Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:50

"Then they will turn to one another..."

If you ask: To what is the phrase "Then they will turn to one another" conjoined? I say: It is conjoined to "They will be served" (yutafu ‘alayhim). The meaning is: they drink, and while drinking, they converse as is the custom of those who drink. As the poet said: And there remains of pleasures naught, Save the discourse of the noble over wine.

Thus, they turn to one another, "questioning" each other about what happened to them and what they endured in the world. It is expressed in the past tense, following God’s custom in His narratives.

"Among the believers" (musaddiqin):

• Read as musaddiqin (with a light sad): from tasdiq (believing/verifying).
• Read as mussaddiqin (with a heavy sad): from tasadduq (giving charity). It is said this was revealed regarding a man who gave his wealth in charity for the sake of God. When he became needy, he asked one of his brothers for help. The brother asked, "Where is your wealth?" He replied, "I gave it in charity so that God might compensate me in the Hereafter with something better." The brother said, "Are you truly among those who believe (musaddiqin) in the Day of Judgment?" or "among those who give charity (mutasaddiqin) seeking reward? By God, I will not give you anything."

"Shall we be punished?" (lamu’adhdhabun): Meaning: shall we be recompensed? From al-dayn, which is recompense. Or: shall we be governed and mastered? It is said: danahu means he governed him. From this is the Hadith: "The wise man is he who masters (dana) his own soul."

"He said: 'Will you look down?'" Meaning: that speaker says, "Will you look down into the Fire so that I may show you that companion?"

• It is said: There are openings in Paradise through which its people look down upon the people of the Fire.
• It is said: The speaker is God, the Almighty.
• It is said: An angel says to the people of Paradise, "Do you wish to look down to know your station relative to the station of the people of the Fire?"

There are various readings for muttali’un (looking down), including fa-attali’ (so I may look) and fa-uttali’ (so I may be shown). The meaning is: "Will you look down to the companion, so that I may also look?" Or, he offered them the opportunity to look, and they accepted, so he looked after that. If the looking is attributed to someone else showing him, then the meaning is that he made their looking a condition for his own, which is a matter of etiquette in gatherings—not to act exclusively without one's companions. It is said the address here is to the angels.

"In the midst of the Hellfire" (fi sawa’ al-jahim): Meaning: in its center. It is said, "I grew tired until my sawa’ (mid-section/waist) gave out." Abu ‘Ubaydah said: ‘Isa ibn ‘Umar told me, "I used to write, O Abu ‘Ubaydah, until my sawa’ gave out."

"Indeed, you almost ruined me" (in kada la-yudilluna): In is the lightened form of the heavy inna, and it enters upon kada just as it enters upon kana. The lam is the separator between it and the negative in. Irda’ means destruction. In the reading of ‘Abdullah, it is la-tughwin (you almost led me astray).

"The favor of my Lord" (ni’mat rabbi): This is the protection and success in holding fast to the bond of Islam, and the immunity from the evil companion. Or, it is God’s bestowal of reward and his being among the people of Paradise.

"Among those brought [to punishment]" (min al-muhdarin): Meaning: among those who were brought to the punishment, just as you and your likes were brought.