Surah Al-Haqqah 69:36
ﱁ ﱂ ﱃ ﱄ ﱅ
Nor any food except from the discharge of wounds;
Tafsir of Al-Haqqah 69:36
Tafsir
Mafatih al-Ghayb
Verse range: 69:36
Al-Haqqah (The Inevitable Reality): Verse 36
...and no food except the Ghislīn.
Regarding this verse, there are two issues:
The First Issue:
It is narrated that Ibn Abbas was asked about al-Ghislīn (the Ghislīn), and he replied, "I do not know what al-Ghislīn is."
Al-Kalbī said: It is the fluid that flows from the people of the Fire—pus, ichor, and blood—when they are punished. Thus, it is Ghislīn, derived from the word ghusl (washing/discharge).
The Second Issue:
Food (ṭa‘ām) is that which is prepared for eating. Since the ichor (ṣadīd) is prepared for the people of the Fire to consume, it becomes food for them.
Alternatively, the meaning could be that this substance is substituted for food in their case, so it is named food, just as the saying goes:
"Their greeting among themselves is a painful striking."
A greeting (taḥiyyah) is not inherently striking, but because it takes the place of a greeting, it is permissible to name it as such.
{None will eat it except the sinners (al-Khaṭi’ūn)}
Then, the Almighty mentioned who will eat the Ghislīn: {None will eat it except the sinners (al-Khaṭi’ūn)}.