بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Surah Al-Rahmān is the 55th surah (chapter) in the Qur’an, which occurs in its 27th juz, right after Surah Al-Najm and Surah Al-Qamar, and just before Surah Al-Waqi’ah.

It was revealed during the early Makkan period of Islamic history (according to Tafsir Jalalayn, only its 29th verse was revealed in Madinah),—a time in which the Prophet ﷺ and the first Muslims رضي الله عنهم were being severely persecuted. Qur’anic revelation during these years was in the form of short, poetically superior and linguistically miraculous surahs (chapters of the Qur’an) that predominantly contained verses glorifying Allah as the Creator of mankind, detailing the rewards for belief, warnings against disbelief, and inviting those who listened to their recitation to ponder upon the signs of Allah that were prevalent in nature.

Surah Al-Rahmān contains 78 verses (ayaat), 31 of which are the same i.e. the same verse being repeated for emphasis. This is one of the unique characteristics of this surah i.e. that it has a verse in which Allah asks humankind and jinn a question, which is repeated after every one or two verses. This is the question:

Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?

This question augments the soulful, spiritual impact of the content of this surah upon the hearts of those who listen to it with sincerity and faith, because after mentioning one or more of Allah’s blessings, Allah asks us this question, which softens the heart as we wonder—how many blessings of Allah do we deny?

The implication is that even if all of mankind and the jinn were to deny and reject a blessing of Allah, one that they know about and make use of every day, all of His innumerable blessings would still remain, which they would continue to benefit from, day in and day out, despite their ingratitude.

The repeated word آلَآءٌ

Please take a look at all the words below. They denote the same meaning, and are in the singular form.

إلَي — الأَليَ — إلْيَ — الأَلْيُ — إِلَى — أَلًى —  إِلْوٌ — أَلْوٌ — إِلْىٌ — أَلْىٌ — أُلْيٌ — إِلَا

Meaning of this Arabic word: A benefit, benefaction, favor, boon, or blessing. Its plural form is آلَآءٌ. [Lane’s lexicon]

The plural of the above Arabic word occurs in the verse that is repeated 31 times in Surah Al-Rahmān, آلَآءٌ, which means blessings or favors.

The 3 meanings of this plural word آلَآءٌ according to Mufradātul Qur’an, are:

• blessings (النعم),
• power (قدرت), and
• superior qualities/merits (فضائل).

For those who can read Urdu, below is an excerpt from the Arabic-to-Urdu dictionary Mufradat ul Qur’an, which explains the most oft-repeated word of Surah Al-Rahmān (I am sorry, but I have not edited the excerpt):

