Tafsir of Al-Waqi'ah 56:89

[Then a Spirit (Rawh)]: That is, he possesses a spirit. It is an initial noun (mubtada’) whose predicate (khabar) is omitted and advanced before it, because it is an indefinite noun. It has been said: It is a predicate for an omitted initial noun, meaning: "His reward is a spirit," meaning comfort. The fa (Then) occurs as a response to amma (as for).

Some of the great scholars said: The estimation of this speech is "Whatever happens, then a spirit, etc.," if he is of the nearest ones. So "whatever happens" was omitted, and amma was established in its place. It was not considered appropriate for amma to be immediately followed by the fa, so they caused a separation between amma and the fa with His saying, Exalted is He: (If he is of the nearest ones), to improve the utterance, just as separation occurs between them by an adverb or an object. The fa in (Then a spirit) and its two companions is the response to amma, not in (if).

Abu al-Baqa’ said: The response to amma is (Then a spirit), and as for (if), it dispenses with its own response because of the response to amma, since it is frequently omitted. In Al-Bahr, it is stated that if two conditions meet, the response belongs to the former of them, and the response to the second is omitted; thus, the response here is for amma, and this is the school of Sibawayh.

Al-Farisi held the view that what is mentioned is the response to (if), and the response to amma is omitted; he has another opinion consistent with the school of Sibawayh. Al-Akhfash held that what is mentioned is the response to both of them together, but we have refuted both schools in the commentary on Al-Tashil. The famous view is that the noun must be adjacent to amma, and according to Al-Radi and a group, this verse is an exception. Those who went to the first view said: It is with the estimation of "As for the one who is dying, (if he is of the nearest ones)." This was challenged by the fact that it is not hidden that the estimation is unnecessary and there is no evidence for it except the consistency of the rule. Furthermore, the fact that amma stands in the place of "whatever happens" is the majority case, for it does not hold consistently in cases like "As for Quraish, I prefer them," because the estimation is "Whatever you mention of Quraish, I prefer them." The complete discussion on this subject should be sought in the books of grammar.

Imam Ahmad, Al-Bukhari in his History, Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'i, Al-Tirmidhi (who classified it as hasan), Al-Hakim (who authenticated it), and others recorded from ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, reciting (Rawh) with a damma on the ra. It was also recited thus by Ibn ‘Abbas, Qatadah, Nuh al-Qari, Al-Dahhak, Al-Ashhab, Shu‘ayb, Sulayman al-Taymi, Al-Rabi‘ ibn Khuthaym, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, Abu ‘Imran al-Jawni, Al-Kalbi, Fayyad, ‘Ubayd, and ‘Abd al-Warith from Abu ‘Amr, Ya‘qub ibn Hassan, Zayd, Ruways from him, and Al-Hasan.

He said: The Spirit (Al-Rawh) is mercy, because it is like life for the one receiving mercy, or because it is the cause of his eternal life; so applying it to them is a form of metaphor or metonymy. This was also narrated from Qatadah. Ibn Jinni said: The meaning of this recitation returns to the spirit (ruh), as if it were said: "He has a holder of the spirit, and its holder is the spirit," just as you say, "The air is life." This hearing is the living. Some interpreted rawh (with a fatha) as mercy as well, as in His saying, Exalted is He: “And do not despair of the mercy (rawh) of Allah.” It is also said that it means "permanence" with the damma.

[And Sweet Basil (Rayhan)]: That is, provision, as is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid, and Al-Dahhak. In another narration from Al-Dahhak, it is comfort. ‘Abd ibn Humayd recorded from Al-Hasan that he said: "It is this basil," meaning the well-known kind. Ibn Jarir recorded from him that he said: "The soul of the believer comes out of his body in a sweet basil," then he recited, (As for if he is...), etc. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Abu al-‘Aliyah that he said: "None of the nearest ones would depart the world until he is brought two sprigs of the basil of Paradise, then he smells them, and then his soul is taken."

[And a Garden of Delight (Jannat Na‘im)]: That is, possessing bliss. The genitive construction is for possession (lamiyyah) or for the closest association. This is an indication of the station of the nearest ones, such that it necessitates their being people of bliss. Imam Ahmad in Al-Zuhd, Ibn Abi Shaybah, ‘Abd ibn Humayd, and Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Al-Rabi‘ ibn Khuthaym that he said regarding His saying, Exalted is He: (As for if he is of the nearest ones, then a spirit and sweet basil): "This is for him at death." And regarding His saying, Exalted is He: (And a garden of delight): "The Garden is hidden for him until the day they are resurrected." One should consider what is intended by the "sweet basil" in this case. From some of the predecessors, there is that which implies that everything is in the Hereafter.