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On the phrase: {This is a Reminder...}

There are two interpretations of the word {ذكر} (reminder/mention):

1. The First View: Allah mentioned the accounts of these Prophets (peace be upon them) so that Muhammad (PBUH) might be patient in bearing the foolishness of his people. Once the explanation of this path (of patience through historical examples) was completed, and Allah intended to follow it with another path necessitating patience against the foolishness of the ignorant, He said: {This is a Reminder} to distinguish the first section from the next. Then He began establishing the second section by saying: {And indeed, for the righteous...}. This is similar to how an author, upon finishing a section, says, "This is Chapter [X]," and then begins another. Similarly, when a writer finishes one chapter and intends to start another, he might say, "This has been discussed, and now..." The evidence for this is when Allah finished mentioning the people of Paradise and intended to follow it with the mention of the people of Hellfire, He said: {This, and indeed for the transgressors...} (Surah Sad, verse 55).

2. The Second View (Interpretation): It means this is an honor and a beautiful mention for these Prophets (peace be upon them) forever.

The first view is considered correct.

On the phrase: {And indeed, for the righteous * is a beautiful return}

When the Quraysh disbelievers mocked the Prophet (PBUH) by describing him as a sorcerer and a liar, and mockingly asked, {Our Lord, hasten to us our portion} (verse 16), Allah commanded Muhammad (PBUH) to be patient with that foolishness. He explained that this patience is necessary for two reasons:

1. Since Allah has shown that the preceding Prophets were patient with hardships and difficulties, it is incumbent upon you to follow their example in this regard.
2. Allah clarified in this verse that whoever obeys Allah will have such and such a reward, and whoever disobeys Him will have such and such a punishment. All of this necessitates patience with Allah's commands. This structure is excellent and the arrangement is subtle.

On the phrase: {This is a Reminder, and indeed for the righteous * is the return}

Al-Ma'āb (the return) means the place of return.

Those who argue for the pre-existence of souls used this verse, and every verse containing the word "return" (rujū') as evidence. Their argument is that the term "return" is only valid if these souls existed before the bodies, were in the presence of Allah's Majesty, and then became attached to the physical forms. Their separation from the bodies is then called a "return."

The response is: If this proves anything, it only proves that the souls existed before the bodies, but it does not prove the eternity (pre-existence from all time) of the souls.

On the phrase: {Gardens of Eden, with their gates opened for them}

{Gardens of Eden} is a substitute (badal) for {a beautiful return}.

1. Al-Farra' said: It means their gates are opened for them. The Arabs sometimes use the definite article (al-) in place of the possessive (idāfa), like saying, "I passed by a man with a beautiful face (al-wajh)," where the al- implies possession.
2. Al-Zajjaj said: The meaning is: the gates are opened from them (i.e., the gardens).
3. The author of Al-Kashshāf said: {The gates} (al-abwāb) is a substitute for the pronoun (implied in mufattahatin), meaning: They (the gardens) are the opened gates. This is like saying, "Zayd struck the hand and the leg" (a substitute of inclusion, badal al-ishtimāl).

The phrase {Gardens of Eden} (Jannātu 'Adnin) has been recited with the nominative case (raf') for mufattahatin (opened), implying that {Gardens of Eden} is the subject (mubtada'), and {opened} is its predicate (khabar). Both are predicates of an omitted subject, meaning: "They are Gardens of Eden, opened for them."

Allah describes aspects of the state of the people of Paradise in this verse:

1. The state of their dwellings: {Gardens of Eden} indicates two things:
   • That they are gardens (jannāt).
   • That they are permanent and safe from cessation.

2. The meaning of {with their gates opened for them}:
   • First View: The angels appointed over the Gardens, upon seeing the owner of the Garden, open the gates for him and greet him with peace. He enters in this manner, surrounded by angels, in the most honored and beautiful state. Allah says: {Until, when they reach it and its gates are opened, and its keepers say to them, "Peace be upon you; you have become pure, so enter it to abide therein"} (Az-Zumar: 73).
   • Second View: Whenever they wish for the gates to open, they open, and whenever they wish for them to close, they close.
   • Third View: This opening describes the spaciousness of those dwellings, the delight of the eyes in viewing them, and the witnessing of pleasant and good states.