آلائ

جمع ہے اس کا واحد الی ہے اس کا معنی ہے النعم نعمتیں ( لسان العرب) ۔
امام راغب لکھتے ہیں :۔ الاء کا واحد الی والی ہے جس طرح اناء کا واحد انا وانی ؤتا ہے ( مفردات) نیز راغب نے بھی الاء کا ترجمہ نعمتیں کیا ہے۔ آیت واذکروا الاء اللہ (7:74) کا ترجمہ کیا ہے : پس خدا کی نعمتوں کو یاد کرو۔
المنجد میں الا لی الالی الالی ( جمع الائ) بمعنی نعمت، مہربانی، فضل لکھا ہے۔
اصل میں لفظ الاء استعمال ہوا ہے جسے آگے کی آیتوں میں بار بار دہرایا گیا ہے اور ہم نے مختلف مقامات پر اس کا مفہوم مختلف الفاظ سے ادا کیا ہے۔ اس لئے آغاز میں ہی یہ سمجھ لینا چاہئے کہ اس لفظ میں کتنی وسعت ہے اور اس میں کیا کیا مفہومات شامل ہیں۔ الاء کے معنی اہل لغت اور اہل تفسیر نے بالعموم نعمتوں کے بیان کئے ہیں تمام مترجمین نے بھی یہی اس کا ترجمہ کیا ہے اور یہی معنی حضرت ابن عباس ؓ حضرت قتادہ اور حضرت حسن بصری (رح) سے منقول ہیں۔ سب سے بڑی دلیل اس معنی کے صحیح ہونے کی یہ ہے کہ خود نبی کریم ﷺ نے جنوں کے اس قول کو نقل فرمایا ہے کہ وہ اس آیت کو سن کر بار بار لابشی من نعمک ربنا نکذب کہتے تھے۔
لہٰذا زمانہ حال کے محققین کی اس رائے سے ہمیں اتفاق نہیں ہے کہ الاء نعمتوں کے معنی میں سے ہوتا ہی نہیں۔
دوسرے معنی
اس لفظ کے قدرت اور عجائب قدرت یا کمالات قدرت ہیں ابن جریر طبری نے ابن زید کا قول نقل کیا ہے کہ : فبای الاء ربکما کے معنی ہیں فبای قدرۃ اللہ۔ ابن جریر نے خود بھی آیات 37، 38 کی تفسیر میں الاء کو قدرت کے معنی میں لیا ہے امام رازی نے بھی آیات 14، 15، 16 کی تفسیر میں لکھا ہے : یہ آیات بیان نعمت کے لئے نہیں بلکہ بیان قدرت کے لئے ہیں۔ اور آیات 22 ۔ 23 کی تفسیر میں وہ فرماتے ہیں یہ اللہ تعالیٰ کے عجائب قدرت کے بیان میں ہے نہ کہ نعمتوں کے بیان میں ۔
اس کے تیسرے معنی
ہیں : خوبیاں۔ اوصاف حمیدہ اور کمالات و فضائل ۔ اس معنی کو اہل لغت اور اہل تفسیر نے بیان نہیں کیا ہے مگر اشعار عرب میں یہ لفظ کثرت سے اس معنی میں استعمال ہوا ہے۔ نابغہ کہتا ہے :۔ ہم الملوک وابناء الملوک لہم ۔ فضل علی الناس فی الا الاء النعم۔ ( وہ بادشاہ اور شہزادے ہیں۔ ان کو لوگوں پر اپنی خوبیوں اور نعمتوں میں فضیلت حاصل ہے) ۔

[Mufradat ul Qur’an]

Now that we have analyzed the main word of this surah (this is according to my perception, others could have other words of Surah Al-Rahmān stand out to them) which gets repeated the most, let us now go on to the content.

Most of the Arabic words with which every verse of Surah Al-Rahmān ends, rhyme with each other, because they end with either “انَ” or “امِ”. This greatly contributes to its poetic beauty.

This surah provides graphic and descriptive details of the rewards that await believers in Paradise, in addition to the many blessings that they enjoy during the life of this world.

Introduction

ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ١
عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ٢
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ ٣
عَلَّمَهُ ٱلْبَيَانَ ٤

The Most Compassionate. He taught the Quran,
Created humanity, and taught them speech. [1—4]

The surah begins with 4 Arabic words, ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ , ٱلْقُرْءَان , ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ ,ٱلْبَيَانَ — all which rhyme beautifully with each other. Allah is Al-Rahmān; the Qur’an is His speech, which He taught. Then comes the human creation, and their ability to talk (speech), which, again, Allah taught to them.

Another key word that is repeated twice here is the Arabic word for “teaching”— عَلَّمَ. This means that not only did Al-Rahmān teach the Qur’an, but He also taught mankind how to talk, after creating them.

Anyone who has witnessed human babies begin to talk will vouch for the fact that they do not need to be formally taught how to talk; they learn just by listening. It is an amazing phenomenon to behold: a baby who cannot even walk properly beginning to communicate with adults by repeating the right words, at the right time, which he or she has heard since birth.

In the same way, Allah taught whomever He chooses among mankind, how to read, recite and benefit from the Qur’an. According to Tafsir ibn Kathir, “This refers to Allah teaching the Qur’an, that is, teaching the servants how to recite it by making it easy for them to speak and pronounce letters with the various parts of the mouth, such as the alveolar bridge, the tongue and the lips.”

This is a point to note! At the start of Surah Al-Rahmān, Allah links Himself to the Qur’an, His creation of the human being, and the ability of the latter to express themselves through eloquent speech (an ability that no other creature on earth possesses).

The Qur’an is, originally, the speech of Allah. What is being emphasized is how Allah favored mankind by granting the human being (via عَلَّمَ… the process of teaching) a superior ability that Allah possesses, Himself: i.e. producing eloquent, articulate, complex, original, and impressive oral words (speech, or ٱلْبَيَانَ) that has a profound effect upon others and can cast an impact (positive or negative) on the world and the lives of its inhabitants.

