| Jonah: (26) For those who did good is the best [reward]...

Know that when the Almighty called His servants to the Abode of Peace, He mentioned the felicities they would attain therein, saying: {For those who did good is the best [reward] and an increase}. This requires an explanation of these three terms.

Ibn Abbas said its meaning is: "For those who uttered the testimony, 'There is no god but Allah.'" Al-Asamm said its meaning is: "For those who excelled in everything they worshipped." This means they performed what was commanded as it ought to be performed, and avoided what was forbidden in the manner that made it forbidden.

The second opinion is closer to the truth, because the high ranks are only attained by the people of obedience.

Ibn al-Anbari said that Al-Husna in the language is the feminine form of Al-Ahsan (the best). The Arabs use this word to refer to the beloved state and the desirable characteristic. Therefore, it was not emphasized nor described with anything else. The author of Al-Kashshaf said that what is meant is "the best recompense." A parallel to this verse is His saying: {Is the recompense of good anything but good?} (Ar-Rahman: 60).

We say: This word is ambiguous, and because of this, people differed in its interpretation. The essence of their discussions reverts to two opinions:

The First Opinion: That what is meant by it is the Vision of Allah, the Glorified and Exalted. They said the evidence for this is both transmitted (Naql) and rational (Aql).

• As for Transmission (Naql): It is the authentic Hadith which states that Al-Husna is Paradise, and Al-Ziyadah (the increase) is the looking upon Allah, the Glorified and Exalted.
• As for Reason (Aql): Al-Husna is a singular noun preceded by the definite article ('Al'), so it refers to the previously known concept, which is the Abode of Peace. What is known among Muslims and established among the people of Islam regarding this word is Paradise and all its benefits and honors. If this is established, it necessitates that Al-Ziyadah means something different from every benefit and honor within Paradise, otherwise, repetition would be necessary. Everyone who holds this view says that it can only be the Vision of Allah, the Exalted. This indicates that what is meant by this increase is the Vision.

Two points confirm this:

1. Allah, the Exalted, said: {Some faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking toward their Lord} (Al-Qiyamah: 22-23). He affirmed two things for the people of Paradise: first, the radiance of their faces, and second, the looking toward Allah. Since verses of the Qur'an explain one another, we must interpret Al-Husna here as the radiance of the faces, and Al-Ziyadah as the Vision of Allah, the Exalted.
2. Allah, the Exalted, said to His Messenger (PBUH): {When you look, you will see there bliss and a great dominion} (Al-Insan: 20). He affirmed for him the bliss (Ni'mah) and the vision of the great dominion (Malik Kabir). Thus, here we must interpret Al-Husna as the bliss and Al-Ziyadah as the vision of the great dominion.

The Second Opinion: That it is not permissible to interpret this increase as the Vision. This is the view of the Mu'tazilah, and several points support this:

1. Rational proofs indicate that the Vision of Allah, the Exalted, is impossible.
2. The increase (Ziyadah) must be of the same genus as that which is increased upon (Mazid 'alayh), and the Vision of Allah is not of the same genus as the delights of Paradise.
3. The report upon which you rely in this matter is what is narrated that Al-Ziyadah is the looking upon the Face of Allah, the Exalted. This report necessitates anthropomorphism (Tashbih), because "looking" implies turning the pupil toward the seen object, which requires the seen object to be in a direction. Furthermore, "Face" is the name of a specific organ, which also necessitates anthropomorphism. Therefore, it is established that this word cannot be interpreted as the Vision, so it must be interpreted as something else.

At this point, Al-Jubba'i said: Al-Husna refers to the deserved reward, and Al-Ziyadah is what Allah adds to this reward out of His grace. He said the evidence for its correctness is the Qur'an and the sayings of the commentators (Mufassirun).

• As for the Qur'an: His saying, the Exalted: {that He may give them their rewards in full and increase them from His bounty} (Fatir: 30).
• As for the sayings of the commentators: It is narrated from Ali (RA) that he said: Al-Ziyadah is a chamber made of a single pearl. From Ibn Abbas: Al-Husna is the good deed, and Al-Ziyadah is ten times its like. From Al-Hasan: ten times its like up to seven hundredfold. From Mujahid: Al-Ziyadah is the forgiveness and pleasure of Allah. From Yazid ibn Samurah: Al-Ziyadah is when a cloud passes over the people of Paradise and asks, "What do you wish me to rain upon you?" They desire nothing except that it rains upon them.

Our companions responded to these points, saying:

As for your claim that rational proofs indicate the impossibility of seeing Allah, this is disputed. We have explained in the books of Usul (Principles of Jurisprudence) that those proofs are extremely weak and utterly baseless. If reason presents nothing preventing the Vision of Allah, and authentic reports affirm the Vision, we must apply them according to their apparent meaning.

As for your statement that the increase must be of the same genus as that which is increased upon: We say, if the thing increased upon is quantified by a specific measure, then the increase must be of the same kind.

• Example One: A man says to another, "I gave you ten amdad of wheat and an increase." Here, that increase must be wheat.
• Example Two: He says, "I gave you wheat and an increase." Here, that increase must be something other than wheat. The word mentioned in this verse is Al-Husna, which is Paradise, and it is unrestricted, not quantified by a specific measure. Therefore, that increase upon it must be something different from everything in Paradise.

As for your statement that the reported Hadith in this chapter includes the word "looking" and affirms a "Face" for Allah, both of which necessitate anthropomorphism: We say this Hadith established the Vision and established corporeality (Jismiyyah). Proof has been established that He is not a body, but no proof has been established for the impossibility of His Vision. Therefore, we must abandon acting upon what has been proven false, and furthermore, we have already explained that the wording of this verse indicates that the increase is the Vision, without needing to contradict the confirmation of that report. And Allah knows best.

Know that after the Almighty explained the felicities attained by the people of Paradise, He then explained the afflictions from which Allah protected them by His grace, saying: {No dust or ignominy will cover their faces}. This means no dust that carries blackness will cover them, nor ignominy, nor disgrace, nor gloom.

• The first attribute is His saying: {On some faces that Day will be dust, covered with gloom} (Abasa: 40).
• The second attribute is His saying: {Some faces, that Day, will be downcast, toiling, [yet] weary} (Al-Ghashiyah: 2-3).

The purpose of negating these two attributes is to negate the causes of fear, grief, and humiliation from them, so it is known that the bliss mentioned by Allah is pure, unmixed with unpleasant things, and that what affects the surface of the face, removing its radiance and brightness, cannot befall them. Then He clarified that they will abide eternally in Paradise, without fearing its cessation.

Know that the scholars of Usul said: Reward is a pure, permanent benefit accompanied by honor.

• His saying: {And Allah invites to the Abode of Peace} (Jonah: 25) indicates the utmost honor.
• His saying: {For those who did good is the best [reward] and an increase} indicates the attainment of benefit.
• His saying: {No dust or ignominy will cover their faces} indicates that it is pure.
• His saying: {Those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally} points to its permanence and security from cessation. And Allah knows best.

< {And those who earned evil deeds, the recompense of an evil deed is the like thereof, and ignominy will cover them. They will have no protector from Allah, as if their faces were covered with pieces of the night, dark and gloomy. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.} >