Surah Al-Mutaffifeen 83:26
ﲷ ﲸ ﲹ ﲺ ﲻ ﲼ ﲽ
The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete.
Tafsir of Al-Mutaffifeen 83:26
Tafsir
Ruh al-Ma'ani
Verse range: 83:26
*Khitamuhu misk* (its seal is musk): That is, its vessels and cups are sealed with musk in place of clay, as is narrated from Mujahid, who stated that the clay of Paradise is kneaded musk. The apparent meaning is that the *khitam* (seal) is that with which something is sealed, and that the sealing is literal, as is its attribution. Our statement "its vessels are sealed" is not because the attribution is metaphorical, but because sealing a thing—meaning the securing of it by a seal—is the method for that, and the sealing is an act of care for it and a manifestation of the honor of the one who drinks it. This is done with something in the form of clay so that it may be according to the familiar custom. It is possible that this is a representation of its absolute preciousness; otherwise, there is no dust, fly, or treachery there to be guarded against by sealing.
Ibn Abbas, Ibn Jubayr, and al-Hasan said: The meaning is that its end and conclusion is the scent of musk when one drinks, meaning the drinker finds that upon finishing his drink. This is because the preoccupation of the sense of taste with the perfection of its pleasure prevents the perception of the scent; thus, when the drinking ceases, it is perceived. Otherwise, the scent is not exclusive to the conclusion. It is also said that the meaning is "possessing an end," meaning its conclusion—what remains after drinking it—is musk, and that it is drunk in vessels of musk, not like the drinks of this world where the end or what settles in the vessel is silt or something similar; and this is as you see. It is also said that the Rahiq (pure nectar) is mixed with camphor, and its mixture is sealed with musk; thus the meaning is "possessing a seal," meaning the seal of its mixture is musk. This, besides being contrary to the apparent meaning and having points that make it remote, requires a reliable transmission to be accepted.
Ali (may Allah honor his face), al-Nakha'i, al-Dahhak, Zayd ibn Ali, Abu Haywah, Ibn Abi 'Ablah, and al-Kisa'i read it as khatamuhu with an alif after the kha and a fatha on the ta. The intended meaning is also "that with which it is sealed," for fa'il with a fatha can also be an instrument noun, like qalib (mold) and tabi' (stamp), though this is rare (sama'i). From al-Dahhak, Isa, and Ahmad ibn Jubayr al-Antaki, reporting from al-Kisa'i, there is a reading with a kasra on the ta, meaning: its end has the scent of musk.
The preceding sentences—namely, "On thrones they shall gaze," "You will recognize in their faces," and "They are given to drink"—are said to be sequential states, and it is also said that they are new, initial sentences, like the sentence "Indeed, the righteous," which occurred as answers to a question about their state. The separation is to draw attention to the independence of each in stating their honor.
*And in that...* This is a reference to the *Rahiq*, which is more appropriate for what follows, or to the aforementioned states. The meaning of distance (in "that") is to signify the loftiness of its rank and the remoteness of its station. It has also been permitted that it is because it is in Paradise.
The prepositional phrase (in that) is connected to His saying, "So for that let the competitors compete." It is placed first for the sake of importance or restriction, meaning: so let them compete for it—not for the wines of this world, nor for any of its other delights and pleasures—the competitors, meaning those who desire to hasten toward the obedience of Allah the Almighty. It is also said: let the workers work for its sake, that is, for the sake of attaining it exclusively and winning it, as in His saying, "For the like of this, let the workers work," meaning let those who race one another hasten in attaining that.
The root of tanafus (competition) is striving for dominance in a precious thing. Its root is nafis (precious), derived from its rarity. al-Wahidi said: I deemed a thing precious, I consider it precious, preciousness (nafasa); and tanafus is the reciprocal form (tafa'ul) of it, as if each of the two persons wants to reserve it for himself. al-Baghawi said: Its root is from the precious thing which people's souls covet and each one desires for himself. It is said: "I envied him (nafastu 'alayhi) for the thing" if I was stingy with it toward him. In Mufradat al-Raghib, competition is the soul’s struggle to imitate the virtuous and to catch up with them without causing harm to others; in this sense, it is from the nobility of the soul and the loftiness of ambition. The difference between it and envy is too manifest to be hidden.
This connection has been considered problematic, as it necessitates the entry of a connective upon a connective, since the estimation would be: "And let them compete for that." It has been answered that it is by estimation of a verb, meaning: they say, out of the intensity of their pleasure—without volition—"In that, let the competitors compete," meaning in this world, in the sense that what was appropriate for them was to compete for that. It is also said that the speech is based on the estimation of a conditional particle, and the fa occurs in its response: meaning, "And if competition is desired, then let the competitors compete for that." The placing of the prepositional phrase first is so that it may serve as a substitute for the condition in occupying its space, and it is more precious than what preceded it.