbands, beautiful, kind and cheerful.

Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

يُعۡطَى الۡمُوۡمِنُ فِي الۡجَنَّةِ قُوَّةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فِي النِّسَاء

In Paradise, the believer will be given such and such strength for women.

Anas said, I asked, `O Allah's Messenger! Will one be able to do that?'

He said,

يُعۡطَى قُوَّةَ مِايَة

He will be given the strength of a hundred (men).

At-Tirmidhi also recorded it and said, Sahih Gharib.

Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah was asked,

O Allah's Messenger! Will we have sexual intercourse with our wives in Paradise

He said,

إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصِلُ فِي الۡيَوۡمِ إِلَى مِايَةِ عَذۡرَاء

The man will be able to have sexual intercourse with a hundred virgins in one day.

Al-Hafiz Abu Abdullah Al-Maqdisi said,

In my view, this Hadith meets the criteria of the Sahih, and Allah knows best.

Allah's statement,

عُرُبًا

(`Urub), Sa`id bin Jubayr reported that Ibn Abbas said,

They are in an infatuated state with their husbands, haven't you ever seen a she-camel in heat? She is like that.

Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn Abbas who said,

The Urub and their husbands are their sweet hearts, and they are their husbands' sweet hearts.

Similar was said by Abdullah bin Sarjis, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Abu Al-Aliyah, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, Atiyah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others.

Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas;

أَتۡرَابًا

(Atrab), means

They will be of one age, thirty-three years old.

Mujahid said, Equal (age).

And in a different narration, Similar (age)

Atiyah said, Comparative.

Allah said,

لاِّأَصۡحَابِ الۡيَمِينِ

(For those on the right).

meaning, these women were created, kept or given in marriage to those on the right. It appears that the meaning here is that they were created for those on the right side, because Allah said,

إِنَّا أَنشَأۡنَاهُنَّ إِنشَاء

فَجَعَلۡنَاهُنَّ أَبۡكَارًا

عُرُبًا أَتۡرَابًا

لاِّأَصۡحَابِ الۡيَمِين

Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins. `Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.

This is the view of Ibn Jarir.

It is possible that Allah's statement,

لاِّأَصۡحَابِ الۡيَمِين

(For those on the right), refers to the description that came just before,

أَتۡرَابًا

لاِّأَصۡحَابِ الۡيَمِين

Atrab. For those on the right. (meaning, in their age).

Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

أَوَّلُ زُمۡرَةٍ يَدۡخُلُونَ الۡجَنَّةَ عَلَى صُورَةِ الۡقَمَرِ لَيۡلَةَ الۡبَدۡرِ وَالَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمۡ عَلَى ضَوۡءِ أَشَدِّ كَوۡكَبٍ دُرِّيَ فِي السَّمَاءِ إِضَاءَةً لَا يَبُولُونَ وَلَا يَتَغَوَّطُونَ وَلَا يَتۡفُلُونَ وَلَا يَتَمَخَّطُونَ أَمۡشَاطُهُمُ الذَّهَبُ وَرَشۡحُهُمُ الۡمِسۡكُ وَمَجَامِرُهُمُ الاَۡلُوَّةُ وَأَزۡوَاجُهُمُ الۡحُورُ الۡعِينُ أَخۡلَقُهُمۡ عَلَى خُلُقِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ عَلَى صُورَةِ أَبِيهِمۡ ادَمَ سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا فِي السَّمَاء

The first group to enter Paradise will be (shining) like the moon when it is full. The next group will be like the most radiant planet in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit or blow their noses. Their combs will be of gold and their sweat of musk; and censers of aloes wood will be used. Their wives will be from Al-Hur Al-`Ayn. Their shape will be similar to each other, the shape of their father `Adam, sixty cubits high in the sky.

Allah's statement,

ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاَۡوَّلِينَ

وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاۡخِرِينَ

A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.

means, a multitude of those on the right will come from the earlier generations and a multitude from the latter generations.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said,

We were with the Prophet one night and in the next morning we went to him and he said,

عُرِضَتۡ عَلَيَّ الاَۡنۡبِيَاءُ وَأَتۡبَاعُهَا بِأُمَمِهَا فَيَمُرُّ عَلَيَّ النَّبِيُّ وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الۡعِصَابَةِ وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الثَّلَثَةِ وَالنَّبِيُّ وَلَيۡسَ مَعَهُ أَحَد

Some Prophets and their nations were displayed before me. A Prophet would pass in front of me with a group of men, and another with three men, and another with nobody with him.

