| Verse (34): Enter it in peace...

Then the Almighty said: {Enter it in peace} (Adkhulūhā bi-salām).

The pronoun refers back to Paradise, mentioned in {And Paradise will be brought near} (Q: 31). That is, when its beauty is perfected and it is brought near, and they are told that it is their dwelling place by His saying: {This is what you were promised} (Q: 32), they are then permitted to enter it. In this, there are several issues:

We say: If {you were promised} (mā tūʿadūn) is read with a tā’ (second person plural), the address is clear—it is to the ones who were promised. If it is read with a yā’ (third person plural, mā yūʿadūn), the address is to the pious ones (al-muttqīn), meaning it is said to the pious ones: "Enter it."

We say: This is not the case. When someone invites an honored guest to his garden, he opens the door for him and lets him sit in his place; he does not stand at the door welcoming him and saying, "When you reach my garden, enter it." If no one were there, he would have failed in honoring him. This is unlike someone standing at the door of a people, saying, "Enter in the name of God."

The indication of honor is His saying, {in peace} (bi-salām), just as the host says, "Enter accompanied by safety, happiness, and honor." The bā’ here signifies accompaniment, in the sense of a ḥāl (circumstantial clause): meaning, enter it safely, accompanied by safety, or it means, "Enter it with peace being said to you," and God and His angels send peace upon you.

Another possibility, which I favor, is that this serves as guidance for the believers regarding noble conduct on that Day, just as they were guided in the world, where He said: {O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission and said peace to their inhabitants} (An-Nūr: 27). It is as if the Almighty said: This is your abode and your dwelling, but do not abandon your good habits, nor neglect your noble manners, so {Enter it in peace}. They will call out peace upon those within, and those within will return the greeting to them, saying, "Peace be upon you." This is supported by His saying: {Except for the saying, "Peace, peace"} (Al-Wāqiʿah: 26), meaning they greet those within, and those within greet them. If this interpretation is transmitted (from the Salaf), then it is established; if not transmitted, it is a reasonable and coherent view, supported by transmitted evidence.

This is so that the thought of this [blessing] ceasing might not enter their hearts, causing them distress.

If it is argued that the believer already knows that once he enters Paradise, he will abide eternally, so what is the benefit of this reminder?

The answer is twofold:

1. The first: His saying {That is the Day of Eternity} is a statement God made in the world as a declaration and news. It is not a statement uttered at the moment of saying, {Enter it}. It is as if the Almighty informed us in our current time that that Day is the Day of Eternity.
2. The second: The heart is more reassured by a direct statement. Al-Zamakhsharī commented on {the Day of Eternity} by saying the implied meaning is: "That is the Day of the decree of eternity."

It is also possible to say that Yawm (Day) is mentioned, but the intended meaning is the absolute time, whether it is day or night. We say, "The day [when] a son was born to so-and-so," meaning the great joy occurred, even if the birth happened at night. Thus, Yawm here means the time. It is as if the Almighty said: That is the time of permanent residence.

Then the Almighty said:

! 7 < { They will have therein whatever they desire, and with Us is more to give. } > 7 !

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