Tafsir of Ya seen 36:56

{They and their spouses are in shades, reclining on couches.}

This is a new commencement, introduced to clarify the manner of their occupation and their enjoyment, completing it with what adds to their bliss and joy through the company of their spouses. "They" (hum) is an initial subject (mubtada'), "and their spouses" (azwajuhum) is a conjunction linked to it, and "reclining" (muttaqi'un) is the predicate (khabar).

The prepositional phrase "in shades" (fi zilal) is connected to it [the state of reclining]. It is said that it was placed before [the couch] to observe the rhyme scheme, or it and the second prepositional phrase—based on their connection to the implied meaning of "being settled"—are sequential predicates. It is also permissible for the first prepositional phrase to be the predicate, while the second is linked to "reclining"—with the latter being the predicate of an omitted initial subject, i.e., "they are reclining on couches." Alternatively, the prepositional phrase could be linked to an implied fronted predicate, with "reclining" being a delayed initial subject. Both views constitute an explanatory commencement.

It is also said that "they" serves as an emphasis for the hidden pronoun within the predicate of "Inna"—that is, "they are amused" (fakihoon)—or within "in an occupation" (fi shughulin). Some reject this, claiming that it constitutes a separation between the emphasized element and the emphatic "they" by an extraneous item. "Reclining" (muttaqi'un) is another predicate for "Inna," and "on couches" (ala al-ara'ik) is linked to it, as is "in shades." Or, it may be linked to an omitted element, functioning as a state (hal) from the conjoined and the element to which it is conjoined. Those who permit the state to come from the initial subject (mubtada') also permit this possibility, provided that "they" is considered an initial subject as well.

"Shades" (zilal) is the plural of "shade" (zill). The pluralization of a noun of the pattern fa'l as fi'al is common, like sha'b (path) to shi'ab, and dhi'b (wolf) to dhi'ab. It is also possible that it is the plural of zullah (canopy/shade) with a damma, like qubbah (dome) to qubab, and burmah (pot) to buram. This is supported by the recitation of Abdullah [ibn Mas'ud], al-Sulami, Talha, Hamza, and al-Kisa'i: "in a shade" (fi zill), with a damma followed by a fatha; for this is the plural of zullah, not zill. The foundation is the agreement of the recitations. Mundhir ibn Sa'id says it is the plural of zullah with a kasra—which is a dialectal variation of zullah with a damma—making it like liqhah (milch camel) and liqah, though this is rare.

The Imam interpreted "shade" as protection from the sources of pain. For the people of Paradise, there is, from the shade of Allah, that which protects them from distress. The plural is used in consideration of what each of them possesses, or it is multiple for the individual person according to the multiplicity of things that provide protection. It is also possible that it is pluralized to denote its greatness and high status, similar to the word "hands" (aydin) meaning power/capability in the verse, "And the heaven, We built it with strength (aydin)."

Abu Hayyan interpreted "shades" as the plural of zullah, meaning garments and similar objects that provide shade, such as curtains. I say: Ibn al-Athir said, "The shade (zill) is the respite resulting from a barrier between you and the sun, regardless of what it is." It is said that it is specifically that which occurs before the sun reaches its zenith, while what occurs after is fay' (afternoon shade). You know that "shade," in the sense that considers the sun, is not conceivable in Paradise, for there is no sun therein. Hence, al-Raghib said: "Shade is the opposite of brightness; it is more general than fay', for one says 'the shade of night' and 'the shade of Paradise'."

There has come regarding "in its shade" that which indicates it is like the shade that exists in this world before sunrise. Ibn al-Qayyim narrated in Hadi al-Arwah from Ibn Abbas that he was asked about the earth of Paradise. He replied, "A white marble of silver, as if it were a mirror." It was asked, "What is its light?" He said, "The time you see before the rising of the sun—that is its light, except that there is neither sun nor freezing cold in it." Ibn 'Atiyya mentioned something similar, though he did not attribute it. Abu Hayyan critiqued this, saying it requires a sound transmission. How can that be when there is evidence in the Hadith indicating that if a huriyah (maiden) of Paradise were to appear, she would illuminate the world, or something similar? The answer could be that the intent is to bring the matter closer to the questioner's understanding and to clarify the situation through what he understands, or to describe its light in itself, rather than the general light, and what occurs therein from the lights of its inhabitants—the Hur al-'Ayn and others. Indeed, its light in itself is more complete than the light of the world before sunrise, as is alluded to by what Ibn Majah extracted from Usama, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Is there anyone striving for Paradise? For Paradise has no equivalent—it is, by the Lord of the Ka'bah, a shimmering light..."

