English tafsir abridged from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Hafiz Ibn Kathir), abridgement by Shaykh Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri (Darussalam), via Quran.com.
These two gardens are lower, in virtue and in status than the two before them, as supported in the Qur'an.
Allah said:
وَمِن دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ
(And below these two, there are two other Gardens.) We previously mentioned the Hadith stating that there are two gardens made of gold, their vessels and all they contain, and there are two gardens made of silver, their vessels and all they contain. The first two are for the near believers (Muqarribin) and the latter two are for those on the right (Ashab Al-Yamin). Abu Musa commented, "There are two gardens made of gold for the Muqarribin and two gardens made of silver for Ashab Al-Yamin." There are several proofs that the former two gardens in Paradise are better in grade than the latter. Allah mentioned the former two gardens before the latter two, thus indicating their significance, then He said,
وَمِن دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ
(And below these two, there are two other Gardens.) And this is an obvious form of honoring the first two gardens over the latter two. Allah described the former gardens:
ذَوَاتَآ أَفْنَانٍ
(With Afnan), which are the extending branches, as we explained, or various types of delights. But He said about the latter two gardens,
مُدْهَآمَّتَانِ
(Mudhammatan), being dark, because of the intense irrigation. Ibn `Abbas said, "Mudhammatan means, they have become dark green because of extensive water irrigation." Muhammad bin Ka`b said:
مُدْهَآمَّتَانِ
(Mudhammatan) "Full of greenery." There is no doubt that the former two gardens are better, their branches are fresh, youthful and intermingling. Allah said about the former two gardens,
فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ تَجْرِيَانِ
(In them (both) will be two springs flowing (free)), while He said about the springs of the latter two gardens,
نَضَّاخَتَانِ
(Naddakhatan); `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas: "It means gushing. And the free flowing is stronger than gushing." Ad-Dahhak said that,
نَضَّاخَتَانِ
(gushing forth) means, they are full of water and constantly gushing. Allah said about the former two gardens,
فِيهِمَا مِن كُلِّ فَـكِهَةٍ زَوْجَانِ
(In them (both) will be every kind of fruit in pairs), but He said about the latter two gardens,
فِيهِمَا فَـكِهَةٌ وَنَخْلٌ وَرُمَّانٌ
(In them (both) will be fruits, and date palms and pomegranates.) There is no doubt that the first description is better and refers to more of a variety and more types of fruit. Allah said about the latter two gardens, Allah then said;
فِيهِنَّ خَيْرَتٌ حِسَانٌ
(Therein will be Khayrat Hisan;) meaning, there are various types of good and delightful things in these two gardens in Paradise, according to Qatadah. It was also said that Khayrat is plural of Khayrah and it is a righteous, well-mannered, beautiful woman, according to the majority of scholars, and it is also reported from Umm Salamah as a Hadith from the Prophet . There is another Hadith saying that Al-Hur Al-`Ayn will sing,
«نَحْنُ الْخَيْرَاتُ الْحِسَانُ، خُلِقْنَا لِأَزْوَاجٍ كِرَام»
("We are Al-Khayrat Al-Hisan, we were created for honorable husbands.") Allah said:
حُورٌ مَّقْصُورَتٌ فِى الْخِيَامِ
(Hur (beautiful, fair females) guarded in pavilions;) but He said about the first two gardens,
فِيهِنَّ قَـصِرَتُ الطَّرْفِ
(Wherein both will be Qasirat At-Tarf,) There is no doubt that the chaste wives that restrain their glances themselves, are better than those guarded in pavilions even though both are secluded. About Allah's saying:
فِى الْخِيَامِ
(in pavilions;) Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah bin Qays said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْمَةً مِنْ لُؤْلُؤَةٍ مُجَوَّفَةٍ، عَرْضُهَا سِتُّونَ مِيلًا، فِي كُلِّ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنْهَا أَهْلٌ، مَا يَرَوْنَ الْاخَرِينَ يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمُؤْمِنُون»
