Tafsir of Al-Waqi'ah 56:10-26

{The foremost}: The sincere ones who were first to respond to what God called them to, and who "kicked up the dust" in their pursuit of the pleasure of God, the Almighty.

It is said: People are of three types:

1. A man who initiates goodness in his youth and persists in it until he departs the world; this is the "foremost brought near."
2. A man who spends his life in sin and long heedlessness, then turns back in repentance; this is the "companion of the right."
3. A man who initiates evil in his youth and persists in it until he departs the world; this is the "companion of the left."

{What are the companions of the right? What are the companions of the left?}: An expression of wonder at the state of the two groups regarding happiness and misery. The meaning is: What is their state?

{And the foremost, the foremost}: He means the foremost whose state you have known and whose description has reached you, similar to the saying: "And the servant of God is the servant of God," and the saying of Abu al-Najm: "And my poetry, my poetry." It is as if he said: "My poetry, which has reached you and whose eloquence and mastery you have heard." The second "foremost" is for emphasis.

Some have suggested "Those are the ones brought near" is the predicate, but that is not strong. Some pause at "the foremost" and begin with "The foremost, those are the ones brought near." The correct view is to pause at the second [foremost], as it completes the sentence and corresponds to "What are the companions of the right?" and "What are the companions of the left?"

{Brought near}: Those whose stations in Paradise have been brought near to the Throne, and whose ranks have been elevated.

{A multitude from the first}: A thulla is a large group of people. As the poet said: "A Khindafite multitude came to them, with an army like a surging, foaming flood."

{And a few from the later ones}: This is sufficient evidence for the large number. Thulla comes from thall, meaning breaking, just as umma (nation) comes from umm (mother/origin), as if it were a group broken off and cut from the people. The meaning is that the foremost from the ancients are many—they are the nations from Adam (peace be upon him) to Muhammad (peace be upon him)—and "a few from the later ones" are the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

It is also said: "From the first" refers to the early ones of this nation, and "from the later ones" refers to the later ones of this nation. It is narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Both thirds are from my nation."

If you ask: How can He say "a few from the later ones" and then say "a multitude from the later ones" [in verse 39]? I say: The first refers to the "foremost," and the second refers to the "companions of the right," who are numerous from both the ancients and the later ones.

If you ask: It is narrated that when this was revealed, it burdened the Muslims, so the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) kept petitioning his Lord until "A multitude from the first and a multitude from the later ones" was revealed. I say: This is not correct for two reasons:

1. This verse is clearly about the "foremost," and the second is about the "companions of the right." Do you not see how He links the companions of the right and their promise to the foremost and their promise?
2. Abrogation in historical reports is not permissible.

Al-Hasan (may God be pleased with him) said: The foremost of previous nations are more than the foremost of our nation, but the followers of previous nations are like the followers of this nation.

{Woven}: Adorned with gold, interlaced with pearls and rubies, with some parts inserted into others, just as the rings of chainmail are woven. Al-A'sha said: "And from the weaving of David, woven." It is also said: "Connected," with parts brought close to others.

{Reclining}: A state (hal) from the pronoun in "upon," which is the operator for it; meaning they are settled upon them, reclining.

{Facing one another}: None of them looks at the backs of others. They are described as having good companionship and refined manners and etiquette.

{Immortal youths}: Kept forever in the form of children and the state of youth, never changing from it. It is also said: "Wearing earrings," as khulda means earring. It is also said: They are the children of the people of the world who had no good deeds to be rewarded for, nor bad deeds to be punished for. This is narrated from Ali (may God be pleased with him) and al-Hasan. In the Hadith: "The children of the polytheists are the servants of the people of Paradise."

{Cups}: Vessels without handles or spouts. {And pitchers}: Those with spouts.

{They will not be caused to have a headache from it}: Meaning because of it. Its reality is: their headache will not be caused by it, or they will not be separated from it. Mujahid read it as la yassadda'un, meaning they will not be split or separated, like His saying: "On that Day they will be separated." Or, they will not cause each other headaches; they will not disperse them.

{They will choose}: They will take the best and most excellent of it. {And desire}: They will wish for.

{A reward}: An object for which the action is done; meaning all this is done for them as a reward for their deeds.

{Peace, peace}: Either a substitute for "speech" (qilan), based on His saying: "They will not hear therein any ill speech, only 'Peace, peace'," or it is the object of "speech," meaning: They will not hear therein anything except that they say "Peace, peace." The meaning is that they spread peace among themselves, greeting one another with peace after peace.