Al-A'raf: (40-41) Indeed, those who denied...

The purpose here is to complete the discourse concerning the warning (wa'īd) directed at the disbelievers. This follows the preceding verse: {And those who denied Our signs and were arrogant toward them—those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally} (Al-A'raf: 36).

Allah (Exalted is He) explains in this verse the nature of this eternal dwelling for those deniers and arrogant ones by stating: {They denied Our signs}. This refers to the proofs (dalā'il) indicating the fundamental principles of religion.

• The Materialists (Dahriyyah) deny the proofs establishing the Divine Essence and Attributes.
• The Polytheists (Mushrikūn) deny the proofs of Monotheism (Tawḥīd).
• Those who deny Prophethood reject the proofs indicating the truthfulness of the Prophets.
• Those who deny the Prophethood of Muhammad reject the proofs establishing his prophethood.
• Those who deny the Resurrection (Ma'ād) reject the proofs establishing its validity.

Thus, the phrase {They denied Our signs} encompasses all these categories. The meaning of arrogance (istikbār) is seeking elevation through falsehood. This term, when applied to humans, indicates censure, as Allah says regarding Pharaoh: {And he and his soldiers were arrogant in the land without right} (Al-A'raf: 139).

Regarding the Almighty's saying: {The gates of the heaven will not be opened for them}

There are several issues concerning this phrase:

1. Abū ‘Amr recited it as {lā tufattahu} (لا تفتح) with a light tā’ (implying passive voice, "will not be opened").
2. Ḥamzah and Al-Kisā’ī recited it as {lā yuftaḥu} (لا يفتح) with a light yā’ (implying passive voice, "will not be opened").
3. The rest recited it as {lā tuftaḥu} (لا تفتح) with a heavy/doubled tā’ (implying active voice, "will not open").

The justification for the active recitation (with the doubled tā’) is supported by verses like {We opened for them the gates of everything} (Al-An'am: 44) and {So We opened the gates of the heaven} (Al-Qamar: 11). The justification for the passive recitation (with yā’ or light tā’) is that the verb precedes the subject.

There are several sayings regarding {The gates of the heaven will not be opened for them}:

1. Ibn ‘Abbās said: It means that their deeds and their supplications will not be opened, nor anything they intend for the sake of obedience to Allah. This interpretation is derived from Allah’s saying: {To Him ascends the good word and righteous work raises it} (Fāṭir: 10), and {Indeed, the record of the righteous is in ‘Illiyyīn} (Al-Muṭaffifīn: 18).
2. Al-Suddi and others said: Their souls (arwāḥ) will not have the gates of heaven opened for them, whereas the souls of the believers will be opened. Evidence for this interpretation is found in a lengthy narration: When the soul of a believer ascends to heaven, it is opened for, and it is welcomed: "Welcome, O good soul that was in the good body," until it reaches the seventh heaven. When the soul of a disbeliever is summoned, it is told: "Return, O blameworthy one, for the gates of heaven will not be opened for you."
3. The Third Opinion: Since Paradise is in heaven, the meaning is: They will not be permitted to ascend to heaven, nor will doors be knocked upon for them to enter Paradise.
4. The Fourth Opinion: Blessings and goodness will not descend upon them. This is derived from the verse: {So We opened the gates of the heaven with pouring water} (Al-Qamar: 11).

My commentary: This verse indicates that souls find happiness either through the descent of various kinds of goodness upon them from heaven, or through the ascent of their deeds to the heavens. This suggests that the heavens are a place of delight for souls and the location of their felicity, from where blessings descend, and to which souls ascend upon achieving complete happiness. Given this reality, the statement {The gates of the heaven will not be opened for them} constitutes one of the gravest forms of threat and warning.

Regarding the Almighty's saying: {Nor will they enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of a needle}

There are several issues concerning this phrase:

• Al-Wulūj (الولوج): Entering.
• Al-Jamal (الجمل): The camel, which is well-known.
• Al-Summ (السم): The eye of the needle. Ibn Sīrīn recited it with a ḍammah (suum). The author of Al-Kashshāf mentions it is narrated with all three vowel markings (fatḥah, kasrah, ḍammah). Any fine aperture in the body is called a summ (plural sumūm). Hence, the deadly poison is called summ because it penetrates the body’s pores subtly until it reaches the heart.
• Al-Khiyāṭ (الخياط): That which is used for sewing. Al-Farrā’ said it is also called mikhyaṭ (مخيط), just as izār (loincloth) is called mi’zar, and liḥāf (quilt) is called milḥaf.