(Verily, in Paradise, the believer will have a tent from a hollow pearl, the width thereof is sixty miles. In each corner of it there are wives for the believer that do not see the other wives, and the believer will visit them all.) In another narration the Prophet said that this tent is thirty miles wide. Muslim recorded this Hadith and in his narration, the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَخَيْمَةً مِنْ لُؤْلُؤَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ مُجَوَّفَةٍ، طُولُهَا سِتُّونَ مِيلًا، لِلْمُؤْمِنِ فِيهَا أَهْلٌ يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمُؤْمِنُ فَلَا يَرَى بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا»
(Verily in Paradise, the believer will have a tent made of a hollow pearl the length thereof being sixty miles. In it, the believer will have wives who do not see each other, and the believer will visit them all.) Allah the Exalted said,
لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلاَ جَآنٌّ
(Whom never were deflowered by a human before nor Jinn.) We explained this meaning before. Allah added in the description of the first group of the believers' wives,
كَأَنَّهُنَّ الْيَاقُوتُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
(they are like Yaqut (rubies) and Marjan (pearls). Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny) Allah said,
مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَى رَفْرَفٍ خُضْرٍ وَعَبْقَرِىٍّ حِسَانٍ
(Reclining on green Rafraf and rich beautiful `Abqariy. ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas: "Rafraf means cushions." Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others also said that Rafraf means cushions. Al-`Ala' bin Badr said: "The Rafraf are arrayed hanging over the couches." Allah's statement,
وَعَبْقَرِىٍّ حِسَانٍ
(and rich beautiful `Abqariy.) Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said that `Abqariy means rich carpets. Allah said,
تَبَـرَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى الْجَلَـلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ
(Blessed be the Name of your Lord (Allah) Dhil-Jalal wal-Ikram,) Allah states that He is Worthy of being honored and always obeyed, revered and thus worshipped, appreciated and never unappreciated, and remembered and never forgotten. `Abdullah bin `Abbas said that,
ذِى الْجَلَـلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ
(Dhil-Jalal wal-Ikram) means, the Owner of greatness and pride. In a Hadith, the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ مِنْ إِجْلَالِ اللهِ إِكْرَامُ ذِي الشَّيْبَةِ الْمُسْلِمِ، وَذِي السُّلْطَانِ، وَحَامِلِ الْقُرْآنِ غَيْرِ الْغَالِي فِيهِ، وَلَا الْجَافِي عَنْه»
(Verily, among the acts of venerating Allah, are honoring the elderly Muslims, the one in authority, and carrier (memorizer) of the Qur'an who avoids extremism and laziness with it." Imam Ahmad recorded that Rabi`ah bin `Amir said that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,
«أَلِظُّوا بِذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَام»
(Persist (in invoking Allah) with, "Ya Dhal-Jalal wal-Ikram (O Owner of greatness and honor).") An-Nasa'i also collected this Hadith. Muslim and the Four Sunan compilers recorded that `A'ishah said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would (say the) Salam (completing prayer), he would only sit as long as it takes him to say,
«اللْهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ، تَبَارَكْتَ يَاذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَام»
(O Allah! You are As-Salam, and peace comes from You. Blessed be You Ya Dhal-Jalal wal-Ikram.)." This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Ar-Rahman, all praise is due to Allah and all favors come from Him.
Which was revealed in Makkah
The Virtues of Surat Al-Waqi`ah
Abu Ishaq reported from `Ikrimah from Ibn `Abbas that Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger! You are becoming gray" The Messenger ﷺ replied,
«شَيَّبَتْنِي هُودٌ وَالْوَاقِعَةُ وَالْمُرْسَلَاتُ وَعَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ وَإِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَت»
(Hud (chapter 11), Al-Waqi`ah (56), Al-Mursalat (77), `Amma Yatasa'alun (78) and Idha Ash-Shamsu Kuwwirat (81) have made me gray.) At-Tirmidhi collected this Hadith and said, "Hasan Gharib."
