Tafsir of Al-Fajr 89:30

“And enter My Paradise”

"And enter My Paradise" is conjoined to the sentence preceding it, sharing in the same scope of the fa (conjunction), which denotes that what follows is a direct consequence of what preceded it without delay. The command to "enter among My righteous servants" is an allusion to spiritual felicity, due to the perfection of the soul’s intimacy with a righteous companion. The command to "enter My Paradise" is an allusion to bodily felicity. Because the former excels the latter, the first command is placed before the second, and the second is brought forth as a completion. The nuance of the shift in pronouns (the switch from address to the soul to the command form) is apparent through the slightest consideration.

The verb idkhuli (enter) is used first with the preposition fi (in), and the second time without it. Abu Hayyan stated: "If that which is being entered is not a literal container, the usage requires the preposition fi, as in: 'I entered into (fi) the matter,' and 'I entered into (fi) the throngs of people.' If it is a literal container, it is generally used without the mediation of the preposition." So, do not be heedless of this.

It has been said that the meaning is: "Return to the promised reward of your Lord." It is suggested that what is meant by His promise—assuming the statement occurs before the completion of the reckoning—is what He, Glorified be He, promised of Paradise and being with the righteous servants of God, and the fa here is exegetical. This was problematized by the command to "return," as it implies that Paradise was the residence of the soul before that. The answer given is that this requirement is fulfilled based on its existence in potentiality within the loins of Adam (peace be upon him) while he was in Paradise. Something similar has been said regarding the verse: "Indeed, He who [enjoined/made obligatory] upon you the Quran will return you to a place of return" (28:85), according to what is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (may God honor his face), and from Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with them both), that "the place of return" (al-ma'ad) is Paradise, not Mecca. You know that this—notwithstanding its complexities—is only complete if one holds that the Paradise of Adam (peace be upon him) is the same Paradise that believers will enter on the Day of Resurrection, and not another Paradise that existed on earth. The disagreement regarding this is strong, as is not hidden from one who refers to the book Miftah al-Sa'adah by the scholar Ibn al-Qayyim and examines the evidence for both sides.

It has been said the meaning is: "Return to the command of your Lord." It is suggested that what is meant by "the command," according to this assumption, is one of the states of affairs, interpreted as God Almighty treating the soul with that which does not occupy its mind, or distinguishing it with a noble station, or other such things through which the literal meaning of "return" is realized.

It has been said the meaning is: "Return to the nobility/generosity of your Lord," meaning the genus of His, the Exalted’s, generosity. The return to Him is considered in light of it occurring after death in the Barzakh, or after the Resurrection. It is also said that it refers to the reckoning in one of its types, and the fa in this case is also exegetical.

From Ikrimah and al-Dahhak: that statement is at the time of the Resurrection. It is said that "the soul" here also means the "essence," and that "the Lord" refers to God, Mighty and Majestic; the speech is on the basis of an elided genitive (i.e., return to the place of His nobility). One should not estimate the location of His nobility as referring to a specific standing place, as you heard, because that only occurs for it later.

It is said that "soul" means the "spirit," and "Lord" means the "Owner," and it is interpreted as the "body." The rest of the verse follows that state: i.e., "Return to your body as you were in the world, then enter, after returning to it, among My servants and enter the abode of My reward."

It is said that "soul" and "Lord" are as previously mentioned, and the verse "among My servants" is on the basis of an elided genitive: "Enter into the bodies of My servants." This appears in a narration from Ibn Abbas and Ibn Jubayr. The singular (soul) first and plural (servants) second does not pose a problem because the meaning is generic.

Ibn Zayd and a group said that this statement is at the time of death. This is supported by what Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduyah, and Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah reported from Ibn Jubayr: "The verse 'O tranquil soul' was recited in the presence of the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace), and Abu Bakr (may God be pleased with him) said: 'This is beautiful.' The Messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him peace) said: 'Indeed, the angel will say it to you at the time of death.'" Similar to this has come from the narration of al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi in Nawadir al-Usul through the chain of Thabit ibn Ajlan from Salim ibn Amir from al-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him). The "soul" in this view means the spirit, and the meaning is, as they said: "Return by death to the realm of the holiness of your Lord, content with what you are given of blessings, or content with your Lord, and well-pleasing to Him, the Exalted. Then enter into the company of My near-stationed servants, the dwellers of the precincts of holiness, and enter My Paradise which I have prepared for those of tranquil souls." These two entries follow the return, although the first entry follows it without delay before the Day of Resurrection, and the second follows it with delay because it is on the Day of Resurrection, if entering Paradise is intended as entering it for eternity. However, for the sake of the certainty of the command, it is permissible for the fa to denote consequence.

