[[ Asad’s note – on 56:22

8 The noun hur - rendered by me as "companions pure" - is a plural of both ahwar (masc.) and hawra (fern.), either of which describes "a person distinguished by ha war", which latter term primarily denotes "intense whiteness of the eyeballs and lustrous black of the iris" (Qamus). In a more general sense, hawar signifies simply "whiteness" (Asas) or, as a moral qualification, "purity" (cf Tabari, Razi and Ibn Kathir in their explanations of the term hawariyyun in 3:52). Hence, the compound expression hurin signifies, approximately, "pure beings [or, more specifically,

"companions pure"], most beautiful eye" (which latter is the meaning of in, the plural of ayan). In his comments on the identical expression in 52:20, Razi observes that inasmuch as a person's eye reflects his soul more clearly than any other part of the human body, in may be understood as "rich of soul" or "soulful". As regards the term hur in its more current, feminine connotation, quite a number of the earliest Qur'an - commentators - among them Al-Hasan al-Basri - understood it as signifying no more and no less than "the righteous among the women of the human kind" (Tabari) - "[even] those toothless old women of yours whom God will resurrect as new beings" (Al-Hasan, as quoted by Razi in his comments on 44:54). See in this connection also note on 38:52. ]]




56. Al-Waqiah (That Which Must Come To Pass)

Mecca Period

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:



وَالسَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ ﴿١٠﴾

56: 10.  And those Foremost (in Faith) will be Foremost (in the Hereafter).

C5226. Foremost (in Faith)":

there are two meanings, and both are implied

Verses 8, 9 and 10 mention the three main categories or classifications after Judgment. In the subsequent verses their happiness or misery are described. This category, Foremost in Faith, is nearest to Allah.

 

أُوْلَئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ ﴿١١﴾

56: 11.  These will be those Nearest to Allah:

C5227. See n. 5223 above.

Nearness to Allah is the test of the highest Bliss. (R).

فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ ﴿١٢﴾

56: 12.  In Gardens of Bliss:

ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿١٣﴾

56: 13.  A number of people from those of old,

C5228. Of great Prophets and Teachers there were many before the time of the holy Prophet Muhammad. As he was the last of the Prophets, he and the great Teachers under his Dispensation will be comparatively fewer in number, but their teaching is the sum and flower of all mankind's spiritual experience.

وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ الْآخِرِينَ ﴿١٤﴾

56: 14.  And a few from those of later times.

عَلَى سُرُرٍ مَّوْضُونَةٍ ﴿١٥﴾

56: 15.  (They will be) on Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones).

C5229. Cf. 15:47; 37:44, 52:20, and 36:56. {Eds.}

مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَابِلِينَ ﴿١٦﴾

56: 16.  Reclining on them, facing each other.

C5230. But they will not be separate each in his own corner. They will face each other. For they are all one, and their mutual society will be part of their Bliss.

يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَانٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ ﴿١٧﴾

56: 17.  Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness).

C5231. Cf. 52:24, and n.5058.

The youth and freshness with which the attendants will serve is a symbol of true service such as we may expect in the next world. That freshness will be perpetual, and not subject to any moods, or chances, or changes.

بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأْسٍ مِّن مَّعِينٍ ﴿١٨﴾

56: 18.  With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains:

لَا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلَا يُنزِفُونَ ﴿١٩﴾

56: 19.  No after-ache will they receive therefrom,

nor will they suffer intoxication:

C5232. The Feast of Reason and the Flow of Soul are typified by all that is best in the feasts in this imperfect world, but there will be none of the disadvantages incident to such feasts in this world, such as satiety, aches, excess, a sense of exhaustion, or loss of senses, etc. Cf. 37:47, and n. 4063.

A goblet is a bowl without handles;

a beaker has a "lip" and a stem;

"cup" is a general term.

وَفَاكِهَةٍ مِّمَّا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ ﴿٢٠﴾

56: 20.  And with fruits, any that they may select;

وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِّمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ ﴿٢١﴾

56: 21.  And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire.