This just goes to show that human beings can opt for speaking only positive words in their speech (this includes recitation of the Qur’an), or they can choose to speak in a way that will cause loss, harm, corruption and crime on earth.

Either way, their short life will pass quickly, but the effects of their words will linger…

The Balance

ٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍۢ ٥
وَٱلنَّجْمُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ ٦
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلْمِيزَانَ ٧
أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْمِيزَانِ ٨
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلْوَزْنَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا۟ ٱلْمِيزَانَ ٩
وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَضَعَهَا لِلْأَنَامِ ١٠
فِيهَا فَـٰكِهَةٌۭ وَٱلنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ ٱلْأَكْمَامِ ١١
وَٱلْحَبُّ ذُو ٱلْعَصْفِ وَٱلرَّيْحَانُ ١٢
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ١٣

The sun and the moon travel with precision.
The stars and the trees bow down in submission.
As for the sky, He raised it high, and set the balance of justice.
So that you do not defraud the scales.
Weigh with justice, and do not give short measure.
He laid out the earth for all beings.
In it are fruit, palm trees with date stalks,
And grain with husks, and aromatic plants.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you humans and jinn both deny? [5—13]

In these next 8 verses, Allah directs the reciter’s/reader’s attention to His signs in nature: the sun, the moon, the stars and trees, and how they exist exactly as they He has programmed them to (يَسْجُدَانِ), and how everything works together in nature in total balance (ٱلْمِيزَانَ).

ٱلْمِيزَانَ is an Arabic word that rhymes perfectly with ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ,ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ,ٱلْبَيَانَ and ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ. It refers to the silent, incessant unison with which the components of nature all work together like clockwork, through the four seasons of the year,—never malfunctioning, breaking down, or going off track; not even in the slightest. That is why, Allah exhorts His creation to maintain the same level of truth, precision and justice in their worldly endeavors, as they see in the natural elements around them, including when weighing and measuring objects. Allah forbids them from ever distorting this balance in weighing the measure, and to never fall short (وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا۟) in giving others their rightful due.

Allah then mentions a few components of the one major fact of life, the need of which for basic survival makes humankind always, always turn back to Him: their provision or rizq.

Allah says how He laid out the earth for all living creatures, then names some of its produce: fruit, date-palm trees, leafy/husk-producing grains, and fragrant plants.

He then asks humankind and the jinn: which blessings of your Creator will you both deny?

The question put forth for us is simple: Allah first created you then arranged a beautiful, natural, seasonal worldly mechanism working like clockwork to provide you with what to eat and where to live, in peace and harmony with nature.

Will you now deny these favors of His?

Process of Creation

In the next 4 verses, Allah returns to the topic of His creation of mankind and the jinn, by adding in some details that are part of the Unseen (الغيب):

خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن صَلْصَـٰلٍۢ كَٱلْفَخَّارِ ١٤
وَخَلَقَ ٱلْجَآنَّ مِن مَّارِجٍۢ مِّن نَّارٍۢ ١٥
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ١٦
رَبُّ ٱلْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَغْرِبَيْنِ ١٧
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ١٨

He created humankind from sounding clay like pottery. And created jinn from a smokeless flame of fire.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
He is Lord of the two Easts and the two Wests.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny? [14—18]

A hadith explains the verses above.

A’ishah رضي الله عنها narrated that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said:

خُلِقَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ نُورٍ، وَخُلِقَ الْجَانُّ مِنْ مَارِجٍ مِنْ نَارٍ، وَخُلِقَ آدَمُ مِمَّا وُصِفَ لَكُم

“The angels were created from light, the Jinns from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam from what was described to you.” [Musnad Ahmad, Sahih Muslim]

It is noticeable that Surah Al-Rahmān is full of dual-plural words i.e. Arabic words that denote a pair (تثنية). The “two Easts” refer to “[the points of] the winter sunrise and the summer sunrise, and Lord of the two Wests: likewise [i.e. the two points of sunset]”, according to Tafsir Jalalyn.

The differences in the sunrise and sunset times around the world, according to the season of the year and the geographical location, were deliberately decreed by Allah, because this diversity brings manifold benefits to mankind, merely one of them being that all human beings on earth do not work/sleep together. This maintains round-the-clock human productivity, so that, at any time of the day, one part of humankind is at rest (at night), whilst the remaining is at work (in daylight hours).