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Horrors of the Day of Resurrection
Al-Waqi`ah (the occurrence), is one of the names of the Day of Resurrection, because that Day is real and will surely come. Allah the Exalted said in other Ayat,
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ
(Then on that Day shall the Waqi`ah occur.)( 69:15) Allah the Exalted said,
لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ
(There is not, for its occurrence, Kadhibah.) means, when He commands the Day of Resurrection to begin, none can stop it from happening or prevent it from beginning,
اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِرَبِّكُمْ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ مَرَدَّ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ
(Answer the call of your Lord before there comes from Allah a Day which can not be averted.) (42:47),
سَأَلَ سَآئِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ - لِّلْكَـفِرِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَافِعٌ
(A questioner asked concerning a torment about to occur -- upon the disbelievers, which none can avert.)(70:1-2),
وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُ قَوْلُهُ الْحَقُّ وَلَهُ الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّوَرِ عَـلِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَـدَةِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ
(And on the Day He will say: "Be!" -- and it is! His Word is the Truth. His will be the dominion on the Day when the Trumpet will be blown. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the All-Wise, Well Aware.)(6:73) As for the meaning of
كَاذِبَةٌ
(Kadhibah) Muhammad bin Ka`b said: "It will certainly occur," while Qatadah said, "It shall not be discontinued, taken back or aborted. Allah's statement,
خَافِضَةٌ رَّافِعَةٌ
(Bringing low, exalting.) indicates that Al-Waqi`ah lowers some people to the lowest parts of the Fire, even if they had been mighty in this life. It also elevates others to the highest grades in the residence of eternal delight, even if they were weak in this life. This was said by Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas:
خَافِضَةٌ رَّافِعَةٌ
(Bringing low, exalting), "It made the near and the far hear it," while `Ikrimah said, "It lowered, and thus those who were close heard it, and elevated, and thus those in the distance heard it." Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said similarly. Allah said,
إِذَا رُجَّتِ الاٌّرْضُ رَجّاً
(When the earth will be shaken with a terrible shake.) meaning, it is shaken and moved violently over all of its surface and through its depths. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and others said about Allah's saying:,
إِذَا رُجَّتِ الاٌّرْضُ رَجّاً
(When the earth will be shaken with a terrible shake.) it means "Violently shaken." Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "The earth will be shaken with all that is in it, just as a sifter is shaken with its contents." This is like Allah's saying:
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الاٌّرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا
(When the earth is shaken with its earthquake.)(99:1) and,
يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّ زَلْزَلَةَ السَّاعَةِ شَىْءٌ عَظِيمٌ
(O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour is a terrible thing.)(22:1). Allah said:
وَبُسَّتِ الْجِبَالُ بَسّاً
(And the mountains will be powdered to dust,) meaning, relentlessly pulverized. This was said by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Qatadah and others. Ibn Zayd said: "The mountains will become just like Allah described them,
كَثِيباً مَّهِيلاً
(A heap of sand poured out.)(73:14)." Allah's saying:
فَكَانَتْ هَبَآءً مُّنبَثّاً
(So that they will become floating dust particles.) Abu Ishaq narrated from Al-Harith, from `Ali: "It will become like the rising dust storm that soon fades away leaving no trace of itself behind." Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas about Allah's saying:
فَكَانَتْ هَبَآءً مُّنبَثّاً
(So that they will become floating dust particles.) "It describes the rising embers from the fire when it is kindled, but when the embers land, they are extinguished quickly." `Ikrimah said, "The floating dust particles that the wind scatters all around," while Qatadah said,
هَبَآءً مُّنبَثّاً
(floating particles), "Like the dry parts of trees that the wind scatters all about." This Ayah is similar to several other Ayat that indicate that the mountains will be moved from their places, demolished and blown off their bases, becoming like carded wool on the Day of Resurrection.
