Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

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.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Reward of Those on the Right After Allah mentioned the final destination of those foremost in faith, the nearest to Him, He next mentioned the end of those on the right, the righteous believers. Maymun bin Mihran said that those on the right side are lesser in rank than the foremost in faith. Allah said, وَأَصْحَـبُ الْيَمِينِ مَآ أَصْحَـبُ الْيَمِينِ (And those on the right -- how (fortunate) will be those on the right) who are those on the right, what is their condition and what will their final destination be like Allah next answers this question by saying, فِى سِدْرٍ مَّخْضُودٍ ((they will be) among Sidr Makhdud.) Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ibn Al-Ahwas, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, As-Safr bin Nusayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Abdullah bin Kathir, As-Suddi, Abu Hazrah and several others said, "The kind without thorns." And from Ibn `Abbas: "It is the one that is laden with fruits." This is also reported from `Ikrimah and Mujahid. Similar was also said by Qatadah as we mentioned. So it is the one with a full load of fruits without thorns. So it appears that both meanings apply here. The lote tree, of this life is thorny and carries few fruits. In the Hereafter, it is the opposite; it does not have thorns and carries plenty of fruit, the weight of which strains its trunk. `Utbah bin `Abd As-Sulami said, "I was sitting with Allah's Messenger ﷺ, when a bedouin came and said, `O Messenger of Allah! Have you heard about the tree that has more thorns than any other being in Paradise' Meaning the Talh tree. So Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «إِنَّ اللهَ يَجْعَلُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ شَوْكَةٍ مِنْهَا ثَمَرَةً، مِثْلَ خُصْوَةِ التَّيْسِ الْمَلْبُودِ، فِيهَا سَبْعُونَ لَوْنًا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، لَا يُشْبِهُ لَوْنٌ آخَر» (For each spot that there was a thorn on it, Allah instead put fruit, similar to a castrated tight skinned ram, a food having seventy colors, each different than the other.) Allah's said, وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ (and among Talh Mandud.) refers to large thorny shrub that used to grow in the area of Hijaz (Western Arabia). Mujahid said that مَّنْضُودٍ (Mandud) means: "Its fruits are piled on top of each other. Allah is reminding the Quraysh of these kinds of trees, since they used to like the shade that the Talh and Sidr provided for them." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Sa`id said that وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ (Talh Mandud) means: "The banana tree." And he (Ibn Abi Hatim) said, "Similar is reported from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Hurayrah, Al-Hasan, `Ikrimah, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, Qatadah and Abu Hazrah. " Mujahid and Ibn Zayd said similalry, Ibn Zayd added, "The people of Yemen call the banana tree, Talh." Ibn Jarir mentioned no other explanation for Talh. Allah said, وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ (And in shade Mamdud (extended).) Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ لَا يَقْطَعُهَا، اقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ: وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ » (In Paradise, there is a tree that a rider can travel for a hundred years under its shade but would not be able to pass it. Recite if you will: (And in shade extended.)) Muslim also collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ، اقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ: وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ » (There is a tree in Paradise the shade of which a rider would take one hundred years to pass. Recite if you will: (And in shade extended.)) Muslim, Al-Bukhari and `Abdur-Razzaq collected this Hadith. Allah said, وَفَـكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ - لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ (And fruit in plenty, whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.) indicating that they will have plenty of fruits of various kinds, that which no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of and no heart has ever imagined, as Allah said, كُلَّمَا رُزِقُواْ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقاً قَالُواْ هَـذَا الَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَأُتُواْ بِهِ مُتَشَـبِهاً (Every time they will be provided with a fruit therefrom, they will say: "This is what we were provided with before, "and they will be given things in resemblance.)