Tafsir of Az-Zukhruf 43:66

{هل ينظرون إلا} {أن تأتيهم}: This is a substitute (badal) for "the Hour." The meaning is: "Are they waiting for anything but the coming of the Hour?"

If you ask: Does the statement {suddenly} not perform the same function as {while they are unaware}, making the latter redundant? I say: No. The meaning of His saying {while they are unaware} is: they are heedless, preoccupied with the affairs of their worldly life, similar to His saying: “It will seize them while they are disputing” (Ya-Sin: 49). It is also possible that it comes upon them suddenly while they are aware, yet they are still caught off guard.

{يومئذ} (On that day): This is in the accusative case, governed by "enemies" (‘aduww). It means: on that day, every friendship between those who were friends for other than the sake of Allah will be severed, turning into enmity and hatred—except for the friendship of those who were sincere for the sake of Allah, for that is the friendship that remains and increases in strength when they see the reward of loving and hating for the sake of Allah.

It is also said: {except the righteous} means those who avoided evil companions. It is also said that this was revealed regarding Ubayy ibn Khalaf and Uqbah ibn Abi Mu'ayt.

{في عبادي}: This is a narration of what will be proclaimed to the righteous who loved one another for the sake of Allah on that day. {Those who believed} is in the accusative position as an adjective for "My servants," because it is a vocative construct (munada mudaf). It means: "O My servants who believed in Our signs," having purified their faces for Us, making themselves submissive to Our obedience.

It is said: When Allah resurrects the people, everyone will be terrified. Then a caller will cry out, "O My servants!" Everyone will hope it is meant for them. Then he will follow it with "those who believed," and the people will despair of it, except for the Muslims. It is also recited as Ya ‘ibad.

{تحبرون} (You will be delighted): You will be made happy with a joy that shows its hibar—that is, its trace—upon your faces, like His saying: “You will recognize in their faces the radiance of bliss” (Al-Mutaffifin: 24). Al-Zajjaj said: You will be honored with an extreme degree of honor. Al-hibrah is the superlative of what is described as beautiful.

{والكوب} (And the cups): A vessel without a handle.

{وفيها} (And in it): The pronoun refers to Paradise. It is also recited as tashtahi (it desires) and tashtahihi (it desires it). This is an exhaustive list of the types of delights, for they are either desired in the hearts or enjoyed by the eyes.

{وتلك الجنة التي أورثتموها}: "That" is a demonstrative pronoun acting as the subject (mubtada'), and "the Paradise" is the predicate (khabar). "Which you have been made to inherit" is an adjective for Paradise. Alternatively, "the Paradise" is an adjective for the subject (the demonstrative), and "which you have been made to inherit" is the predicate. Or, "which you have been made to inherit" is the adjective, and {because of what you used to do} is the predicate, with the ba (in bi-ma) connected to an omitted element, as is the case with prepositional phrases that function as predicates. In the first interpretation, it connects to "made to inherit." It is likened in its permanence for its people to an inheritance that remains for the heirs. It is also recited as warithtumūhā.

{منها تأكلون}: The min is for partiality (tab'id), meaning: you do not eat only some of it, but its remnants remain on its trees. It is adorned with fruit forever, laden with it; you will never see a tree bare of its fruit as in the world.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "A man in Paradise will not pluck a fruit from it but that two like it will grow in its place."

{Indeed, the criminals are in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally. It will not be lightened for them, and they, therein, are in despair. And We did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers. And they will call, "O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say, "Indeed, you will remain." We had certainly brought you the truth, but most of you, to the truth, were averse.}