Tafsir of Ar-Rahman 55:46

"But for he who has feared the station of his Lord..." [55:46]. This initiates the enumeration of the bounties that will be overflowed in the Hereafter.

Maqam (station) is a masdar mimi (infinitive noun) meaning "standing," attributed to the agent. That is, for he who has feared the "standing" of his Lord—the fact that He is the Overseer over him, watching him, and guarding his states. Standing here is like the standing in His saying, the Almighty: "Is then He who is a standing overseer over every soul, [knowing] what it has earned" [13:33]. This has been narrated on the authority of Mujahid and Qatada. Alternatively, it is a noun of place, and the intent is the place where creation stands on the Day of Resurrection for the reckoning. The attribution to Him, the Almighty, is for the sake of specific belonging, for the sovereignty on that day belongs to Him, the Exalted and Majestic, alone, in accordance with reality and outward appearance, and creation stands for Him as He, the Glorified, said: "The day [when] mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds" [83:6], waiting for what will befall them from Him, the Glorified. Some have claimed the attribution is for the lowest level of connection, but that is invalid.

It is said: The meaning is "he who feared his [own] standing before his Lord," assuming maqam is an infinitive or a noun of place belonging to the one who fears. Its attribution to the Lord is because it is in His presence, similar to the expression "a sheep of the milking," which according to the Kufans means "at the milking," and according to the majority it carries the meaning of the letter lam (possession/relation), as the commentators of al-Tashil have clarified. It is not for the lowest level of connection as others have claimed. The meaning of "presence" here is evident. It is also permissible to consider it an intensification by way of metonymy, such that the intent is "he who feared his Lord," but by way of a decisive, eloquent proof. Similar to this is the saying of al-Shammakh: "I frightened the sand grouse with it, and banished from it 'the station of the wolf' [like the cursed man]." This is the most apparent view, as mentioned by the author of al-Kashf. The evident meaning is that for every single individual among the God-fearing:

It is said: One of them is his dwelling and the place for his loved ones to visit him, and the other is the dwelling of his spouses and servants; Jubba’i inclined toward this. Others said: Two gardens, one inside his palace and one outside it. Others said: Two dwellings, such that he moves from one to the other to fulfill the motives of his pleasure and display the fruits of his honor. Where does this stand compared to one who circulates between the Fire and boiling water?

It is also permissible to say: A garden for his creed and a garden for his deeds; or a garden for performing acts of obedience and a garden for abandoning sins; or a garden by which he is rewarded and another by which he is favored; or one spiritual and the other physical. It is evident that the attributes [mentioned later] are manifest in the physical garden.

Muqatil said: The Garden of Eden and the Garden of Bliss. It is also said that the intent for every two God-fearing persons is two gardens—one garden for the human who fears [God] and one garden for the jinn who fears [God], for the address is directed to both groups. In my view, this is contrary to the obvious meaning, and there are reports that render it unlikely. Al-Bayhaqi recorded in Shu'ab al-Iman on the authority of al-Hasan that there was a young man in the time of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, who was devoted to the mosque and worship. A woman fell in love with him, came to him in private, and spoke to him. His soul tempted him toward that, so he gave a gasp and fell unconscious. A paternal uncle came and carried him to his house. When he awoke, he said: "O uncle, go to Umar, convey my greetings, and say to him: 'What is the reward for one who feared the station of his Lord?'" The uncle went and informed Umar, but the youth gave another gasp and died. Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, stood over him and said: "For you are two gardens, for you are two gardens."

Fear, in its origin, is the anticipation of something disliked due to a suspected or known sign, and its opposite is security. Al-Raghib said: "Fear of Allah does not mean what crosses the mind as terror, like feeling the fear of a lion, but rather it means refraining from sins and seeking to perform acts of obedience." Therefore, it is said: "One is not considered God-fearing who is not a forsaker of sins." This is supported by the interpretation of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, regarding the "God-fearing" here, as Ibn Jarir recorded from him: "The one who rides the obedience of Allah, the Almighty, and leaves His disobedience."

Mujahid’s saying: "It is the man who intends a sin, but remembers Allah, the Almighty, and leaves the sin." What is apparent is that this is an interpretation based on the necessary implication. Muqatil said: "The commission of a sin may coexist with the fear of Allah, the Almighty," such as when one’s soul overcomes him and he does it while fearing His punishment. This is supported by what Ahmad, al-Nasa'i, al-Tabarani, al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi in Nawadir al-Usul, Ibn Abi Shaybah, and a group recorded from Abu al-Darda': The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, read this verse, "But for he who has feared the station of his Lord are two gardens." I said: "Even if he committed adultery, even if he stole, O Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said it a second time, "But for he who has feared the station of his Lord are two gardens." I said: "Even if he committed adultery, even if he stole?" He said it a third time, "But for he who has feared the station of his Lord are two gardens." I said: "Even if he committed adultery, even if he stole?" He said: "Yes, even if it displeases Abu al-Darda'."

Al-Tabarani and Ibn Marduyah recorded from the path of al-Jariri, from his brother, who said: I heard Muhammad bin Sa’d reciting "But for he who has feared the station of his Lord are two gardens" [and he continued] "even if he committed adultery, even if he stole." I said to him: "Is it [really] 'even if he committed adultery, even if he stole'?" He replied: "I heard Abu al-Darda', may Allah be pleased with him, recite it that way, so I recite it that way until I die." Some have declared that the intent of fear in the verse is its most intense form; so contemplate this. Regarding the state of these two gardens, it came in a marfu' (elevated) hadith from 'Iyad bin Ghunm: "The width of each one of them is the journey of one hundred years." The verse, according to what is narrated from Ibn al-Zubayr and Ibn Shawdhab, was revealed regarding Abu Bakr. Ibn Abi Hatim and Abu al-Shaykh in al-'Azama recorded from 'Ata' that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, mentioned one day... [Text ends here].