وَحُورٌ عِينٌ ﴿٢٢﴾

56: 22.  And (there will be) Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes --

C5233. Cf. 44:54, and n. 4729.

The companionship of Beauty and Grace is one of the highest pleasures of life. In this bodily life it takes bodily form. In the higher life it takes a higher form. (R).

كَأَمْثَالِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ ﴿٢٣﴾

56: 23.  Like unto Pearls well-guarded.

C5234. Cf. 52:24, where this description is applied to the youths who serve. See also n. 5058 there.

In 56:78 below the adjective maknun is applied to the Quran, "the well guarded Book".

جَزَاء بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٢٤﴾

56: 24.  A Reward for the Deeds of their past (Life).

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا ...

56: 25.  No frivolity will they hear therein

C5235. Cf. 52:23.

Apart from physical ills worldly feasts or delights are apt to suffer from vain or frivolous discourse, idle boasting, foolish flattery, or phrases pointed with secret venom or moral mischief. The negation of these from spiritual Bliss follows as a matter of course, but it is specially insisted on to guard against the perversities of human nature, which likes to read ill into the best that can be put in words.

... وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا ﴿٢٥﴾

nor any taint of ill --

إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا ﴿٢٦﴾

56: 26.  Only the saying,

"Peace! Peace."

C5236. Qil is best translated "saying", rather than "word". For the saying is an act, a thought, a fact, which may be embodied in a word, but which goes far beyond the word. The "Peace of Allah" is an atmosphere which sums up Heaven even better than "Bliss".

 

وَأَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ ﴿٢٧﴾

56: 27.  The Companions of the Right Hand --

what will be the Companions of the Right Hand?

فِي سِدْرٍ مَّخْضُودٍ ﴿٢٨﴾

56: 28.   (They will be) among lote trees without thorns,

C5237. Lote-trees: see 34:16 n. 3814. (R).

وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ ﴿٢٩﴾

56: 29.  Among Talh (Banana) trees with flowers (or fruits) piled one above another --

C5238. Talh: some understand by this the plantain or banana tree, of which the fruit is borne in bunches, one tier above another; but the banana tree does not grow in Arabia and its ordinary Arabic name is Mauz; perhaps it is better to understand a special kind of Acacia tree, which flowers profusely, the flowers appearing in tiers one above another.

وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ ﴿٣٠﴾

56: 30.  In shade long-extended,

وَمَاء مَّسْكُوبٍ ﴿٣١﴾

56: 31.  By water flowing constantly,

وَفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ ﴿٣٢﴾

56: 32.  And fruit in abundance,

لَّا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلَا مَمْنُوعَةٍ ﴿٣٣﴾

56: 33.  Whose season is not limited nor (supply) forbidden,

C5239. As it is not like earthly fruit, its season is not limited, nor is there any prohibition by law or custom or circumstance as to when or how it is to be consumed. (R).

وَفُرُشٍ مَّرْفُوعَةٍ ﴿٣٤﴾

56: 34.  And on Thrones (of Dignity), raised high.

إِنَّا أَنشَأْنَاهُنَّ إِنشَاء ﴿٣٥﴾

56: 35.  We have created (their Companions) of special creation.

C5240. The pronoun in Arabic is in the feminine gender.

It is made clear that these maidens for heavenly society will be of special creation,-of virginal purity, grace, and beauty, inspiring and inspired by love, with the question of time and age eliminated. Thus every person among the righteous will have the Bliss of Heaven and the peace of Allah.

فَجَعَلْنَاهُنَّ أَبْكَارًا ﴿٣٦﴾

56: 36.  And made them virgin-pure (and undefiled)

عُرُبًا أَتْرَابًا ﴿٣٧﴾

56: 37.  Beloved (by nature), equal in age --

لِّأَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ ﴿٣٨﴾

56: 38.  For the companions of the Right Hand.



ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾


56: 39.  A (goodly) number from those of old,

C5241. This class-the righteous-will be a large company in Heaven, belonging to all the ages of the world. Cf. n. 5228 to 56:13 above.