Three Categories of People on the Day of Resurrection
Allah's statement,
وَكُنتُمْ أَزْوَاجاً ثَلَـثَةً
(And you (all) will be in three groups.) This means that people will be divided into three categories on the Day of Resurrection. Some will on the right of Allah's Throne, and they are those who were brought forth from `Adam's right side. This category will be given their Books of Records in their right hand and will be taken to the right side. As-Suddi explained that they will comprise the majority of the residents of Paradise. Another category is those who will be placed to the left of Allah's Throne, and they are those who were brought forth from `Adam's left side. This category will be given their Books of Records in their left hands and will be taken to the left side. They are the residents of the Fire, may Allah save us from their actions. A third category is comprised of those who are the foremost and nearest before Allah. They are in a better grade and status and nearer to Allah than those on the right side. They are the chiefs of those on the right side, because they include the Messengers, Prophets, true believers and martyrs. They are fewer than those on the right side; so Allah said,
فَأَصْحَـبُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ مَآ أَصْحَـبُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ - وَأَصْحَـبُ الْمَشْـَمَةِ مَآ أَصْحَـبُ الْمَشْـَمَةِ - وَالسَّـبِقُونَ السَّـبِقُونَ
(So those on the right -- how will be those on the right! And those on the left -- how will be those on the left! And those foremost will be foremost.) Allah divides people into these three groups upon their death, as indicated by the end of this Surah. Allah mentioned them in His statement as well,
ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَـبَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا فَمِنْهُمْ ظَـلِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَتِ بِإِذُنِ اللَّهِ
(Then We gave the Book as inheritance to such of Our servants whom We chose. Then of them are some who wrong themselves, and of them are some who follow a middle course, and of them are some who are, by Allah's leave, foremost in good deeds.)(35:32) Muhammad bin Ka`b, Abu Hazrah Ya`qub bin Mujahid said that,
وَالسَّـبِقُونَ السَّـبِقُونَ
(And those foremost will be foremost.) is about the Prophets, peace be upon them, while As-Suddi said that they are the residents of the utmost highs (Ahl Al-`Illiyyin, in Paradise). The meaning of foremost is that they were foremost in performing the acts of righteousness just as Allah commanded them,
وَسَارِعُواْ إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَـوَتُ وَالاٌّرْضُ
(And march forth in the way to forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.)(3:133) and,
سَابِقُواْ إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ
(Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord, and Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and the earth.)(57:21) Therefore, those who rush to obey Allah in this life and are foremost in performing acts of righteousness, will be among the foremost believers honored in the Hereafter. Verily, the reward is according to the kind of deed, and as one does, so he is judged. So Allah said:
أُوْلَـئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ فِى جَنَّـتِ النَّعِيمِ
(These will be the nearest (to Allah). In the Gardens of Delight.)
The Reward of the Foremost in Faith
Allah states that the foremost of the close believers are a multitude, a crowd among the earlier generations and a few from the latter generations. There is a difference over the meaning of the first generations and the later generations. Some said that the former means earlier (believing) nations, while the later refers to this Ummah. This was reported from Mujahid and Al-Hasan Al-Basri, in the collection of Ibn Abi Hatim, and this is the preference of Ibn Jarir. He considered it supported by the saying of Allah's Messenger ﷺ:
«نَحْنُ الْاخِرُونَ السَّابِقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة»
(We are the later nation, but the foremost on the Day of Resurrection.) Ibn Jarir did not mention any other interpretation nor did he attribute this view to anyone else. There is another Hadith that could support this meaning. Imam Abu Muhammad bin Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that when these Ayat were revealed,
ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ - وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ
(A multitude of those (foremost) will be from the first ones. And a few of those will be from the later ones.), this news became hard for the Companions of the Prophet . These this Ayat,
ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ
(A multitude of those will be from the first ones. And a multitude of those will be from the later ones.), were revealed. The Prophet then said,
«إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، بَلْ أَنْتُمْ نِصْفُ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ أَوْ: شَطْرُ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَتُقَاسِمُونَهُمُ النِّصْفَ الثَّانِي»