Allah then asks us again, “Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?”

The oceans

Fact: our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had never set eyes on the sea or an ocean, let alone ride on a ship or sailboat, even once during his life.

Nevertheless, Allah describes a phenomenon in the next verses of Surah Al-Rahmān about the merging of two seas, which modern science has since corroborated, centuries after Allah revealed these verses about “the two seas” in Surah Al-Rahmān to the Prophet:

مَرَجَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ ١٩
بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌۭ لَّا يَبْغِيَانِ ٢٠
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٢١
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا ٱللُّؤْلُؤُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ ٢٢
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٢٣
وَلَهُ ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْمُنشَـَٔاتُ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ كَٱلْأَعْلَـٰمِ ٢٤
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٢٥
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍۢ ٢٦
وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ٢٧
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٢٨

He merges the two bodies of fresh and salt water.
Yet, between them is a barrier they never cross.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Out of both waters come forth pearls and coral.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
To Him belong the ships with raised sails, sailing through the seas like mountains.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Every being on earth is bound to perish. Only your Lord Himself, full of Majesty and honor, will remain forever.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny? [19—28]

A lot is said about the two seas, one having fresh water and the other having salty water, which do not mix, although when viewed by the human eye, they (apparently) merge, in several places around the world.

Oceanographers have made several discoveries over the past decades, which corroborate these verses. According to Tafsir ibn Kathir, “The two seas are the fresh and salty waters, the former coming from running rivers. He (Allah) has placed a barrier of land between these two types of waters, so that they do not transgress upon each other, which would spoil the characteristics they were created with.”

Allah then mentions the pearls and coral that the seas produce, which are of benefit to us. It is also a fact that the first ship ever, was built by Prophet Noah عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ in submission to the command of Allah. Therefore, the colossal ships that mankind builds and benefits from, in the form of safe transport across the vast seas that boosts international ties and trade, are a great blessing from Allah.

The word ٱلْمُنشَـَٔاتُ means hoisted or raised up, because humongous ships easily float in the water with most of their physical form held upright above its surface. This is a sign from Allah, because many smaller objects quickly sink in the sea. The word ٱلْأَعْلَـٰمِ is the plural of the word عَلَم, which means “a sign, mark, token, badge. landmark, or a mountain”.

Had Allah not taught mankind how to build a ship through that first (Noah’s) Ark, mankind would not be able to sail from one continent to another upon the seas until air travel came into being. For thousands of years prior to air travel, it was just these colossal ships (ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْمُنشَـَٔاتُ) that enabled human beings to travel upon the seas across continents, making it possible for them to traverse the entire earth, from one corner to another.

As a reminder about who, however, is ultimately in-charge, Allah exhorts that everything upon the earth will perish one day, and only Allah,—as the only ever sole Divine deity,—will prevail.

That is why, He asks us, again: which more of the blessings of your Creator will you (both) deny?

Galaxies

At this point in this surah, begins a proclamation of power and authority. In the next few verses, Allah first proclaims His greatness as the Creator, by exhorting how whatever is in the heavens and the earth (i.e. His creation) asks of Him, and how every day He is in a state (this is from the Unseen matters or الغَيب).

يَسْـَٔلُهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأْنٍۢ ٢٩
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٠
سَنَفْرُغُ لَكُمْ أَيُّهَ ٱلثَّقَلَانِ ٣١
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٢
يَـٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا۟ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنفُذُوا۟ ۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَـٰنٍۢ ٣٣
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٤
يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا شُوَاظٌۭ مِّن نَّارٍۢ وَنُحَاسٌۭ فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ ٣٥
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٦

All those in the heavens and the earth are dependent on Him. Day in and day out, He has something to bring about.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
We will soon attend to you for judgment, O two multitudes of jinn and humans!
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
O assembly of jinn and humans! If you can penetrate beyond the realms of the heavens and the earth, then do so. But you cannot do that without Our authority.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Flames of fire and molten copper will be sent against you, and you will not be able to defend one another.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny? [29—36]

Allah reminds the humankind and the jinn that one day they will be judged for their actions. He then mentions how none of them can even escape from or transcend the corners (أَقْطَارِ) of the heavens and the earth, except with force or authority (سُلْطَـٰنٍۢ).

