Surah at-Tur (The Mount) 52 : 17

إِنَّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ فِى جَنَّٰتٍ وَنَعِيمٍ

Translations

 
 Muhsin Khan
 Pickthall
 Yusuf Ali
Quran Project
Indeed, the righteous will be in gardens and pleasure,

1. Lessons/Guidance/Reflections/Gems

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Explanatory Note

This scene is close to material comfort. It is of the type that addresses feelings in the early period, tempting the human soul with physical pleasures in their refined form. It contrasts with the scene of crude painful suffering that those who are oblivious to the truth have to face: "The believers will be in gardens and in bliss, rejoicing in all that their Lord will have granted them; for their Lord will have warded off them the suffering ofthe blazingfire." (Verses 17-18). Just mere protection from the suffering of the fire which has already been described is a great blessing. How is it to be viewed then when it is coupled with admission into gardens and bliss?

2. Linguistic Analysis

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Frequency of Root words in this Ayat used in this Surah *


3. Surah Overview

4. Miscellaneous Information

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5. Connected/Related Ayat

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6. Frequency of the word

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7. Period of Revelation

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From the internal evidence of the subject matter it appears that this Surah too was revealed in the same stage of the Prophet’s life at Makkah in which the Surah 51: adh-Dhariyat (The Scattering Winds) was revealed. While going through it one can clearly feel that during the period of its revelation the Prophet was being showered with objections and accusations but there is no evidence yet to show that severe persecution of the Muslims had started.

8. Reasons for Revelation

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9. Relevant Hadith

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10. Wiki Forum

Comments in this section are statements made by general users – these are not necessarily explanations of the Ayah – rather a place to share personal thoughts and stories…

11. Tafsir Zone

 

Overview

(Verses 17 - 28)

For Believers and Offspring

The second section of the surah is one of excitement, spreading comfort and happiness, particularly after the preceding scenes of outright distress:

The believers will be in gardens and in bliss, rejoicing in all that their Lord will have granted them; for their Lord will have warded off from them the suffering of the blazing fire. 'Eat and drink with healthy enjoyment as a reward for what you have done.' They will recline on couches arranged in rows, and We shall pair them with companions having most beautiful eyes. As for the believers whose offspring follow them in faith, We shall unite them with their offspring; and We shall not deny them anything of the reward for their deeds. Yet every individual will be held in pledge for his own deeds. We provide them with fruit and meat as they desire. They pass around a cup which will not lead to idle talk or to sin. They will be waited upon by youths of their own, [as pure] as pearls hidden in their shells. They will turn to one another, asking each other. They will say: 'When we were still living with our kinsfolk, we were fiat of fear, and so God has been gracious to us, and warded off from us suffering through the scorching wind. We used to pray to Him: He is the Beneficent, the Ever Merciful.' (Verses 17-28)

This scene is close to material comfort. It is of the type that addresses feelings in the early period, tempting the human soul with physical pleasures in their refined form. It contrasts with the scene of crude painful suffering that those who are oblivious to the truth have to face: "The believers will be in gardens and in bliss, rejoicing in all that their Lord will have granted them; for their Lord will have warded off them the suffering of the blazing fire." (Verses 17-18) Just mere protection from the suffering of the fire which has already been described is a great blessing. How is it to be viewed then when it is coupled with admission into gardens and bliss? Moreover, these believers enjoy what God provides them with. It is all comfort and luxury plus hospitality and honour: "Eat and drink with healthy enjoyment as a reward for what you have done." (Verse 19) This in itself is a great blessing.
 
As they are so addressed from on high, they are told that they deserve whatever reward they are given. Furthermore, they will "recline on couches arranged in rows," giving them the pleasure of their brethren's company in such blissful surroundings. Yet, "We shall pair them with companions having most beautiful eyes." (Verse 20) This represents man's best enjoyment.

Further honour is granted as their offspring, who are also believers, join them in their place of bliss. This is added care. Even if their offspring do not attain the standards of the God-fearing, as long as they are believers, they join their parents without detracting anything from their parents' reward. In no way, however, does this detract from personal responsibility and individual accountability. Rather, it is a favour that God bestows on them all: "As for the believers whose offspring follow them in faith, We shall unite them with their offspring; and We shall not deny them anything of the reward of their deeds. Yet every individual will be held in pledge for his own deeds." (Verse 21)

More is added to the scene as we are introduced to other aspects of enjoyment in an atmosphere of perfect happiness. These dwellers of heaven are given varieties of fruits and meat, and they pass around a cup containing a drink that is totally different from the wines of this present world which loosen tongues with foul and dirty speech and tempt people into physical and mental sin. It is a pure drink causing no wrong: "They pass around a cup which will not lead to idle talk or to sin." (Verse 23) They are gathered together as they pass it around, enjoying each other's company. At the same time they are served by youths who reflect pure innocence and a shining friendliness: "They will be waited upon by youths of their own, [as pure] as pearls hidden in their shells." (Verse 24)

This warm and happy scene is carried further as we are shown how these people in heaven converse, recalling memories of their worldly lives and outlining the reasons that ensured their happy end, with all its security, luxury; gratification and bliss. Thus the secret is given out and the way leading to this blissful ending is marked for all travelers: "They will turn to one another, asking each other. They will say: 'When we were still living with our kinsfolk, we were fill of fear, and so God has been gracious to us, and warded off us suffering through the scorching wind. We used to pray to Him: He is the Beneficent, the Ever Merciful.'" (Verses 25-28)

Thus, the secret is that they were always apprehensive about their outcome on the Day of Judgement. They feared what would happen when their records would be laid open and they would be called to account for their deeds. They entertained such apprehensions when they were with their families, enjoying seeming security, deceptive safety and dealing with worldly preoccupations. Yet they were neither deceived nor distracted. Therefore, God bestowed His grace on them and spared them the sort of suffering that seeps through the blood system like scorching poison. They realize that they are spared such suffering only by God's grace, which is bestowed in response to their fearing what the Day of judgement might bring them. They certainly know that on its own, good action is not enough to admit the person doing it into heaven unless God bestows His grace on the person doing it. All that good action achieves is to testify that its doer has done his best, choosing what pleases God and earning His grace.

With all this fear and apprehension, the believers used to pray in earnest: "We used to pray to Him." They were fully aware of those attributes of God that ensure goodly reward for His servants: "He is the Beneficent, the Ever Merciful." (Verse 28)
 


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