(I hope that you will comprise a quarter of the residents of Paradise, a third of the residents of Paradise. Rather, you are a half of the residents of Paradise, and will have a share in the other half.) Imam Ahmad also recorded this. However, this opinion that Ibn Jarir chose is questionable, rather it is a deficient interpretation. This is because this Ummah is the best of all nations, according to the text of the Qur'an. Therefore, it is not possible that the foremost believers from earlier nations are more numerous than those of in this Ummah; the opposite is true. The latter opinion is the correct one, that,
ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ
(A multitude of those will be from the first ones), refers to the earlier generations of this Ummah, while,
وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ
(And a few of those will be from the later ones.), refers to the latter people of this Ummah. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that As-Sari bin Yahya said that Al-Hasan recited this Ayah,
وَالسَّـبِقُونَ السَّـبِقُونَ - أُوْلَـئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ فِى جَنَّـتِ النَّعِيمِ ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ
(And those foremost will be foremost. These will be the nearest (to Allah). In the Gardens of Delight. A multitude of those will be from the first ones.), Then he commented, "A multitude from the earlier generation of this Ummah." Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded that Muhammad bin Sirin commented:
ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ - وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ
(A multitude of those will be from the first ones. And a few of those will be from the later ones.), "They stated, or hoped that they will all be from this Ummah." Therefore, these are the statements of Al-Hasan and Ibn Sirin that those foremost in faith are all from this Ummah. There is no doubt that the earlier generations of each nation were better than the latter generations. In this pretext, this Ayah might include all previous believing nations. In this regard, it is confirmed in the authentic Hadith compilations, from more than one route, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said;
«خَيْرُ الْقُرُونِ قَرْنِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُم»
(The best people are my generation, then the next generation, then the next generation....) He also said:
«لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ، لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ وَلَا مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ، إِلَى قِيَامِ السَّاعَة»
(A group of my Ummah will always remain on the truth and dominant, unharmed by those who fail to support them and those who defy them, until the Last Hour begins.) In another narration:
«حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللهِ تَعَالَى وَهُمْ كَذلِك»
(..until Allah's command comes while they are like this.) This Ummah is more honored than any other Ummah. The foremost believers of this Ummah are more numerous and hold a higher rank than those of other nations, due to the status of their religion and Prophet. In a Mutawatir Hadith, the Prophet mentioned that seventy thousand of this Ummah will enter Paradise without reckoning. In another narration of this Hadith, the Prophet added,
«مَعَ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفًا»
(With each thousand, another seventy thousand.) In yet another narration, he said,
«مَعَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفًا»
(With every one of them is another seventy thousand.) Allah's statement,
عَلَى سُرُرٍ مَّوْضُونَةٍ
(on Thrones, Mawdunah.) Ibn `Abbas said, "Woven with gold." Similar was reported from Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Zayd bin Aslam, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others. Allah said,
مُّتَّكِئِينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَـبِلِينَ
(Reclining thereon, face to face.) indicating that they will face each other, and none of them will be in the back lines,
يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَنٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ
(Immortal boys will go around them), who will never grow up, get old or change in shape,
بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأْسٍ مِّن مَّعِينٍ
(With cups, and jugs, and a glass of flowing wine) these cups do not have handles or spouts, while the jugs sometimes do and sometimes do not. All of them, including the glasses, will contain wine drawn from a flowing spring, not from containers that might get empty. Rather, this spring of wine flows freely,
لاَّ يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلاَ يُنزِفُونَ