The Arabic word قَطَرَ means to drip, or for something to move in the form of drops. There is a country by this name i.e. Qatar. قُطْرٌ  refers to “a side, part, portion, quarter, tract, or region, of the heavens, and of the earth”, and the word أَقْطَارِ is its plural.

After mentioning the ships that “rise up in the sea like mountains” (ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْمُنشَـَٔاتُ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ كَٱلْأَعْلَـٰمِ), which Allah has created for use by mankind, He reminds His creation that none of them yet has the power to transcend the corners of the galaxies in outer space i.e. mankind still does not possess the power to transcend the limits of the universe that it dwells in, to move about freely in outer space and in the many undiscovered universes far away, beyond their own.

The verse also clearly implies that no one from among the mankind and jinn can ever escape Allah’s decree, orders, rule, judgment, or punishment, except if Allah grants the permission or authority for it (بِسُلْطَـٰنٍۢ). This also includes the state of Allah’s creation on the Day of Judgement, when the angels will have surrounded them on all sides. There will be no escape from Allah.

For anyone who tries running away out of terror that day, a ball of fire will be sent in pursuit to ambush them. According to Tafsir ibn Kathir, this verse means, “If you, mankind and jinns, try to escape on the Day of Resurrection, then the angels, including those among them who guard Hellfire, will bring you back by directing smoke of fire and molten brass on you.”

Ibn Abbas رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ said that شُوَاظٌۭ مِّن نَّارٍۢ is the flame of fire.

The proceeding verses go on to describe more pictorially graphic details of the Day of Judgment.

Day of Judgement: punishment for transgressors

فَإِذَا ٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ وَرْدَةًۭ كَٱلدِّهَانِ ٣٧
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٨
فَيَوْمَئِذٍۢ لَّا يُسْـَٔلُ عَن ذَنۢبِهِۦٓ إِنسٌۭ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ ٣٩
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٤٠
يُعْرَفُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِٱلنَّوَٰصِى وَٱلْأَقْدَامِ ٤١
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٤٢
هَـٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِى يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ ٤٣
يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ ءَانٍۢ ٤٤
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٤٥

How will it be when the heavens will split apart, becoming rose-red like burnt oil!
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
On that Day there will be no need for any human or jinn to be asked about their sins. Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
The wicked will be recognized by their appearance, then will be seized by their forelocks and feet.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
They will be told, “This is the Hell which the transgressors denied.” They will alternate between its flames and scalding water.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny? [37—45]

A bone-chilling, goosebumps-producing description of the torment of the sinners and criminals follows, which will be meted out to them on the Day of Resurrection and beyond; the day on which the skies will break apart and appear maroon in color.

Allah uses stern words to describe how the faces of the evildoers will first be used to identify them, then how they will be seized (by Allah’s angels, akin to an arrest; “Identify & Arrest” strategy) at their body extremities (forelocks and feet), and after that, how they will be taken around in turns, between the blazing Hell-Fire (the existence of which they used to reject as a reality, back in the life of this world) and scalding, boiling water.

In a highly ironic manner, which sends chills of terror down the spine, Allah then asks us: which favors of His will you now deny?

Rewards for the believers

Never does Allah mention a punishment of sinners and transgressors in the Qur’an, but He accompanies it with a specious description of the rewards that He will grant to believers,—for their obedience, repentance, acts of worship, and submission (to Him).

In fact, the last one-third portion of Surah Al-Rahmān, comprising of around 30 verses, is all about describing the believers’ rewards in the Hereafter.

وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ جَنَّتَانِ ٤٦
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٤٧
ذَوَاتَآ أَفْنَانٍۢ ٤٨
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٤٩
فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ تَجْرِيَانِ ٥٠
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٥١
فِيهِمَا مِن كُلِّ فَـٰكِهَةٍۢ زَوْجَانِ ٥٢
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٥٣
مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ فُرُشٍۭ بَطَآئِنُهَا مِنْ إِسْتَبْرَقٍۢ ۚ وَجَنَى ٱلْجَنَّتَيْنِ دَانٍۢ ٥٤
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٥٥
فِيهِنَّ قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌۭ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ ٥٦ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٥٧
كَأَنَّهُنَّ ٱلْيَاقُوتُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ ٥٨
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٥٩
هَلْ جَزَآءُ ٱلْإِحْسَـٰنِ إِلَّا ٱلْإِحْسَـٰنُ ٦٠
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٦١

