Tafsir of Ad-Dhariyat 51:16

Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51): Verse 16

{ءاخذين ما ءاتاهم ربهم} (Taking what their Lord has given them.)

Regarding this verse, there are several issues and subtle points (Lata'if).

The First Issue: What is the meaning of 'Ākhidhīn (Taking)?

We have two interpretations:

1. Grasping/Possessing: It means they are taking hold of what Allah has given them bit by bit, without fully exhausting it, because it is impossible to exhaust what is infinite.
2. Accepting with Contentment: It means they are accepting it with a pleased acceptance, similar to the verse: {And Allah accepts the charities} (At-Tawbah: 104), meaning He accepts them. Al-Zamakhshari mentioned this view.

There is a third interpretation: The phrase {in Gardens} indicates mere dwelling/residence, while {Ākhidhīn} indicates full ownership/possession. Thus, it is said, "He took such-and-such lands or castles" when he entered them as their owner. Similarly, one who buys a house or an orchard is said to have "taken it for a small price," meaning he acquired ownership, even if there was no physical taking or acceptance by consent.

Under this third view, the verse clarifies that their entry is not like that of a borrower or someone weak whose possession can be reclaimed. Rather, it is their established ownership, purchased by their deeds and selves from Allah Almighty. The phrase {Ātāhum} (He gave them) clarifies that their taking was not by force or conquest, but by the gift of Allah. In this case, the relative pronoun {mā} (what) refers back to the Gardens and the Springs.

{إنهم كانوا قبل ذلك محسنين} (Indeed, they were before that doers of good.)

This points to the price of those possessions: they took and owned them through their Ihsan (doing good), just as Allah says: {For those who do good is the best [reward]} (Yunus: 26), where the lām (for) indicates ownership, and the best reward is Paradise.

The Second Issue: The Tense of Ākhidhīn vs. Yu'tīhim

The word {Ākhidhīn} is a circumstantial adverb (Hāl), implying the meaning of "they are taking." Why did the verse use the past tense {Ātāhum} (He gave them) instead of the present/future {Yu'tīhim} (He gives them), which would align with the continuous nature of the action? Allah's giving in Paradise is renewed daily and is endless, especially if we interpret "taking" as "accepting." How can it be correct to say, "So-and-so accepts today what so-and-so gave him yesterday"?

Response:

1. Based on the Ownership Interpretation: This objection is invalid because the meaning is that they possess what He has already given them. The giving could have occurred yesterday, and the taking/possession occurs today.
2. Based on the Acceptance Interpretation: Allah gave the believer Paradise while he was in the world, but he did not reap its fruits then. He enters it in the state of one who is taking. Furthermore, he might receive better things than what he was initially given. This does not contradict his initial state of entering to take what was promised. One might say, "I came to you fearing, and behold, I am safe." What you mentioned would only be necessary if their taking were limited only to what was given previously. This is not the case. They entered based on that promise, but nothing else crossed their minds. Thus, Allah gives them what they never imagined, and they take what Allah gives them, even though they entered to take what was initially promised. The verse {Indeed, the companions of Paradise today are in joyful occupation} (Ya-Sin: 55) refers to their taking of what they were given, which we have already discussed in Surah Ya-Sin.

The Third Issue: What does Dhālik (That) refer to?

This has two possibilities:

1. It refers to the time before their entry into Paradise, as {in Gardens} implies entry. Thus, they were doers of good before entering the Gardens.
2. It refers to the time before Allah gave them the best reward, which is Paradise, and then they took it.

There are other views, such as dhālik referring to the Day of Judgment, as previously mentioned.

Some subtle points have already been mentioned. Among them:

When Allah says {Indeed, the righteous (Al-Muttaqūn)}, since this points to Taqwa (guarding against Shirk), it is as if He said, "Those who believed." However, belief combined with righteous action yields two types of happiness. Therefore, this statement is a more complete indication than saying, "They did good."

The Second Subtle Point:

• Regarding Taqwa (Piety): Because He said Lā Ilāha (There is no god), they guarded against Shirk.
• Regarding Ihsan (Doing Good): Because He said Illā Allāh (except Allah), they performed Ihsan.

For this reason, the meaning of the Kalimat at-Taqwa (Word of Piety) is said to be Lā Ilāha Illā Allāh. Regarding Ihsan, Allah says: {And who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah} (Fussilat: 33). It is also said regarding the interpretation of {Is the reward for good [anything] but good?} (Ar-Rahman: 60) that Ihsan is the utterance of Lā Ilāha Illā Allāh. In this sense, the two concepts (Taqwa and Ihsan) are inseparable; they are mutually necessitating.

{كانوا قليلا من اليل ما يهجعون} (They used to sleep but little of the night.)