(Wherefrom neither Yusadda`un nor Yunzifun.) meaning, they will never get headaches from this wine nor intoxicated. Rather, this wine does not affect their minds, even though it has a strong and tremendously delightful taste. Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas: "The wine (of this life) has four side-effects, it intoxicates, gives headaches, induces vomiting and causes excessive urine. So Allah mentioned the wine of Paradise free of these characteristics." Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Atiyah Al-`Awfi, Qatadah and As-Suddi said that Allah's statement,
لاَّ يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا
(Wherefrom neither Yusadda`un) means, "It does not give them a headache." While they said that
وَلاَ يُنزِفُونَ
(nor will they Yunzifun. ) means that "It does not change their sense of reasoning." Allah's statement,
وَفَـكِهَةٍ مِّمَّا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ - وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِّمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ
(And with fruit that they may choose. And with the flesh of fowls that they desire.) meaning, whatever fruits they wish for will be distributed among them. This Ayah is a proof that we are allowed to choose the fruits that we prefer and wish to eat. Imam Ahmad recorded that Thabit said that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked dreams. A man might have a dream, so he would ask about him if he did not know him, and would like to hear the dream if that man was praised for his good qualities. Once a woman came to him and said, "O Allah's Messenger! I had a dream that I was taken out of Al-Madinah and entered Paradise. I heard noise because of which Paradise wept. I looked and found so-and-so, so-and-so,' and she mentioned the names of twelve men whom the Prophet had sent with a military expedition. They were later brought on (in Paradise, in the dream) with their wounds still bleeding. It was said, `Take them to the river Baydakh or -- Baydhakh.' They were taken to that river and submerged in it and their faces turned as radiant as the full moon. They were brought a plate made of gold containing green dates. They ate as much of the green dates they wanted to and whenever they turned that plate around, they would eat from the fruit it contained, as much as they wanted, and I (the woman said) ate with them." Later on, that army sent an emissary to convey the news (of the battle) and he said that so-and-so and so-and-so died, mentioning the names of the twelve men who were mentioned in the dream. So, Allah's Messenger ﷺ called the woman and again asked her to mention her story, and she did. This is the narration that Abu Ya`la collected, and Al-Hafiz Ad-Diya' said, "This Hadith meets the criteria of Muslim." Allah said,
وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِّمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ
(And with the flesh of fowls that they desire.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«إِنَّ طَيْرَ الْجَنَّةِ كَأَمْثَالِ الْبُخْتِ، يَرْعَى فِي شَجَرِ الْجَنَّة»
(Birds of Paradise are like Bukht camels that graze in the trees of Paradise.) Abu Bakr commented, "O Allah's Messenger! Surely, these birds must be wonderful." The Messenger ﷺ said,
«آكِلُهَا أَنْعَمُ مِنْهَا»
(Those who eat them are more wonderful.) and repeated this statement thrice. The Prophet went on,
«وَإِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونَ مِمَّنْ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا»
(And I hope that you will be among those who eat from them.) Only Imam Ahmad collected this Hadith using this chain of narration. Allah said;
كَأَمْثَـلِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ
(Like unto preserved pearls.), indicating that they are just as white and pure fresh pearls. We mentioned Allah's statement,
كَأَنَّهُنَّ بَيْضٌ مَّكْنُونٌ
(As if they were eggs preserved.)(37:49), in Surat As-Saffat (chapter 37), and also their description in Surat Ar-Rahman (chapter 55). This is why Allah said afterwards,
جَزَآءً بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
(A reward for what they used to do.) meaning, `these delights that We granted them are rewards for the good deeds that they performed (in this life).' Allah the Exalted said,
لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْواً وَلاَ تَأْثِيماً - إِلاَّ قِيلاً سَلَـماً سَلَـماً
(No Laghw (evil vain talk) will they hear therein, nor any sinful speech. But only the saying of: "Salaman (peace,)! Salaman (peace.)!") meaning they will not hear foul or unnecessary speech in Paradise.
لاَّ تَسْمَعُ فِيهَا لَـغِيَةً
(Where they shall neither hear harmful speech nor falsehood.) (88:11), meaning, no foul words are uttered therein. Allah said,
وَلاَ تَأْثِيماً
(nor any sinful speech.) meaning, nor speech that contains foul words,
إِلاَّ قِيلاً سَلَـماً سَلَـماً
(But only the saying of: "Salaman (peace!), Salaman (peace!)."), they will greet each other with Salam, just as Allah said in another Ayah,
تَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلَـمٌ
(Their greeting therin will be: "Salaman (peace!).") (14:23) And, as we mentioned, their words will be free from impure and needless speech.