And whoever is in awe of standing before their Lord will have two Gardens.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Both will be with lush branches.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
In each garden will be two flowing springs.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
In each will be two types of every fruit.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Those believers will recline on furnishings lined with rich brocade.
And the fruit of both Gardens will hang within reach.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
In both Gardens will be maidens of modest gaze, who no human or jinn has ever touched before.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Those maidens will be as elegant as rubies and coral.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Is there any reward for goodness except goodness?
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny? [46—61]

The modern concept of ‘a pleasurable vacation’ in the life of this world involves visiting a peaceful, relaxing, calm, clean, safe, serene and picturesque place, ensconced in a sprawling, beautiful landscape, furnished with plush comforts and luxuries, where ample high-end food and drink is served to guests on platters, and where there is good company of other people to make the experience enjoyable.

This modern concept of a ‘luxurious getaway’ is not original at all. It seems to have been borrowed straight from the description of the pleasures of Paradise that have been vividly described in the Qur’an, which was revealed over 1400 years ago.

An unlimited variety of fresh fruits, lush green gardens having shady trees with low-hanging branches, lofty residences high up in the clouds, waterfalls and streams, plush recliners and silken cushioned seats, and good company.

But, unlike temporary and flawed worldly enjoyments, these pleasures of Paradise will never come to an end.

وَمِن دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ ٦٢
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٦٣
مُدْهَآمَّتَانِ ٦٤
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٦٥
فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ نَضَّاخَتَانِ ٦٦
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٦٧
فِيهِمَا فَـٰكِهَةٌۭ وَنَخْلٌۭ وَرُمَّانٌۭ ٦٨
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٦٩
فِيهِنَّ خَيْرَٰتٌ حِسَانٌۭ ٧٠
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٧١
حُورٌۭ مَّقْصُورَٰتٌۭ فِى ٱلْخِيَامِ ٧٢
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٧٣
لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌۭ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ ٧٤
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٧٥
مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ رَفْرَفٍ خُضْرٍۢ وَعَبْقَرِىٍّ حِسَانٍۢ ٧٦
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٧٧
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ٧٨

And below these two Gardens will be two others.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Both will be dark green.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
In each will be two gushing springs.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
In both will be fruit, palm trees, and pomegranates.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
In all Gardens will be noble, pleasant mates.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
They will be maidens with gorgeous eyes, reserved in pavilions.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
No human or jinn has ever touched these maidens before.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
All believers will be reclining on green cushions and splendid carpets.
Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?
Blessed is the Name of your Lord, full of Majesty and Honor. [62—78]

Allah now says that there will be two other gardens in Paradise situated ‘below’ the two just described. A total of four gardens have now been mentioned.

The reality behind their number, and to what extent they will be different from the two gardens mentioned previously, is from the hidden facts of the Unseen (الغَيْب), about which human beings should avoid irrelevant discussions or hypotheses. Allah alone knows the reality of the first two gardens, and the other two mentioned after them, in Surah Al-Rahmān.

Nevertheless, as I have already pointed out, it is one of the unique characteristics of Surah Al-Rahmān that it contains the repeated mention of pairs of things i.e. it has many words that are identified as the Arabic dual-plural or تثنية.

These two gardens will also have fruits, date-palms, gushing springs, cushioned furnishings and carpets to sit on, and fair maidens for company.

The best part about the rewards of the believers in Paradise will be that, unlike worldly pleasures and getaways, they will never come to an end, nor will there be any fear or grief tainting the indulgence in their enjoyment.

The two kinds of women

At this point, please note something: verse 56 mentions قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ with the next verse (57) describing these women as كَأَنَّهُنَّ ٱلْيَاقُوتُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ, indicating the superiority of their worth (including, but not limited to, physical beauty). They are not referred to as حُورٌ, nor is there any mention of them being “restricted inside tents”.

A little later, verses 70 mentions خَيْرَٰتٌ حِسَانٌۭ followed by verse 72 describing them as حُورٌۭ مَّقْصُورَٰتٌۭ فِى ٱلْخِيَامِ, which implies that these latter women, who will exist in the “lower” 2 gardens, in contrast to the ones mentioned in verse 56, will be “restrained inside tents”.

