Tafsir of Al-Hijr 15:45

(That is, they are established therein, abiding eternally within them. The intended meaning of "the righteous" (al-muttaqin), according to what is in al-Kashshaf on the authority of Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—is those who avoided disbelief and indecencies, while possessing sins which prayers and other acts of worship expiate. In this is the implication that the "righteous" in an absolute sense is the one who avoids what must be avoided of that which has been forbidden. The Imam related from the majority of the Companions and the Successors, and mentioned that it is what has been transmitted from tradition, that the intended meaning is those who avoided shirk (polytheism). He then said: "This is the correct truth, and what points to it is that the 'righteous' (al-muttaqi) is one who brings about righteousness (taqwa) even once, just as the 'striker' (ad-darib) is one who brings about a strike even once. Thus, it is not a condition for the truthfulness of the description of being 'righteous' that one must be performing all types of righteousness. What confirms this is that the one who brings about a single instance of the instances of righteousness is a bringer of righteousness, for the individual instance necessarily contains the essence. Everyone who brings about righteousness must be righteous; therefore, the one who brings about a single instance must be righteous. For this reason, they said: 'The apparent form of a command does not denote repetition.' Thus, the apparent meaning of the verse necessitates the attainment of gardens and springs for everyone who has avoided even a single sin, except that the Ummah is in consensus that righteousness against disbelief is a condition for the attainment of this ruling. Furthermore, this verse was revealed following the words of Iblis: 'Except for Your servants among them—the purified ones,' and following the words of the Exalted: 'Indeed, over My servants you have no authority.' Therefore, faith was considered in this ruling, and it became necessary not to add any other constraint to it, because specifying a general term is contrary to the apparent meaning; thus, the less specification there is, the more it aligns with the requirement of the original principle and the apparent meaning. It is established, then, that the mentioned ruling encompasses all who say: 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,' even if they are among the people of disobedience. This is a clear explanation and evident discourse.")

It may be said: There is no doubt that the context indicates that the righteous are the purified ones mentioned previously, and that the absolute term is to be interpreted as the perfect one, and the perfect one is that to which al-Zamakhshari alluded; there is no harm in carrying it upon this, and it is said that it is the most appropriate.

The extraction of the disobedient from the Fire is established by other texts, as is the admission of the repentant into Paradise—or even others besides them—so the one who holds this view is not obligated to accept the doctrine held by the Mu'tazilah regarding the eternal punishment of those who commit major sins, as is not hidden.

The Al (the definite article) is for totalization (al-istighraq). It is either collective, meaning that for each of the righteous there is a garden and a spring, or distributive, meaning that for each of them there are gardens and springs.

As for the intended meaning of "springs," it is possible, as has been said, that they are the rivers mentioned in the words of the Exalted: "The description of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, wherein are rivers of water immutable..." (to the end of the verse). It is also possible that they are sources distinct from those rivers, which is the apparent meaning. Is each of the righteous specifically assigned their own springs, or is it not specific but rather they flow from some to others? There are possibilities, for it is possible that each one has a spring and benefits from it with those who are with him, and it is possible that the spring flows from one to another, as they are purified of rancor and envy.

The damm (vowel point u) of the 'ayn in ('uyun) is the original, and it is the reading of Nafi', Abu 'Amr, Hafs, and Hisham, while the rest read it with the opposite (kasrah), which is for the sake of harmony with the ya'.