On the phrase: {reclining therein, calling therein...}

Allah mentioned their reclining in this verse, and in other verses, He specified the manner of this reclining:

• In one verse: {Reclining upon couches} (Ya-Sin: 56).
• In another verse: {Reclining upon green cushions and rich carpets} (Ar-Rahman: 76).

• The phrase {and We have sent down therein} is a circumstantial clause (hāl) placed before its governing verb, which is {calling therein}. The meaning is: They call out in the Gardens while reclining therein.
• Then He said: {with abundant fruit and drink}. This means with various kinds of fruit and various kinds of drink. The implied meaning is: with abundant fruit and abundant drink. The reason for mentioning this is that the Arabs' lands were hot and scarce in fruits and drinks, so Allah desired to grant them this.

When Allah clarified the matter of the dwelling, the food, and the drink, He immediately followed it by mentioning the matter of marriage: {And with them will be those restraining their glances, of equal age} (atrāb). This has been previously explained in Surah As-Saffat. In summary, it means they restrain their glances from others and are confined in their hearts to loving their husbands.

• {Atrāb} (of equal age): Meaning they are of the same age. It is also possible that the young maidens (jawārī) are of equal age among themselves, or that they are of equal age with their husbands. Al-Qaffal said the reason for considering this attribute is that since they are similar in appearance, age, and adornment, the inclination towards them is equal, which prevents jealousy.

On the phrase: {This is what you were promised for the Day of Account}

This means that Allah promised the righteous the reward described with these attributes. Then Allah informed about the permanence of the reward by saying: {Indeed, this is Our provision, for which there is no end}.

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Surah Sad (38): Verses 57-64

{This, and indeed for the transgressors is a wretched abode, Hell, wherein they will burn—so wretched is the resting place! This, so let them taste it: scalding water and purulent discharge, and other similar things in kind. This is a troop rushing in with you; no welcome to them! Indeed, they will enter the Fire. They will say, "Nay, you—no welcome to you! You brought it upon us!" So wretched is the resting place! They will say, "Our Lord, whoever brought this upon us, then increase his punishment twofold in the Fire." And they will say, "What is the matter with us that we do not see men whom we used to count among the wicked? Did we take them in ridicule, or have [our] eyes turned away from them?" Indeed, that is the truth: the mutual disputing of the people of the Fire.}

Allah mentions the fate of the transgressors (al-ṭāghīn) after describing the reward of the righteous.

• {a wretched abode}: Meaning a terrible place of return.
• {Hell, wherein they will burn—so wretched is the resting place!}: This emphasizes the severity of the dwelling and the resting place.

Then Allah describes the torment:

• {This, so let them taste it: scalding water (hamīm) and purulent discharge (ghassāq)}: Hamīm is intensely hot water. Ghassāq is the foul discharge from the wounds and sores of the inhabitants of Hell.
• {and other similar things in kind}: Meaning other types of torment similar to these in severity and unpleasantness.

Then the dialogue between the leaders and their followers in Hell begins:

• {This is a troop rushing in with you; no welcome to them! Indeed, they will enter the Fire.}: The leaders (the ones who misled others) will say this to the followers who were led astray, rejecting them.
• {They will say, "Nay, you—no welcome to you! You brought it upon us!"}: The followers will retort, denying responsibility and blaming the leaders for leading them astray.
• {So wretched is the resting place!}: A confirmation of the wretchedness of Hell as a final destination.

The followers then demand increased punishment for their leaders:

• {They will say, "Our Lord, whoever brought this upon us, then increase his punishment twofold in the Fire."}: This shows that those who were misled acknowledge that the leaders were the cause of their deviation and deserve a greater share of the punishment.

The inhabitants of Hell then express confusion and regret:

• {And they will say, "What is the matter with us that we do not see men whom we used to count among the wicked?}: They look around for those whom they used to mock in the world (perhaps the righteous believers, or perhaps specific individuals they considered lowly) and do not see them among the tormented.
• {Did we take them in ridicule, or have [our] eyes turned away from them?}: They question whether their mockery in the world was misplaced, or if their vision in the Hereafter is flawed.
• {Indeed, that is the truth: the mutual disputing of the people of the Fire.}: This confirms that their realization and their mutual blaming is the reality of the situation in Hell.