The Arabic word حَورٌ when used as a verb (حَارَ), means: to go from one state to another, or to return to an original state, to retreat or wane, or to decrease or become defective. The word حوّر (when there is an emphasis on the middle letter) means: to whiten clothes or food. The word حَوَرٌ means: the intense whiteness of the white (part) of the eye, and the intense blackness of the black thereof, with intense whiteness, or fairness, of the rest of the person. [Lane’s lexicon]

The Arabic word خَيْرَٰتٌ can be explained as follows:

“خَيْرَةٌ, of which the plural is خَيْرَاتٌ , signifies anything excellent; and the plural thereof in this sense, خَيْرَاتٌ, signifies excellent in beauty; excellent in righteousness. خَيْرَاتٌ and خَيِّرَاتٌ, both signify good in dispositions. خَيْرَةٌ, applied to a woman, signifies generous in race, exalted in rank, quality, or reputation; goodly in face, good in disposition, possessing much wealth, who, if she bring forth, brings forth a generous child”. [Lane’s lexicon]

No further, specific descriptive mention is made of the worth or beauty of these women i.e. the خَيْرَٰتٌ, except for the single descriptive word حِسَانٌۭ, which means beautiful.

This possibly means that the 2 kinds of women,—the first kind mentioned in verse 56, and the second kind mentioned in verse 72 i.e. قَـٰصِرَٰتُ and خَيْرَٰتٌ, respectively,—will not be the same. Indeed, all the rewards of Paradise will vary greatly according to its level and grade, and there will be several grades therein, each far apart from the ones below and above it.

Arabic words are different for the doers of an action, and for those on whom that action is done i.e. فَاعِلٌ (subject or doer) and مَفْعُولٌ (object). The maidens mentioned first (in verse 56) are the doers i.e. قَاصِر , whereas those mentioned afterwards (in verse 72, the ones inside the tents) are مَّقْصُورَ, i.e. the maidens in the higher 2 gardens do the action of قَصر (i.e. restricting, shortening, or lessening), whilst the other ones in the lower 2 gardens have the action of قَصر done upon them.

The word “قَصر” should be familiar to any born Muslim. It is used to denote the shortening of prayers whilst traveling, and that of cutting the hair after performing `umrah. Literally, قَصر just means the controlling, restricting, shortening, or lessening of something.

The words قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ therefore mean “women who restrict, control, or keep in check, their glances/looks”. Literally, the word ٱلطَّرْفِ means the movement of the eyelids that occurs when someone looks at something (Lane’s lexicon).

This word has been mentioned elsewhere in the Qur’an too. For example,يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ  [14:43] and يَنظُرُونَ مِن طَرْفٍ خَفِىٍّ in [42:45]. The word طَرْف means glance.

At this point, please bear in mind that the Arabic words of the Qur’an do not include the additional, allegedly “explanatory” line that follows the terms قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ in some translations of the Qur’an viz. “from looking at any other man besides their husbands”. This line of explanation in translating the terms قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ was probably penned by male scholars in the past, as their interpretation of this part of the verse.

The Qur’an just mentions قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ i.e. women who control the movement of their eyelids. That is it. Period.

As for the women in the lower 2 gardens, they are first labeled as حُورٌۭ, and then described as مَّقْصُورَٰتٌۭ فِى ٱلْخِيَامِ i.e. “restricted inside tents”. These women are the ones being restricted (in their movement), whereas the first group of women were the ones doing the restricting (upon their own eye movements).

Bring to mind that our mother, Khadijah bint Khuwailid رضي الله عنها, was given the good news of a house made of hollowed out canes/reeds/pipes in Paradise (بِبَيْتٍ لَهَا فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ قَصَبٍ‏), by Archangel Jibreel عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَام, during her lifetime. [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

A similar hadith in Sahih Muslim adds the words لاَ صَخَبَ فِيهِ وَلاَ نَصَبَ to describe this house of hers in Paradise: “in which there will be no fatigue (due to toil), nor any clamor of voices (noise)”.

