Tafsir of Al Imran 3:133

The Encouragment to Do Good for which Paradise is the Result Allah encourages His servants to perform righteous deeds and to rush to accomplish the acts of obedience. Allah said,

وسارعوا إلى مغفرة من ربكم وجنة عرضها السماوات واﻻرض أعدت للمتقين

And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the Muttaqin (the pious). Just as the Fire was prepared for the disbelievers. It was reported that; the meaning of Allah's statement,

عرضها السماوات واﻻرض

(as wide as the heavens and the earth) draws the attention to the spaciousness of Paradise. For instance, Allah said in another Ayah, while describing the couches of Paradise,

بطاينها من إستبرق

(lined with silk brocade) (55:54) so what about their outer covering. It was also said that Paradise is as wide as its length, because it is a dome under the Throne. The width and length of a dome or a circle are the same in distance. This is supported by what is found in the Sahih;

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

When you ask Allah for Paradise, ask Him for Al-Firdaws which is the highest and best part of Paradise. From it originate the rivers of Paradise, and above it is the Throne of the Most Beneficent (Allah). This Ayah (3:133 above) is similar to Allah's statement in Surah Al-Hadid,

سابقوا إلى مغفرة من ربكم وجنة عرضها

كعرض السماء واﻻرض

Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord (Allah), and Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and the Earth. (57:21) Al-Bazzar recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that; a man came to the Messenger of Allah and asked him, about Allah's statement,

وجنة عرضها السماوات واﻻرض

(Paradise as wide as the heavens and the Earth); "Where is the Fire then?'' The Prophet said,

أرأيت الليل إذا جاء لبس كل شيء فٲين النهار

When the night comes, it overtakes everything, so where is the day. The man said, "Where Allah wants it to be.'' The Prophet said,

وكذلك النار تكون حيث شاء الله عز وجل

Similarly, the Fire is where Allah wants it to be. This Hadith has two possible meanings. First, when we do not see the night during the day, this does not mean that the day is not somewhere else, even though we cannot see it. Such is the case with Hell-fire, for it is where Allah wants it to be. The second meaning is that when the day overcomes this part of the world, the night overtakes the other part. Such is the case with Paradise, for it is in the utmost heights above the heavens and under the Throne. The width of Paradise is, as Allah stated,

كعرض السماء واﻻرض

(whereof is as the width of the heaven and the Earth), (57:21). The Fire, on the other hand, is in the lowest of lows. Therefore, Paradise being as wide as the heavens and Earth does not contradict the fact that the Fire exists wherever Allah wills it to be. Allah said, while describing the people of Paradise,