Tafsir of Maryam 19:85

This means: as riders, as recorded by a group from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them). Ibn Abi al-Dunya, in Sifat al-Jannah (The Description of Paradise), as well as Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Mardawayh, recorded through various chains from Ali (may Allah ennoble his countenance), who said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about this verse, and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is a delegation [wafd] anything other than riders?' He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: 'By the One in Whose hand is my soul, when they emerge from their graves, they will be met with white she-camels with wings, upon which are saddles of gold. The straps of their sandals will be glowing light, and each stride they take will reach as far as the eye can see, until they reach the gate of Paradise.'" [The Hadith follows]. These she-camels are from Paradise, as clarified in a Hadith recorded by Abdullah ibn Imam Ahmad and others, attributed as a statement (mawquf) to Ali (may Allah ennoble his countenance).

It is also narrated from Amr ibn Qays that they will ride upon semblances of their righteous deeds, which will be of the utmost beauty. It is further narrated that each of them will ride whatever he loves, whether it be camels, horses, or ships that come sailing for them.

The root of wafd is a collective noun for those who arrive (wafid), similar to wufud (delegations), awghad, and the like. The term wafd comes from the verb wafada—meaning to arrive and present oneself. In Al-Nihayah, it is stated that the wafd are a group of people who gather and arrive in a land; each of them is a wafid. This also refers to those who approach rulers for visitation, to request assistance, or to seek benefits. Al-Raghib said: "The wafd and wufud are those who present themselves to kings to fulfill their needs." From this comes the expression for a camel that outstrips its caravan (wafid).

This meaning mentioned is the well-known one. Hence, it is said that the word wafd implies honor and reverence, as it suggests comparing the state of the God-fearing to the state of delegations visiting kings. However, the intent is not a literal delegation in all its aspects, because that would imply departing from the one visited, whereas the God-fearing will remain forever in the reward of their Lord (Mighty and Majestic is He). The speech is based on the estimation of an implied addition, meaning: to the honor of the Most Merciful, or His reward—which is Paradise—or to the abode of His honor, or similar.

It is said that the "gathering to the Most Merciful" is a metonymy for that, so there is no need for an implied addition. The apparent phrasing would have been a pronoun, saying "We gather the God-fearing to Us," yet "the Most Merciful" was chosen to signal that they are gathered from scattered places and vast regions to the One who will show them mercy.

The Judge (Al-Qadi) stated: "The choice of 'the Most Merciful' in this chapter has a significance. Perhaps it is because the flow of the discourse here is to enumerate immense blessings and to explain the condition of those who are grateful for them and those who disbelieve in them. It is as if it were said here: 'The Day We shall gather the God-fearing to their Lord, who overwhelmed them previously with His mercy and encompassed them with His compassion.' In essence: the Day We shall gather them to the One who accustomed them to His mercy. In this lies glad tidings of the greatest magnitude." Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) contrasted this with His saying: [...]