We all recognize the superior status of Khadijah bint Khuwailid — not only as the first wife of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, but also as a woman having the honor of being among the first few people who embraced Islam in Makkah. She was a pillar of strength, love, moral support and financial patronage to our Prophet ﷺ during a time in his life when he needed it the most.

This should be enough proof that the maidens of Paradise whom Allah describes as حُورٌۭ (white) who are kept “restricted inside tents”, can never have the same status as the believing women, such as our mother, Khadijah (i.e. those female Muslim believers with whom Allah is pleased when their souls depart this world),—as some of the latter will be granted exclusive homes (بِبَيْتٍ) made of special materials like قَصَبٍ in Paradise.

They won’t be called حُورٌۭ, nor will they be kept restricted inside tents (ٱلْخِيَامِ).

So what could the terms قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ mean? It is indeed a question worth thinking about.

If you think about the action of brazenly looking here and there, staring at things without necessity, widening the eyes to glare at someone whilst talking to them, or darting one’s gaze to and fro, whether in a public place or in private,….. you will associate it with crass manners, greed, immaturity, sinister intentions, low self-esteem, and lack of refinement.

Darting one’s eyes about to and fro is an action that is considered impolite, rude, and brash; socially, it is regarded as unrefined etiquette, no matter what the looker is eyeing, at any one moment. I have personally known people whose eyes constantly dart about to look at everything, again and again (without necessity), whether they are inside a home or outside in public, and it looks really bad and off-putting.

In contrast, people (male or female) who keep their eye movements restricted, in private or in public, when alone or in others’ company, exude an aura of humility, dignity, positive self-worth, modesty, gratitude to Allah, and self-sufficiency. They do not concern themselves with others’ affairs, nor stare greedily at whatever glitters from a distance.

Keeping one’s gaze restricted is a hallmark of someone who possesses the praiseworthy traits of modesty (حياء) and moral integrity (غَيْرَة).

Avoid prolonging discussions about Paradise

At this point, I want to emphasize that one should avoid asking inappropriate, offensive and borderline blasphemous questions about the rewards of Paradise that Allah has prepared for both, the believing men and the believing women, in the life of the Hereafter. It is up to Him, which rewards He chooses to mention and describe, and which He chooses to keep unknown and secret (i.e. by not mentioning them at all in the Qur’an and the hadith).

Questions such as “Men will get hoors, what will us women get?”, “What will we do in Jannah? Will we not get bored?” indicate the presence of a disease in the heart of the questioner, and gives away their dissatisfaction with the decree of Allah, plus their doubts about Allah’s law of justice,— all of which are indicators of weak faith.

Sadly, it also often clearly indicates the questioners’ personal choices regarding what they consider to be ‘pleasurable and enjoyable pastimes for having fun’ in life. Even in this world, you will notice how greatly the means undertaken for partaking in enjoyment and leisure (i.e. “having fun”) differ, according to the moral integrity of people involved. Refined, morally upright, and dignified people never enjoy themselves doing what criminals and gangsters do to have fun.

Purity and integrity can never bet at the same level as vice and decadence.

Any believer knows that Allah is pure truth and justice, and no one will be dealt with unjustly, by even an iota, in the Hereafter. Anyone who has recognized their Creator will be satisfied with the rewards of Paradise that Allah has chosen to describe in the Qur’an, in addition to those that He has deliberately kept hidden i.e. those that have not even been mentioned anywhere … either in the Qur’an, or in ahadith.

We should all remember the most repeated verse of Surah Al-Rahmān whenever we give in to the urge to unnecessarily discuss the (apparent) disparity of the rewards in Paradise:

“Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?”

Are we being ungrateful to our benevolent and just Creator, Who has given us so much? We should fear Allah and restrain our tongue, lest we become one of those who reject and find fault with Allah’s innumerable blessings, including the beautiful Paradise that awaits the believers, with its myriad of pleasures and unending peace and serenity.

Exalted, glorified and blessed is the name of Allah, the possessor of ultimate Majesty and Honor.

It is with this apt proclamation that this wonderful surah culminates, leaving us enraptured and enlightened with its illuminative reminders.

Now please join me in responding to the question that our benevolent Allah has put forth to us no less than 31 times in this beautiful surah of the Qur’an:

لَا بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ نِعَمِ رَبِّنَا نُكَذِّب

“None of Your favors, our Lord, do we deny!”