ﲐ ﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ ﲚ ﲛ ﲜ ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ ﲠ ﲡ ﲢ ﲣ ﲤ ﲥ
But those who believe and do righteous deeds - We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide forever. For them therein are purified spouses, and We will admit them to deepening shade.
Tafsir
Verse range: 4:57
Know that it has been the custom of Allah, the Exalted, in this Noble Book, that promises and warnings are usually mentioned together. In this verse, there are two issues:
This verse indicates that faith is distinct from deeds, because Allah, the Exalted, conjoined deeds with faith. The conjoined element must be different from the element it is conjoined to.
Al-Qadi (the Judge) said: When the term Iman (faith) is mentioned alone, deeds are included within it. But when deeds are mentioned alongside it, then Iman refers only to the affirmation/belief (Tasdiq).
This view is far-fetched because the fundamental principle is that there is no ambiguity (i.e., terms retain their primary meaning) and no change in meaning. If this were not the case, the Qur'an would cease to be a source of guidance. Perhaps these words we hear in the Qur'an each have a meaning other than what we commonly understand, and Allah's intent is that specific meaning, not what our initial understanding suggests.
This is based on the premise that the probability of ambiguity (where a word has multiple meanings) and singularity (where it has one meaning) are equally likely. However, if we hold that the probability of adhering to the original meaning and the probability of change are equal, then this is not the case. Under this latter assumption, it is possible to argue that these terms had a different meaning during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) than what we understand now, and that they later changed to our current understanding.
Therefore, if we accept either of these two premises (equal probability of ambiguity or equal probability of change), the Qur'an loses its status as proof (hujjah). Since adhering to the original meaning and avoiding change is the fundamental principle, the argument of Al-Qadi is refuted.
Know that Allah, the Exalted, mentioned several things in describing the reward for the obedient:
First: That Allah will admit them into Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Al-Zajjaj said that "rivers flow beneath them" means the waters of the rivers flow beneath them. If we define a river (nahr) as the place of the water, then the statement is as Al-Zajjaj said. But if we define it, as is customary, as the water itself, then this clarification is unnecessary.
Second: That Allah described these Gardens with permanence (Khulūd) and eternity (Ta'bīd). This refutes Jahm ibn Safwan, who claimed that the bliss of Paradise and the torment of Hell will eventually cease. Furthermore, Allah mentioned Ta'bīd alongside Khulūd. If Khulūd simply meant Ta'bīd, it would involve repetition, which is impermissible. This indicates that Khulūd does not mean Ta'bīd, but rather refers to a long duration of dwelling without specifying whether it is finite or infinite.
If this principle is established, the argument of the Mu'tazila based on His saying: {And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, therein to abide forever} (An-Nisa 4:93) to prove that the perpetrator of a major sin remains in Hell eternally is invalidated. We have shown, based on this verse, that Khulūd signifies a long duration, not necessarily eternity.
Third: His saying: {For them therein are purified spouses}. This means they are purified from menstruation, post-natal bleeding, and all worldly impurities. This is similar to His saying in Surah Al-Baqarah: {For them therein are purified spouses, and they will abide therein forever}. The subtle points related to this have been mentioned in the exegesis of that verse.
Fourth: His saying: {And We will admit them into a deep shade} (Zillan Zaleelan). Al-Wahidi said that Zaleel does not imply an action such that it could be interpreted as an active or passive participle. Rather, it is an intensification of the adjective Zill (shade), similar to saying layl al-aleel (a very dark night).
Know that the lands of the Arabs were extremely hot, so shade was one of the greatest sources of comfort for them. For this reason, they used it as a metaphor for comfort. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (The ruler is the shade of Allah on earth). If shade signifies comfort, then Zaleel (deep shade) is a metaphor for an immense exaggeration of comfort. This is what my mind inclines toward.
By this interpretation, the question raised by those who ask: If there is no sun in Paradise to cause harm, what is the benefit of describing it with a deep shade? Furthermore, we observe in this world that places where the shade is constant and sunlight does not reach often have stagnant, foul, and harmful air—what then is the meaning of describing the air of Paradise this way? By the interpretation we have summarized, these doubts are dispelled.
{Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due. And when you judge between people, judge with justice. Excellent is what Allah instructs you therein. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.} (An-Nisa 4:57)
