Al-Insan (The Human Being): (15) And there will be passed around to them vessels...

There are several questions regarding this verse:

First Question:

The Almighty said: {And there will be passed around to them trays of gold and cups} (Surah Az-Zukhruf: 71). Trays (ṣiḥāf) are large dishes, typically used for eating. If what they eat from is gold, then what they drink from is even more deserving of being gold, as custom dictates that one is more particular about the drinking vessel than the eating vessel. If this verse indicates their drinking vessels are gold, why does this verse mention silver?

Answer: There is no contradiction between the two statements. They are served with one type at one time and the other at another time.

Second Question:

What is the difference between al-āniyah (vessels) and al-akwāb (cups)?

Answer: Linguists state that al-akwāb are flagons/pitchers that have no handles. It is possible that al-āniyah refers to the vessel from which one drinks, like a goblet (qadaḥ), while al-kūb refers to what is poured from into the vessel, like a ewer/pitcher.

Third Question:

What is the meaning of "were" (kānat)?

Answer: It refers to the verb "to be" in the sense of "Be, and it is" (kun fayakūn). Meaning, the crystal vessels (qawārīr) came into existence through God's creative command, magnifying this wondrous creation that combines two distinct material properties.

Fourth Question:

How can these cups be of silver and yet be crystal vessels (qawārīr)?

Answer: There are several interpretations:

1. The origin of earthly glass vessels is sand, while the origin of the vessels of Paradise is the silver of Paradise. Just as God Almighty is capable of turning dense sand into clear glass, He is capable of turning the silver of Paradise into delicate crystal vessels. The purpose of mentioning this verse is to indicate that the ratio of the Paradise vessel to the earthly vessel is like the ratio of the silver of Paradise to the sand of this world. Just as there is no comparison between these two origins, so too is there no comparison between the two types of vessels in terms of clarity and delicacy.
2. Ibn Abbas said: Nothing in this world exists in Paradise except by name. If this is the case, the perfection of silver lies in its permanence, purity, and nobility, even though its substance is dense. The perfection of crystal lies in its transparency and clarity, even though it is easily broken. Therefore, the vessels of Paradise possess the permanence, purity, and noble substance of silver, combined with the clarity and transparency of crystal.
3. They are made of silver but possess the clarity of crystal. It is not beyond the power of God Almighty to combine these two descriptions.
4. The term {qawārīr} in the verse does not necessarily mean glass. The Arabs sometimes call any rounded vessel used for drinks that is clear and smooth a qawārīrah. Thus, the meaning of the verse is: {and cups of silver} that are rounded, clear, and fine.

Fifth Question:

How is the reading of {qawārīra qawārīr} handled?

Answer: It has been read in several ways:

1. Without tanwīn (nunation) for both.
2. With tanwīn on the first word only.
3. With tanwīn on both words. This tanwīn is a substitute for the final alif used for pause (as a rhyme marker). The tanwīn on the second word follows the first because the second word is a substitute (badal) for the first. It was also read: {qawārīra min fiḍḍah} (vessels of silver) with the first word in the nominative case (rafʿ), implying "They are crystal vessels," and the phrase "of silver" (min fiḍḍah) is an adjective describing the crystal vessels.

Regarding the Almighty's saying: {They measured them with exact measure} (qaddarūhā taqdīrā):

Know that after the Almighty described the vessels for their drink, He then described the drink itself, saying:

! 7 < {And they will be served therein a cup whose mixture is of ginger.} > 7 !