Tafseer Ibn Kathir of ASH SHAAFFAAT [38]

38. Verily, you are going to taste the painful torment; 39. And you will be requited nothing except for what you used to do. 40. Save the chosen servants of Allah. 41. For them there will be a known provision, 42. Fruits; and they shall be honored, 43. In the Gardens of Delight, 44. Facing one another on thrones. 45. Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine 46. White, delicious to the drinkers. 47. Neither will they have Ghawl from that nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom. 48. And beside them will be Qasirat-At-Tarf with (wide and beautiful) eyes. 49. as if they were Bayd Maknun. Allah says, addressing the people:

(Verily, you are going to taste the painful torment; and you will be requited nothing except for what you used to do.) Then He makes an exception in the case of His sincerely believing servants. This is like the Ayat:

(By the Time. Verily, man is in loss, Except those who believe and do righteous deeds...) (103:1-3),

(Verily, We created man in the best stature. Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low. Save those who believe and do righteous deeds) (95:4-6).

(There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell); this is with your Lord, a decree which must be accomplished. Then We shall save those who have Taqwa. And We shall leave the wrongdoers therein to their knees.) (19:71-72); and

g(Every person is a pledge for what he has earned, except those on the right) (74:38-39). Allah says here:

(Save the chosen servants of Allah.) meaning, they will not taste the painful torment nor will they be brought to account. Their evil acts, if there are any, will be overlooked, and each good deed will be rewarded in multiples of between ten and seven hundred, or as much as Allah wills.

(For them there will be a known provision,) Qatadah and As-Suddi said, ”This means Paradise.'' It is explained further in the next Ayah:

(Fruits) meaning, of different kinds.

(and they shall be honored,) means, they will be served and will live a life of luxury.

(In the Gardens of Delight, facing one another on thrones.) Mujahid said, ”One of them will not look at one another's backs.''

(Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine -- white, delicious to the drinkers. Neither will they have Ghawl from that nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.) This is like the Ayah:

(Immortal boys will go around them (serving), with cups, and jugs, and a glass of flowing wine, from which they will get neither any aching of the head nor any intoxication.)(56:17-19). Allah refined the wine of Paradise from the bad effects of the wine of this world, which causes headaches and stomach aches -- which is the meaning of Ghawl -- causing people to lose their minds completely. So He says here:

(Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine) meaning, wine from a flowing stream which they do not fear will ever be cut off or cease. Malik narrated that Zayd bin Aslam said, ”White flowing wine,'' meaning, with a bright, shining color, unlike the wine of this earth with its ugly, repulsive colors of red, black, yellow and turbid shades, and other features which are repugnant to anyone of a sound nature.

(delicious to the drinkers.) means, its taste will be as good as its color, and a good taste indicates that it has a good smell, unlike the wine of this world.

(Neither will they have Ghawl from that) means, it will not have any effects on them such as causing stomach aches. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd. This is unlike the wine of this world, which causes colic and so on, because it is too watery.

(nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.) Mujahid said, ”It will not cause them to lose their minds.'' This was also the view of Ibn `Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Al-Hasan. `Ata' bin Abi Muslim Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and others. Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said, ”Wine causes four things: intoxication, headache, vomiting and urine.'' So, when Allah mentions the wine of Paradise, He states that it is free of these characteristics, as mentioned in Surat As-Saffat.

(And beside them will be Qasirat At-Tarf) means, chaste females, who will not look at anyone other than their husbands, as Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Zayd bin Aslam, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others said.

(with (wide and beautiful) eyes) means, with beautiful eyes. It was also said that it means with wide eyes, which is connected to the first meaning. They are wide-eyed and beautiful, and their eyes are described as being beautiful and chaste. Allah says:

(And beside them will be Qasirat At-Tarf, with (wide and beautiful) eyes.)

(as if they were Bayd Maknun.) Their bodies are described as having the most perfect color. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him:

(as if they were Bayd Maknun.) means, as if they were hidden pearls. Al-Hasan said:

(as if they were Bayd Maknun. ) means, protected, never touched by any hands. As-Suddi said, ”The well preserved egg in its nest.'' Sa`id bin Jubayr said:

(as if they were Bayd Maknun.) means, ”The inside of the egg.'' `Ata' Al-Khurasani said, ”It is the membrane which is between its outer shell and its inner contents.'' As-Suddi said:

(as if they were Bayd Maknun.) means, ”The white of the egg when its shell is removed.'' Ibn Jarir's view concerning the meaning of Maknun (well preserved) is that the outer shell is touched by the wing of the bird and the nest, and by people's hands, unlike the interior of the egg. And Allah knows best.