Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:42

Surah As-Saffat 37:42

ﲰ ﲱ ﲲ

Fruits; and they will be honored

Tafsir

Ruh al-Ma'ani

Verse range: 37:42

Open in Qurani

(42) Fawakih (Fruits), and they shall be honored.

(Fawakih) is a substitute (badal) for "rizq" (sustenance), an exchange of a whole for a whole. It contains an indication that, despite its distinction by its various properties, it is entirely fruits. Alternatively, it is the predicate (khabar) of a deleted subject (mubtada’), and the sentence is a new beginning; that is: "That sustenance is fruits."

What is intended by it is that which is eaten merely for pleasure rather than for nourishment. Everything the people of Paradise eat is like this, even the meat, because they have no need for nourishment due to the perfection of their creation and the fact that no part of their bodies decomposes through innate heat such that they would require a replacement obtained from food. Therefore, the intended meaning of "fruit" here is different from what was intended by it in His saying—Exalted is He—: "And fruit of what they choose, and meat of fowl of what they desire" (Al-Waqi’ah: 20-21). There, it is used in its well-known sense, so there is no contradiction.

It has also been permitted that it is an appositive (‘atf bayan) for the aforementioned sustenance; the reason for this specification is that it makes known, among all forms of sustenance, that it is fruit. It is also said that it is a partial substitute (badal ba’d min kull), and its specific mention serves to indicate that since it is a secondary accompaniment to other foods, it implies the existence of the others.

(And they shall be honored)

(In the presence of Allah Almighty), no humiliation shall ever befall them. That is the greatest of rewards and the most befitting for those of high aspiration. Perhaps this is an indication of spiritual bliss following the physical bliss that is attained through eating. It is also said that they are "honored" in the attainment of sustenance, for it reaches them without acquisition, toil, or asking, as is the nature of the sustenance of this world.

It has also been recited as mukarrumun (with the shaddah).