Qatadah, one of the narrators of the Hadith, then recited this Ayah,

أَلَيۡسَ مِنۡكُمۡ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ

Is there not among you a single right-minded man, (11:78)

حَتۡى مَرَّ عَلَيَّ مُوۡسَى بۡنُ عِمۡرَانَ فِي كَبۡكَبَةٍ مِنۡ بَنِي إِسۡرَايِيل

Until Musa, son of `Imran passed me, with a great crowd from the Children of Israel.

So he said;

قُلۡتُ رَبِّي مَنۡ هذَا قَالَ هذَا أَخُوكَ مُوسَى بۡنُ عِمۡرَانَ وَمَنۡ تَبِعَهُ مِنۡ بَنِي إسۡرَايِيل

قُلۡتُ رَبِّ فَأَيۡنَ أُمَّتِي

قَالَ انۡظُرۡ عَنۡ يَمِينِكَ فِي الظِّرَاب

فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال

قَالَ أَرَضِيتَ

قُلۡتُ قَدۡ رَضِيتُ رَب

انۡظُرۡ إِلَى الاُۡفُقِ عَنۡ يَسَارِكَ فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال

أَرَضِيتَ

قُلۡتُ قَدۡ رَضِيتُ رَب

فَإِنَّ مَعَ هوُلَاإءِ سَبۡعِينَ أَلۡفًا يَدۡخُلُونَ الۡجَنَّةَ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَاب

So, I asked my Lord, Who is this

He said, This is your brother Musa, son of Imran, and those who followed him among the Children of Israel.

I said, O Lord! Where is my Ummah

Allah said, Look to your right on the hill,

and I looked and ﷺ faces of men.

Allah said, Are you pleased,

and I said, I am pleased O Lord!

Allah said, Look to the horizon to your left, and I ﷺ faces of men.

He again asked, Are you pleased,

and I said, I am pleased, O Lord!

He said, And with them are seventy-thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning.

Ukkashah bin Mihsan from Bani Asad, one of those who participated in the battle of Badr, said, `O Allah's Messenger! Invoke Allah to make me one of them.'

The Prophet said,

اللۡهُمَّ اجۡعَلۡهُ مِنۡهُم

O Allah, make him one of them.

Another man said, `O Allah's Messenger, invoke Allah to make me one of them.'

The Prophet said,

سَبَقَكَ بِهَا عُكَّاشَة

Ukkashah beat you to it.

Allah's Messenger said,

فَإِنِ اسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ فِدَاكُمۡ أَبِي وَأُمِّي أَنۡ تَكُونُوا مِنۡ أَصۡحَاب السَّبۡعِينَ فَافۡعَلُوا وَإِلاَّ فَكُونُوا مِنۡ أَصۡحَابِ الظِّرَابِ وَإِلاَّ فَكُونُوا مِنۡ أَصۡحَابِ الاۡإُفُقِ فَإِنِّي قَدۡ رَأَيۡتُ نَاسًا كَثِيرًا قَدۡ تَأَشَّبُوا حَوۡلَه

Therefore, may I sacrifice my father and mother for you! Try to be among the seventy (thousands), or among the crowds on the right, or the crowds that covered the side of the horizon, because I ﷺ large crowds gathering on that side.

He continued:

إِنِّي لَاَرۡجُو أَنۡ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهۡلِ الۡجَنَّة

I hope that you will be a fourth of the people of Paradise.

and we said, Allahu Akbar.

He said,

إِنِّي لَاَرۡجُو أَنۡ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهۡلِ الۡجَنَّة

I hope that you will be a third of the people of Paradise.

and we said, Allahu Akbar.

The Prophet said,

إِنِّي لَاَرۡجُو أَنۡ تَكُونُوا نِصۡفَ أَهۡلِ الۡجَنَّة

I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise,

and we said Allahu Akbar.

Then Allah's Messenger recited this Ayah:

ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاَۡوَّلِينَ

وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاۡخِرِينَ

A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.

We said to each other, `Who are those seventy thousand?'

We then said, `They are those who were born in Islam and did not associate (anything or anyone in the worship of Allah).'

When what we said reached the Prophet, he said,

بَلۡ هُمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَكۡتَوُونَ وَلَا يَسۡتَرۡقُونَ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُون

They are the people

- who do not get treated by cauterization themselves,

- do not ask for Ruqyah (get oneself treated by the recitation of some verses of the Qur`an) and

- do not draw an evil omen from (birds), but put their trust (only) in their Lord.

This Hadith has many chains of narration collected in the Sahihs and other collections of Hadith.

Al-Waqi'ah: 31

Ayah

Translation

Tafsir

Al-Waqi'ah: 31