It is permitted that the consequence of the two commands follows this pattern if by "entering among My servants" it is meant being joined in the line of righteous, sincere servants of its own kind. It is permissible, upon intending this sequence, that it means "enter into the bodies of My servants." It is also permitted that the sequence of the two commands occurs without delay if "entering among My servants" means entering the company of the near-stationed from among the dwellers of the precincts of holiness, and "entering Paradise" means entering it not for eternity, but for a type of enjoyment until the Hour is established. In the Hadith, it is said that the souls of the believers are in the crops of birds in Paradise. In some traditions, it is said that when a believer dies, he is given half of his Paradise—that is, half of the Paradise he was promised to enter on the Day of Resurrection. It is mentioned regarding the aspect of entering it with holy spirits: they are like polished mirrors; when some of them join others, the rays of the lights of knowledge reflect off one another, and so there appears to each of them that which completes it, being a cause for the completion of felicity and the greatness of ranks. In my view, this is rhetorical speech.

Some of the predecessors have views that support some of these aspects. Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, and Ibn Abi Hatim reported from Abu Salih that he said regarding the verse: "Return to your Lord." This is at the time of death, and its return to its Lord is its exit from the world. When the Day of Resurrection arrives, it is said to it: "Enter among My servants and enter My Paradise."

It is said that this statement is after death and before the Resurrection, and the meaning of its return to its Lord is its return to its body for the questioning of the two angels. Ibn al-Mundhir reported from Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi that he said regarding the verse: "The believer, when he dies, is shown his station in Paradise, and the Blessed and Exalted says: 'O tranquil soul, return to the body from which you departed, content with what you have seen of My reward and well-pleasing to Me, until you are questioned by Munkar and Nakir.'"

It is said that it is at three occasions. Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Abi Hatim reported from Zayd ibn Aslam that he said regarding the verse: "It is given glad tidings of Paradise at the time of death, at the time of Resurrection, and on the Day of Gathering." It is interpreted accordingly in a way that applies to all of them.

It is said that it is possible that this is at all times of the soul during its worldly life. The command to return to the Lord is the command to return to Him, the Exalted, in every one of one's affairs. The command to enter among the servants is the command to enter the company of the sincere servants over whom Satan has no authority, by increasing in righteous deeds. And the command to enter Paradise is the command to enter it in potentiality, which is near. It is as if He, the Glorified and Exalted, after having exaggerated in describing the evil state of the commanding-self (nafs al-ammarah) and its threat, addressed the tranquil soul with that and guided it—may He be glorified—to that which holds its benefit and salvation. The implication of this is not hidden, so it should not be considered a separate interpretation.

Whatever the interpretation may be, the apparent meaning is generality. Although Ibn Abi Hatim reported via Juwaybir from al-Dahhak from Ibn Abbas that it was revealed concerning Uthman ibn Affan (may God be pleased with him) when he bought the well of Rumaydah and made it a water supply for the people; and it is said it was revealed concerning Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib; and it is said it was revealed concerning Khubayb ibn Adi, whom the people of Mecca crucified and turned his face toward Medina, and he said: "O God, if there is good for me with You, then turn my face toward Your qibla," and God, the Exalted, turned his face toward it, and no one was able to turn it thereafter. Thus, interpreting the mentioned soul as one of these is, as reported from some, by way of example, and the specific cause does not preclude the generality of the inclusion. The statement of Ibn Abbas regarding that soul, as reported from him by Ibn Marduyah, should be taken as meaning the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) by way of that.

The verse indicates, according to some of its aspects, that the souls were created before the bodies and their residence at that time was in the realm of the celestial kingdom (Malakut). The disagreement on this issue is well-known. The majority of theologians hold that they are created when the bodies are prepared for them, as do Plato and his followers.

Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, al-Dahhak, Mujahid, Abu Ja'far, Abu Salih, and Abu Shaykh al-Yamani read fi 'abdi (My servant) in the singular. It is suggested that the intended meaning is the genus, as in "the soul."

The Sufi masters (may their souls be sanctified) have much to say regarding the classification of the degrees of the soul, and they said that the verse contains three degrees, among them the tranquil, the well-pleased, and the well-pleasing, and they have interpreted each as they have. Whoever desires that should refer to their books. As for me, I say as the Messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him peace) taught some of the companions, according to what al-Tabarani and Ibn Asakir reported from Abu Umamah (may God be pleased with him): "O God, I ask You for a tranquil soul that believes in meeting You, is content with Your decree, and is satisfied with Your gift."