Such is the unbounded Bounty of Allah.

وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْآخِرِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾

56: 40.  And a (goodly) number from those of later times.

Asad’s Version:


56:10 But the foremost shall be [they who in life were] the foremost [in faith and good works]:

(56:11) they who were [always] drawn close unto God!

(56:12) In gardens of bliss [will they dwell] –

(56:13) a good many of those of olden times,

(56:14) but [only] a few of later times. 4


56:15 [They will be seated] on gold-encrusted thrones of happiness,

(56:16) reclining upon them, facing one another [in love]. 5

(56:17) Immortal youths will wait upon them

(56:18) with goblets, and ewers, and cups filled with water from unsullied springs (56:19) by which their minds will not be clouded and which will not make them drunk; (56:20) and with fruit of any kind that they may choose,

(56:21) and with the flesh of any fowl that they may desire. 7


56:22 And [with them will be their] companions pure, most beautiful of eye, most beautiful of eye 8

(56:23) like unto pearls [still] hidden in their shells.

(56:24) [And this will be] a reward for what they did [in life].

(56:25) No empty talk will they hear there, nor any call to sin,

(56:26) but only the tiding of inner soundness and peace.'



56:27 NOW AS FOR those who have attained to righteousness - what of those who have attained to righteousness? 10

(56:28) [They, too, will find themselves] amidst fruit-laden lote-trees,"

(56:29) and acacias flower-clad, (56:30) and shade extended, 12

(56:31) and waters gushing,

(56:32) and fruit abounding, (56:33) never-failing and never out of reach.


56:34 And [with them will be their] spouses, raised high: 13

(56:35) for, behold, We shall have brought them into being in a life renewed,

(56:36) having resurrected them as virgins,"

(56:37) full of love, well-matched (56:38) with those who have attained to righteousness: 15

(56:39) a good many of olden times,

(56:40) and a good many of later times. 16


[[Asad’s notes -

4 The above stress on the "many" and the "few" contains an allusion to the progressive

diminution, in the historical sense, of the element of excellence in men's faith and ethical achievements. (See also note on verses 39-40.)


5 See note on 15:47, which explains the symbolism of the above two verses.


6 This is evidently a symbolic allusion to the imperishable quality - the eternal youthfulness, as it were - of all the experiences in the state described as "paradise" . (See also next two notes.)

7 Regarding this and any other Qur'anic description of the joys of paradise, see 32:17 and, in particular, the corresponding note. The famous hadith quoted in that note must be kept in mind when reading any Qur'anic reference to the state or quality of human life in the hereafter.


8 The noun hur - rendered by me as "companions pure" - is a plural of both ahwar (masc.) and hawra (fern.), either of which describes "a person distinguished by ha war", which latter term primarily denotes "intense whiteness of the eyeballs and lustrous black of the iris" (Qamus). In a more general sense, hawar signifies simply "whiteness" (Asas) or, as a moral qualification, "purity" (cf Tabari, Razi and Ibn Kathir in their explanations of the term hawariyyun in 3:52). Hence, the compound expression hurin signifies, approximately, "pure beings [or, more specifically,

"companions pure"], most beautiful eye" (which latter is the meaning of in, the plural of ayan). In his comments on the identical expression in 52:20, Razi observes that inasmuch as a person's eye reflects his soul more clearly than any other part of the human body, in may be understood as "rich of soul" or "soulful". As regards the term hur in its more current, feminine connotation, quite a number of the earliest Qur'an - commentators - among them Al-Hasan al-Basri - understood it as signifying no more and no less than "the righteous among the women of the human kind" (Tabari) - "[even] those toothless old women of yours whom God will resurrect as new beings" (Al-Hasan, as quoted by Razi in his comments on 44:54). See in this connection also note on 38:52.


9 Lit., "only the saying, 'Peace, peace' (salam)! " Regarding this latter term, see notes on 19:62, and 5:16.

]]