The camel was specified among all animals because it is the largest animal in the Arabs' estimation. A poet said:

The body of a camel and the intellects of sparrows.

Since the camel’s body is the largest, and the eye of the needle is the narrowest opening, the entry of the camel into that narrow hole is an impossibility (muḥāl). Since Allah made their entry into Paradise conditional upon the fulfillment of this impossible prerequisite, and since that which is conditioned upon the impossible is itself impossible, it is definitively established that despair regarding their entry into Paradise is certain.

The author of Al-Kashshāf mentioned that Ibn ‘Abbās recited {al-jamal} (الجمل) with the meter of al-qaml (lice). Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr recited it with the meter of an-naghr (a type of bird). It was also read with the meter of al-qufl (lock), an-naṣb (a type of rope), and al-ḥabl (rope).

The meaning in these latter readings is the thick rope (al-qals al-ghalīẓ), as it is formed from many ropes bundled together. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that Allah is too sublime in His similitude to compare [a disbeliever] to a camel. That is, a rope is analogous to the thread passed through the eye of a needle, whereas a camel is not analogous—though we have already mentioned the wisdom [in using the camel].

Those who affirm transmigration (reincarnation) used this verse as proof. They argued that the souls of sinful humans, after the death of their bodies, are returned from one body to another. They remain in torment until they transition from the body of a camel to the body of a worm that passes through the eye of a needle. Only then are they purified of their sins and transgressions, and only then do they enter Paradise and attain felicity.

Be aware: The doctrine of transmigration is false, and this line of reasoning is weak. And Allah knows best.

Regarding the Almighty's saying: {And thus We recompense the criminals}

This means: Similar to what We have described, We recompense the criminals. The criminals here, Allah knows best, are the disbelievers, because the description preceding this involved their denial of Allah's signs and their arrogance toward them.

Allah (Exalted is He), having clarified that they will never enter Paradise, then clarified that they will enter the Fire, saying: {For them is a bed from Hell, and over them coverings [of fire]}. This contains two issues:

• Mahād (مهاد): Plural of mihād, which means a bed or resting place. Al-Azhari said the origin of mihād in the language is bedding, as a resting place is called mihād because it is suitable for repose.
• Ghawāshī (غواش): Plural of ghāshiyah, which is anything that covers or envelops you.

The word Jahannam (Hell) is treated as feminine and indeclinable because it combines the feminine marker (tā’ marbūṭah) and the definite article (al-). Some say its derivation is from jahmah (جهمة), meaning roughness or harshness (e.g., a man with a harsh face, jahm al-wajh), and it was named this due to the severity of its torment.

The commentators meant by this verse to inform that the Fire will surround them from every side; they will have a covering (top) and a bedding (bottom), a mattress and a blanket, all made of Hellfire.

Someone might ask: Ghawāshī is on the pattern of fawā‘il (فواعل), which should be indeclinable (mamnū‘ min aṣ-ṣarf). How then does it accept tanwīn (nunation)?

The answer, according to the school of Al-Khalīl and Sībawayh, is that this is a plural form, and plurals are heavier than singulars. Furthermore, it is the ultimate plural form to which plurals converge, which adds to its weight. The yā’ at the end is also heavy. When these factors combined, they lightened it by dropping its yā’. When the yā’ was dropped, it became deficient from the pattern fawā‘il, resulting in ghawāsh (غواش) on the pattern of janāḥ (جناح), thus allowing it to accept tanwīn.

Regarding the Almighty's saying: {And thus We recompense the wrongdoers}

Ibn ‘Abbās said this refers to those who associated partners with Allah and took other deities besides Him. Under this interpretation, the wrongdoers (ẓālimūn) here are the disbelievers.

(42)

{And those who believed and did righteous deeds—We charge no soul except according to its capacity—those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally. And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment; rivers will flow beneath them. And they will say, "Praise be to Allah, who has guided us to this, and we would not have been guided had Allah not guided us. Certainly the messengers of our Lord had come with the truth." And it will be called out to them, "This is Paradise, which you have inherited because of what you used to do.")