Tafsir of Ar-Rahman 55:53-54

"Reclining" (muttaki'in) is a circumstantial qualifier (hal) related to His saying, "And for he who has feared..." The plural form is used here to account for the meaning after the preceding singular form accounted for the wording. It is also said that the operative verb is omitted, meaning: "They are enjoying themselves, reclining." Another view is that it is a direct object under the implied verb "I mean." Reclining is a trait of those in luxury, indicating health of the body and peace of mind. The meaning is: reclining in their dwellings "on beds whose linings are of silk brocade" (istabraq), meaning thick silk. Ibn Mas'ud said, as narrated by a group and authenticated by Al-Hakim, "You have been informed of the linings; how then must the exteriors be?" It is said that their exteriors are of sundus (fine silk), and it is narrated from Ibn Jubayr that they are of solid light. In a hadith, it is said to be "of glittering light," but if this is authentic, one must pause at it.

Ibn Jarir and others narrated from Ibn Abbas that he was asked regarding "whose linings are of silk brocade," "What then are the exteriors?" He replied, "That is what God, the Exalted, mentioned: 'No soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes.'" Al-Hasan said: The linings are the exteriors. This was also narrated from Qatada. Al-Farra' stated: Sometimes the lining is the exterior and the exterior is the lining, for each of them acts as a face. The Arabs say, "This is the back (zahr) of the sky," and "This is the belly (batn) of the sky." The truth is that the linings here are contrasted with the exteriors in the known manner. Abu Haywah read furush (beds) with a silent 'ra'. 'Abd bin Humayd narrated from Al-Dahhak that 'Abdullah read: "Serer (couches) and beds whose linings are of silk brocade."

"And the fruit of the two gardens" (wa jani al-jannatayn), meaning what is plucked and taken from their trees of fruits. Jani is a verbal adjective in the sense of "that which is plucked."

"...within reach" (dan), meaning close by; the standing, the sitting, and the reclining person can reach it. Ibn Abbas, may God be pleased with them both, said: The tree bends down until the ally of God, the Exalted, plucks from it if he wishes while standing, if he wishes while sitting, and if he wishes while reclining. From Mujahid: The fruits of the two gardens are near to the mouths of their owners, so they take them while reclining. If they lie down, the fruits descend to be parallel to their mouths, so they take them while lying down, with no distance or thorns to turn their hands away. 'Isa read wa jana with a fathah on the jim and a kasrah on the nun, as if he were performing imalah (inclining the vowel) of the nun, even though the vowel was dropped in pronunciation, just as Abu 'Amr performed imalah on "until we see God openly" (hatta nara Allah jahrah). It was also read wa jani with a kasrah on the jim, which is a dialectal variation thereof.