Tafsir of Ar-Ra'd 13:23

(Gardens of Eden) is an apposition (badal) to "the outcome of the abode," as Al-Zajjaj said; it is an apposition of the whole for the whole. Abu al-Baqa' and others permitted it to be an initial (mubtada') whose predicate (khabar) is the Almighty's saying, "they will enter it." This was criticized as being far from the context. It is more appropriate that it is an initial with a deleted predicate, as mentioned in al-Bahr, which was rejected because there is no basis for it, as the sentence is an elucidation of "the outcome of the abode," which is appropriate for the context.

Adn means residence and stability; it is said, "He adana in such-and-such a place," if he has settled there. From this is the word ma'dan (mine) for the place where minerals settle. It means: gardens in which they shall reside. More than one narrator reported from Ibn Mas'ud that he said: (Gardens of Eden) are the heart of Paradise, meaning its center. Al-Dahhak narrated something similar, except that he said: It is a city in the middle of Paradise, in which are the Prophets, the martyrs, and the leaders of guidance. Other reports have also come regarding it. Whenever a specific place in Paradise is intended, the apposition is that of a part for the whole. Al-Nakha'i read it as (a Garden) in the singular. It is narrated from Ibn Kathir and Abu 'Amr that (they will enter it) is read in the passive voice.

(And whoever is righteous from among their fathers) is the plural of "father"; each of them is as if it were said: from their fathers and their mothers. (And their spouses and their descendants) is, as Abu al-Baqa' said, a conjunction to the nominative in "they will enter." This was permissible despite the lack of emphasis because of the separation by the other pronoun. It was also permitted to be an accusative of accompaniment (ma'f'ul ma'ahu). This was challenged on the grounds that the "wa" of accompaniment only attaches to the followed noun (matbu'), but it was refuted that this is only stated regarding the word ma'a, not the letter wa, and there is consideration in that. The meaning is that those who were righteous from among their kin shall join them, even if they have not reached the level of their virtue, as a consequence of them and as an exaltation of their status.

Ibn Abi Hatim and Abu al-Shaykh narrated from Ibn Jubayr, who said: A man will enter Paradise and ask, "Where is my mother? Where is my child? Where is my wife?" It will be said, "They did not perform deeds like yours." He will say, "I used to perform for myself and for them." Then he recited the verse. (From among the righteous) was interpreted as "those who believed," which is narrated from Mujahid; the same is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both). Al-Zajjaj interpreted it as "those who believed and performed righteous deeds," and mentioned that the Almighty thereby clarified that lineages are of no benefit if they are not accompanied by righteous deeds; rather, fathers, spouses, and descendants do not enter Paradise except through righteous deeds.

Al-Wahidi refuted him, saying: The correct view is what is narrated from Ibn Abbas, because Allah, the Exalted, made part of the reward of the obedient his happiness in the presence of his family with him in Paradise. This indicates that they enter it as an honor to the obedient one who brought forth righteous deeds. If they entered by their own deeds, there would be no honor for the obedient one, nor any benefit in promising it, as everyone who is righteous in his deeds enters Paradise.

The Imam weakened this by stating that the intent is to give good tidings to the obedient one of everything that increases his joy and delight. When Allah, the Exalted, gives glad tidings to the accountable person that if he enters Paradise, his family will be present with him, his joy is magnified and his delight strengthened. It is said that one of their greatest joys is to gather and recall their conditions in the world, then thank Allah, the Exalted, for their deliverance from it. Therefore, He, the Exalted, recounted of some of the people of Paradise that they say: "I wish my people knew of that for which my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored." Based on this, the verse is not proof that one's rank rises through intercession, though some used it as evidence for that based on the first interpretation of it.

This was criticized on the grounds that it also has no evidence for what was mentioned. It was answered that if it is permissible for one to rise in rank merely by being an appendage to those perfect in faith—as an exaltation of their status—then rising by their intercession is known a fortiori. Some said: Since they, by their righteousness, were deserving of entering Paradise, placing them in their [the righteous ones'] rank is a requirement of their request and their intercession for them, according to the demand of attachment. The truth is that the verse is not suitable as evidence for this, especially if the wa is in the sense of ma'a (with). So contemplate this.

The apparent meaning is that there is no distinction between one wife and another, and the Imam explicitly stated this. Then he said: Perhaps the most appropriate [interpretation] is the one [wife] from whom he died or who died after him. What is narrated about Sawdah, that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) intended to divorce her, she said, "Leave me, O Messenger of Allah, that I may be gathered among your wives," is like evidence for what was mentioned.

There is a difference of opinion regarding a woman who had multiple husbands if they all died. It is said: She is in Paradise for her last husband, and this is supported by the fact that the Mothers of the Believers are his wives (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in Paradise, despite the fact that most of them had been married to others before him. Others said: She is for her first husband, like a woman who was informed by a trustworthy person that her husband had died, and it fell into her heart that it was true, so she remarried after the expiration of her waiting period, then his life became apparent; she would belong to him. This was criticized by saying that this is not of this category; rather, it resembles the case where a man dies and an infallible [Prophet] informs of his death, so his wife marries after the waiting period, then Allah brings him to life. Regarding that, they said: His wife belongs to the second husband. It is also said: The wife is given the choice on the Day of Resurrection between her husbands, and whoever among them was best in character with her, she will be for him; a group approved of this. Ibn Abi 'Abla read "righteous" (suluh) with a damma on the lam (while the fatha is more eloquent). 'Isa al-Thaqafi read "their descendants" in the singular.

(And the angels enter upon them from every gate) of the gates of their dwellings. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Anas ibn Malik that he recited the verse until he reached the end of it, then said: The believer is in a tent of hollowed pearl, in which there is no trunk or joint; its length in the air is sixty miles. In every corner of it are people and wealth. It has four thousand doors of gold; at every door of them stand seventy thousand angels, each with a gift from the Merciful, the likes of which his companion does not possess. They do not reach him except by permission; between him and them is a veil. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that which is greater than that.

Abu al-Asam said: [The intent of] "every gate" refers to the gates of righteousness, such as the gate of prayer, the gate of zakat, and the gate of patience. It is also said: [It refers to] the gates of bestowals and gifts. It is said: According to this, what is meant by "gate" is "type," and "from" is causal. The meaning is: They enter to present them with various types of gifts. This was criticized because there is consideration in the idea that "gate" means "type." The apparent meaning of the Asas and others dictates that it is a metaphor or metonymy for what was mentioned, because the house that has doors, when a vast multitude comes to it, they enter from every door. Thus, it is intended to signify the entry of abundant provisions upon them, and that they come to them from every direction, and the multiplicity of directions implies the multiplicity of the things received, for every direction has a gift.