It is permissible to interpret "shades" here as this meaning, and its pluralization is for the sake of multiple considerations. It is also permissible to interpret "shade" as might and protection, for it is sometimes used to express that. By this, al-Raghib interpreted the verse: "Indeed, the righteous are in shades and springs." This is different from the meaning of "protection from the sources of pain" which the Imam mentioned. It is also permissible to interpret it as the plural of zullah, referring to the curtains that are above the head, such as ceilings, trees, and the like. Their existence in Paradise is undoubted, for it has come in the Book and has been authenticated in the Sunnah that there are chambers therein, which is apparent regarding that which has a ceiling. Indeed, some reports explicitly mention ceilings. There has also come in it that which is apparent regarding the existence of tall trees that shade what is beneath them. It has been authenticated from the narration of the two Shaykhs [Bukhari and Muslim] that he (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, in Paradise there is a tree in whose shade a rider travels for one hundred years and does not exhaust it. So read, if you wish, 'And an extended shade.'" Ibn Abi al-Dunya extracted from Ibn Abbas that he said: "The extended shade is a tree in Paradise with a trunk such that a swift rider travels in its shade for one hundred years in all its directions. The people of Paradise, those of the chambers and others, come out to it and converse in its shade." Ibn al-Athir says: "The meaning of 'in its shade' is in its canopy and its surrounding area." This was to dispel the idea that it shades from the sun or similar things.

"Couches" (ara'ik) is the plural of arikah, which is a bed, according to one opinion. It is said to be a cushion; this was narrated by al-Tabarsi. Al-Zuhri said: "Everything one reclines upon is an arikah." Ibn Abbas said: "It is not an arikah unless it is a bed inside a canopy (hajlah). If it is a bed without a canopy, it is not an arikah, and if it is a canopy without a bed, it is not an arikah. Thus, the bed and the canopy together are an arikah." In Hadi al-Arwah, "It is not an arikah unless the bed is in the canopy and there is a mattress on the bed." In al-Sihah, "The arikah is an upholstered bed decorated inside a dome or room." Al-Raghib said: "The arikah is a canopy over a bed." The plural is ara'ik. Its naming is either because it is on the earth, taken from arak (a well-known tree), or because it is a place for residence, from their saying araka bil-makan (he resided in the place). The origin of aruk is staying to graze on the arak tree, then it was used metaphorically for other types of residence.

In sum, the words of the majority indicate that a bed alone is not called an arikah. Yes, someone reclining on an arikah is reclining on a bed, so there is no contradiction between this and the Almighty's saying, "Reclining on lined-up beds (surur)," for it is possible that the surur are inside canopies, thus becoming ara'ik. It is also possible to say that the people of Paradise sometimes recline on ara'ik and other times recline on surur that are not ara'ik.

The apparent meaning is that the intent by "spouses" is the believing wives who were theirs in this world. It is said that the spouses are those whom Allah has married to them from the Hur al-'Ayn. It is permissible, as it appears, that the intent is more general—including both categories, and the believing women who died without having married in this world, whom Allah has married in Paradise to whomever He wills of His servants. Indeed, it is even more general, including believing women who married in this world to husbands who died as disbelievers—thus entering the Fire eternally—while the wives entered Paradise, like the wife of Pharaoh; it has come in reports that she will be the wife of our Prophet (peace be upon him). It is also permitted that the intent by "their spouses" is their counterparts in righteousness and their likes in faith, as He, the Almighty, said: "And others of similar type, in pairs." Similar to this is what was said: the intent is their companions, as in the Almighty's saying: "Assemble those who did wrong and their pairs (companions)." It is said it is permissible for it to mean that which encompasses counterparts and companions, as well as those whom you heard mentioned first. You know the distance of that interpretation, as well as the interpretation of "counterparts" or "companions" specifically.