Tafsir of Al-Mu'minoon 23:11

These are indeed the heirs. Who shall inherit Firdaws. They shall dwell therein forever. It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said:

إذا سٲلتم الله الجنة فاسٲلوه الفردوس فٳنه أعلى الجنة وأوسط الجنة ومنه تفجر أنهار الجنة وفوقه عرش الرحمن

If you ask Allah for Paradise, then ask him for Al-Firdaws, for it is the highest part of Paradise, in the middle of Paradise, and from it spring the rivers of Paradise, and above it is the (Mighty) Throne of the Most Merciful. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah said:

ما منكم من أحد إﻻ وله منزﻻن منزل في الجنة ومنزل في النار فٳن مات فدخل النار ورث أهل الجنة منزله فذلك قوله

أوليك هم الوارثون

There is not one among you who does not have two homes, a home in Paradise and a home in Hell. If he dies and enters Hell, the people of Paradise will inherit his home, and this is what Allah said:

أوليك هم الوارثون

(These are indeed the heirs). Ibn Jurayj narrated from Layth from Mujahid:

أوليك هم الوارثون

(These are indeed the heirs), "The believers will inherit the homes of the disbelievers because they were created to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate. So when these believers did what was enjoined on them of worship, and the disbelievers neglected to do that which they were commanded to do and for which they had been created, the believers gained the share that they would have been given if they had obeyed their Lord. Indeed, they will be given more than that as well.'' This is what was reported in Sahih Muslim from Abu Burdah, from his father, from the Prophet who said:

يجيء يوم القيامة ناس من المسلمين بذنوب أمثال الجبال فيغفرها الله لهم ويضعها على اليهود والنصارى

Some of the Muslims will come on the Day of Resurrection with sins like mountains, but Allah will forgive them and put (their burden of sin) on the Jews and Christians. According to another version: the Messenger of Allah said:

إذا كان يوم القيامة دفع الله لكل مسلم يهوديا أو نصرانيا فيقال هذا فكاكك من النار

When the Day of Resurrection comes, Allah will appoint for every Muslim a Jew or Christian, and it will be said, "This is your ransom from the Fire.'' Umar bin Abd Al-Aziz asked Abu Burdah to swear by Allah besides Whom there is no other God, three times, that his father told him that from the Prophet, and he swore that oath. I say: this Ayah is like Allah's saying:

تلك الجنة التى نورث من عبادنا من كان تقيا

Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our servants who have had Taqwa. (19:63)

وتلك الجنة التى أورثتموها بما كنتم تعملون

This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your deeds which you used to do. (43:72)