Tafsir of Luqman 31:8-9

Surah Luqman: Verses (8 - 9)

[8] Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds - for them are the Gardens of Pleasure.

When the previous verses described the state of one who turns away when the verses are recited to him, these verses describe the state of one who accepts those verses and turns toward them.

Just as turning away has degrees (such as aversion and arrogance), acceptance also has degrees: acceptance, compliance, and acting upon the teachings. Someone who hears and accepts may not act upon it, so their rank will not be the same as one who hears and obeys.

For those who accept and act, there are the Gardens of Pleasure.

1. Singularity of Punishment vs. Plurality of Gardens: The punishment is singular (عذاب - a torment), while the Gardens are plural (جنات - Gardens). This indicates that the scope of Mercy is far wider than the scope of Wrath.
2. Indefinite Punishment vs. Definite Garden: The punishment is indefinite (عذاب مهين - a humiliating torment), while the Garden is definite (الجنات - the Gardens, defined by addition/possession). This suggests that the Merciful One clearly defines and specifies the blessings (to bring comfort to the heart), but only vaguely warns about the afflictions, merely alerting to them.
3. Specification of Eternity: The text mentions "a torment" (عذاب) but does not explicitly state they will abide therein forever. Instead, eternity is implied by the adjective "humiliating" (مهين). Conversely, for the reward, eternity is explicitly stated: {خالدين فيها - abiding therein forever}.
4. Emphasis on Truthfulness: The statement is affirmed with: {وعد الله حقا - a true promise from Allah}, which was not mentioned regarding the punishment.
5. Mode of Conveyance: Regarding the punishment, it says: {فبشره بعذاب - so give him tidings of a torment} (referring to the disbeliever). Here, Allah speaks for Himself: {وعد الله - Allah has promised}. Furthermore, Allah does not say, "I give you glad tidings of it" (أبشركم به), because Basharah (glad tidings) is reserved for the greatest of things. The glad tidings for the righteous from Allah are primarily His Mercy and His Pleasure, as stated: {يبشرهم ربهم برحمة منه ورضوان وجنات لهم فيها نعيم مقيم (At-Tawbah: 21)} (Their Lord gives them good news of Mercy from Him, and His Pleasure, and Gardens for them wherein is lasting bliss). If the phrase "from Him" (منه) were absent, the glad tidings would not be so great. If "from Him" were linked to something less than the Garden, that would be superior to the Garden itself without attribution.

• Addressing a Potential Objection: If someone argues that the Garden itself was promised as glad tidings in {وأبشروا بالجنة التي كنتم توعدون (Fussilat: 30)} (And give good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised), we reply: The glad tidings there were not just for the Garden alone, but for it and what followed it, up to {نزلا من غفور رحيم (a hospitality from a Forgiving, Merciful One)}. Nuzul (hospitality) is what is prepared upon arrival, followed by great honor.

{وهو العزيز الحكيم - And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.} He is the All-Mighty, capable of punishing the one who turns away and rewarding the one who accepts. He is the All-Wise, who does things as they ought to be done, so He does not punish the believer nor reward the disbeliever.

[9] That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds out of His bounty. That is the great attainment.

[7] He created the heavens without pillars you can see, and He cast into the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with you, and He dispersed therein every kind of moving creature. And We sent down water from the sky and caused to grow therein every noble pair [of plants].

(Note: Verse 7 is included here as it follows the preceding verses in the structure of the excerpt, though the main focus was on 8-9.)