(2:25) The shape will appear similar, but the taste is different. In the Two Sahihs, Sidrat Al-Muntaha (the tree in the seventh heaven) is described as: «فَإِذَا وَرَقُهَا كَآذَانِ الْفِيَلَةِ، وَنَبْقُهَا مِثْلُ قِلَالِ هَجَر» (...its leaves were like the ears of elephants and its Nabir fruits resembled the clay jugs of Hajar.) The Two Sahihs also collected a Hadith from Ibn `Abbas, who said, "The sun was eclipsed and Allah's Messenger ﷺ led the people in the Eclipse prayer. They asked, `O Allah's Messenger, we saw you reach out for something while standing (in prayer), but then you stepped back.' He said, «إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَتَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا عُنْقُودًا، وَلَوْ أَخَذْتُهُ لَأَكَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ مَا بَقِيَتِ الدُّنْيَا» (I saw Paradise and reached out for a cluster of fruit from it. Had I done so, you would have kept eating from it for the remainder of the life of the world.)" Imam Ahmad recorded that `Utbah bin `Abd As-Sulami said, "A bedouin man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about the Hawd and Paradise. The bedouin asked, `Does Paradise have fruits' The Prophet said, «نَعَمْ، وَفِيهَا شَجَرَةٌ تُدْعَى طُوبَى» (Yes, and it also has a tree called Tuba.) (He ) said something more saying but I could not recall it. The bedouin asked, `Does it look like any of the trees that grow in our area' The Prophet said, «لَيْسَتْ تُشْبِهُ شَيْئًا مِنْ شَجَرِ أَرْضِك» (There is nothing resembling it among the trees in your land.) The Prophet then asked him, «أَتَيْتَ الشَّامَ؟» (Have you traveled to Ash-Sham area) The bedouin said: `No.' The Prophet said, «تُشْبِهُ شَجَرَةً بِالشَّامِ تُدْعَى الْجَوْزَةَ، تَنْبُتُ عَلَى سَاقٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، وَيَنْفَرِشُ أَعْلَاهَا» (It looks like a tree that grows in Ash-Sham area and is called Al-Jawzah, which stands on one stem but its branches grow all around to the fullest extent.) The bedouin asked, `How big is the cluster of its fruits' The Prophet said, «مَسِيرَةُ شَهْرٍ لِلْغُرَابِ الْأَبْقَعِ وَلَا يَفْتُر» (The distance that the crow flies in one month without rest.) The bedouin asked, `How huge its trunk is' The Prophet said, «لَوِ ارْتَحَلَتْ جَذَعَةٌ مِن إِبِلِ أَهْلِكَ مَا أَحَاطَتْ بِأَصْلِهَا، حَتْى تَنْكَسِرَ تَرْقُوَتُهَا هَرَمًا» (If a four-year old she-camel that your family owns travels it, it will not completely pass its trunk until its shoulders break from old age.) The man asked, `Does it bear grapes' The Prophet answered in yes. The bedouin asked, `How big are the grapes' The Prophet said, «هَلْ ذَبَحَ أَبُوكَ تَيْسًا مِنْ غَنَمِهِ قَطُّ عَظِيمًا؟» (Has your father ever slaughtered a ram) The bedouin answered, `Yes,' and the Prophet asked him, «فَسَلَخَ إِهَابَهُ فَأَعْطَاهُ أُمَّكَ فَقَالَ: اتَّخِذِي لَنَا مِنْهُ دَلْوًا؟» (And then he skinned it and gave the skin to your mother and asked her to make a hanging bucket out of it) The bedouin again said yes and said, `This grape would suffice for me and my family!' The Prophet agreed and said, «نَعَمْ، وَعَامَّةَ عَشِيرَتِك» (Yes, and also for the rest of your clan.)" Allah's statement, لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ (Whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.) The supply of these fruits never runs out, winter or summer. Rather, they are always available for those who want to eat from them, forever. Whenever these fruits are desired, they will be available and easy to grasp by Allah's power. Qatadah said, "Nothing will prevent them from reaching out to get these fruits, no branches, thorns or distance." We mentioned a Hadith before that states that whenever someone takes a fruit in Paradise, another one grows in its place. Allah said, afterwards: وَفُرُشٍ مَّرْفُوعَةٍ (And on couches, raised high.) meaning, high, soft and comfortable. Allah said, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ إِنشَآءً - فَجَعَلْنَـهُنَّ أَبْكَـراً - عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins.`Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.) The Ayat describe the women who will be on the beds and couches, but since mentioning the beds hints to them, they were not directly mentioned. For instance, Allah said that Sulayman said, إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِىِّ الصَّـفِنَـتُ الْجِيَادُ - فَقَالَ إِنِّى أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِى حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ (When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well-trained horses of the highest breed. He said, "I did love the good instead of remembering my Lord," till the time was over, and it had hidden in the veil (of night).) (38:31-32), "it" (Tawarat) refers to the sun setting, according to the scholars of Tafsir. Al-Akhfash said that Ayah, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ (Verily, We have created them), implied the maidens of Paradise although it did not mention them directly. Abu `Ubaydah said that they were mentioned before in Allah's statement, وَحُورٌ عِينٌ - كَأَمْثَـلِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ (And Hur (fair females) with wide lovely eyes. Like preserved pearls.) Therefore, Allah's statement, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ (Verily, We have created them), meaning, in the other life, after they became old in this life, they were brought back while virgin, youthful, being delightfully passionate with their husbands, beautiful, kind and cheerful. Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «يُعْطَى الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ قُوَّةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فِي النِّسَاء» (In Paradise, the believer will be given such and such strength for women.) Anas said, "I asked, `O Allah's Messenger! Will one be able to do that' He said, «يُعْطَى قُوَّةَ مِائَة» (He will be given the strength of a hundred (men).)" At-Tirmidhi also recorded it and said, "Sahih Gharib." Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Will we have sexual intercourse with our wives in Paradise" He said, «إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصِلُ فِي الْيَوْمِ إِلَى مِائَةِ عَذْرَاء» (The man will be able to have sexual intercourse with a hundred virgins in one day.) Al-Hafiz Abu `Abdullah Al-Maqdisi said, "In my view, this Hadith meets the criteria of the Sahih, and Allah knows best." Allah's statement, عُرُباً (`Urub,) Sa`id bin Jubayr reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "They are in an infatuated state with their husbands, haven't you ever seen a she-camel in heat She is like that." Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas who said, "The Urub and their husbands are their sweet hearts, and they are their husbands' sweet hearts." Similar was said by `Abdullah bin Sarjis, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, `Atiyah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others. Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas; أَتْرَاباً (Atrab), means "They will be of one age, thirty-three years old." Mujahid said, "Equal (age)." And in a different narration, "Similar (age)." `Atiyah said, "Comparative." Allah said, لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (For those on the right.) meaning, these women were created, kept or given in marriage to those on the right. It appears that the meaning here is that they were created for those on the right side, because Allah said, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ إِنشَآءً - فَجَعَلْنَـهُنَّ أَبْكَـراً - عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins. `Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.) This is the view of Ibn Jarir. It is possible that Allah's statement, لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (For those on the right.) refers to the description that came just before, عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Atrab. For those on the right.) meaning, in their age. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أَوَّلُ زُمْرَةٍ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى صُورَةِ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ، وَالَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ عَلَى ضَوْءِ أَشَدِّ كَوْكَبٍ دُرِّيَ فِي السَّمَاءِ إِضَاءَةً، لَا يَبُولُونَ، وَلَا يَتَغَوَّطُونَ، وَلَا يَتْفُلُونَ، وَلَا يَتَمَخَّطُونَ، أَمْشَاطُهُمُ الذَّهَبُ، وَرَشْحُهُمُ الْمِسْكُ، وَمَجَامِرُهُمُ الْأَلُوَّةُ، وَأَزْوَاجُهُمُ الْحُورُ الْعِينُ، أَخْلَاقُهُمْ عَلَى خُلُقِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، عَلَى صُورَةِ أَبِيهِمْ آدَمَ، سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا فِي السَّمَاء» (The first group to enter Paradise will be (shining) like the moon when it is full. The next group will be like the most radiant planet in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit or blow their noses. Their combs will be of gold and their sweat of musk; and censers of aloeswood will be used. Their wives will be from Al-Hur Al-`Ayn. Their shape will be similar to each other, the shape of their father `Adam, sixty cubits high in the sky.) Allah's statement, ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ (A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.) means, a multitude of those on the right will come from the earlier generations and a multitude from the latter generations. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "We were with the Prophet one night and in the next morning we went to him and he said, «عُرِضَتْ عَلَيَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ وَأَتْبَاعُهَا بِأُمَمِهَا، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَيَّ النَّبِيُّ، وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الْعِصَابَةِ، وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الثَّلَاثَةِ، وَالنَّبِيُّ وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَد» (Some Prophets and their nations were displayed before me. A Prophet would pass in front of me with a group of men, and another with three men, and another with nobody with him.) Qatadah, one of the narrators of the Hadith, then recited this Ayah, أَلَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ (Is there not among you a single right-minded man)(11:78) «حَتْى مَرَّ عَلَيَّ مُوْسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ فِي كَبْكَبَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيل» (Until Musa, son of `Imran passed me, with a great crowd from the Children of Israel.) So he said; «قُلْتُ: رَبِّي مَنْ هذَا؟ قَالَ: هذَا أَخُوكَ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُ مِنْ بَنِي إسْرَائِيل» «قُلْتُ: رَبِّ فَأَيْنَ أُمَّتِي؟ قَالَ: انْظُرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ فِي الظِّرَاب» «فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال» «قَالَ: أَرَضِيتَ؟» «قُلْتُ: قَدْ رَضِيتُ رَب» «انْظُرْ إِلَى الْأُفُقِ عَنْ يَسَارِكَ، فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال» «أَرَضِيتَ؟ قُلْتُ: قَدْ رَضِيتُ رَب» «فَإِنَّ مَعَ هؤُلَاءِ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ حِسَاب» (So, I asked my Lord, "Who is this" He said, "This is your brother Musa, son of `Imran, and those who followed him among the Children of Israel." I said, "O Lord! Where is my Ummah" Allah said, "Look to your right on the hill," and I looked and saw faces of men. Allah said, "Are you pleased," and I said, "I am pleased O Lord!" Allah said, "Look to the horizon to your left," and I saw faces of men. He again asked, "Are you pleased," and I said, "I am pleased, O Lord!" He said, "And with them are seventy-thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning.") `Ukkashah bin Mihsan from Bani Asad, one of those who participated in the battle of Badr, said, `O Allah's Messenger! Invoke Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet said, «اللْهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ مِنْهُم» (O Allah, make him one of them.) Another man said, `O Allah's Messenger, invoke Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet said, «سَبَقَكَ بِهَا عُكَّاشَة» (`Ukkashah beat you to it.) Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, «فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فِدَاكُمْ أَبِي وَأُمِّي أَنْ تَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَاب السَّبْعِينَ فَافْعَلُوا، وَإِلَّا فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الظِّرَابِ، وَإِلَّا فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْأُفُقِ، فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ نَاسًا كَثِيرًا قَدْ تَأَشَّبُوا حَوْلَه» (Therefore, may I sacrifice my father and mother for you! Try to be among the seventy (thousands), or among the crowds on the right, or the crowds that covered the side of the horizon, because I saw large crowds gathering on that side.) He continued: «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be a fourth of the people of Paradise.) and we said, `Allahu Akbar. ' He said, «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be a third of the people of Paradise.) and we said, `Allahu Akbar.' The Prophet said, «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise,) and we said `Allahu Akbar.' Then Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited this Ayah: ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ (A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.) We said to each other, `Who are those seventy thousand' We then said, `They are those who were born in Islam and did not associate (anything or anyone in the worship of Allah).' When what we said reached the Prophet , he said, «بَلْ هُمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَكْتَوُونَ، وَلَا يَسْتَرْقُونَ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ، وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُون» (They are the people who do not get treated by cauterization themselves, do not ask for Ruqyah (get oneself treated by the recitation of some verses of the Qur`an) and do not draw an evil omen from (birds), but put their trust (only) in their Lord.)" This Hadith has many chains of narration collected in the Sahihs and other collections of Hadith.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Reward of Those on the Right After Allah mentioned the final destination of those foremost in faith, the nearest to Him, He next mentioned the end of those on the right, the righteous believers. Maymun bin Mihran said that those on the right side are lesser in rank than the foremost in faith. Allah said, وَأَصْحَـبُ الْيَمِينِ مَآ أَصْحَـبُ الْيَمِينِ (And those on the right -- how (fortunate) will be those on the right) who are those on the right, what is their condition and what will their final destination be like Allah next answers this question by saying, فِى سِدْرٍ مَّخْضُودٍ ((they will be) among Sidr Makhdud.) Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ibn Al-Ahwas, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, As-Safr bin Nusayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Abdullah bin Kathir, As-Suddi, Abu Hazrah and several others said, "The kind without thorns." And from Ibn `Abbas: "It is the one that is laden with fruits." This is also reported from `Ikrimah and Mujahid. Similar was also said by Qatadah as we mentioned. So it is the one with a full load of fruits without thorns. So it appears that both meanings apply here. The lote tree, of this life is thorny and carries few fruits. In the Hereafter, it is the opposite; it does not have thorns and carries plenty of fruit, the weight of which strains its trunk. `Utbah bin `Abd As-Sulami said, "I was sitting with Allah's Messenger ﷺ, when a bedouin came and said, `O Messenger of Allah! Have you heard about the tree that has more thorns than any other being in Paradise' Meaning the Talh tree. So Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «إِنَّ اللهَ يَجْعَلُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ شَوْكَةٍ مِنْهَا ثَمَرَةً، مِثْلَ خُصْوَةِ التَّيْسِ الْمَلْبُودِ، فِيهَا سَبْعُونَ لَوْنًا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، لَا يُشْبِهُ لَوْنٌ آخَر» (For each spot that there was a thorn on it, Allah instead put fruit, similar to a castrated tight skinned ram, a food having seventy colors, each different than the other.) Allah's said, وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ (and among Talh Mandud.) refers to large thorny shrub that used to grow in the area of Hijaz (Western Arabia). Mujahid said that مَّنْضُودٍ (Mandud) means: "Its fruits are piled on top of each other. Allah is reminding the Quraysh of these kinds of trees, since they used to like the shade that the Talh and Sidr provided for them." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Sa`id said that وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ (Talh Mandud) means: "The banana tree." And he (Ibn Abi Hatim) said, "Similar is reported from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Hurayrah, Al-Hasan, `Ikrimah, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, Qatadah and Abu Hazrah. " Mujahid and Ibn Zayd said similalry, Ibn Zayd added, "The people of Yemen call the banana tree, Talh." Ibn Jarir mentioned no other explanation for Talh. Allah said, وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ (And in shade Mamdud (extended).) Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ لَا يَقْطَعُهَا، اقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ: وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ » (In Paradise, there is a tree that a rider can travel for a hundred years under its shade but would not be able to pass it. Recite if you will: (And in shade extended.)) Muslim also collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ، اقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ: وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ » (There is a tree in Paradise the shade of which a rider would take one hundred years to pass. Recite if you will: (And in shade extended.)) Muslim, Al-Bukhari and `Abdur-Razzaq collected this Hadith. Allah said, وَفَـكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ - لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ (And fruit in plenty, whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.) indicating that they will have plenty of fruits of various kinds, that which no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of and no heart has ever imagined, as Allah said, كُلَّمَا رُزِقُواْ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقاً قَالُواْ هَـذَا الَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَأُتُواْ بِهِ مُتَشَـبِهاً (Every time they will be provided with a fruit therefrom, they will say: "This is what we were provided with before, "and they will be given things in resemblance.)(2:25) The shape will appear similar, but the taste is different. In the Two Sahihs, Sidrat Al-Muntaha (the tree in the seventh heaven) is described as: «فَإِذَا وَرَقُهَا كَآذَانِ الْفِيَلَةِ، وَنَبْقُهَا مِثْلُ قِلَالِ هَجَر» (...its leaves were like the ears of elephants and its Nabir fruits resembled the clay jugs of Hajar.) The Two Sahihs also collected a Hadith from Ibn `Abbas, who said, "The sun was eclipsed and Allah's Messenger ﷺ led the people in the Eclipse prayer. They asked, `O Allah's Messenger, we saw you reach out for something while standing (in prayer), but then you stepped back.' He said, «إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَتَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا عُنْقُودًا، وَلَوْ أَخَذْتُهُ لَأَكَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ مَا بَقِيَتِ الدُّنْيَا» (I saw Paradise and reached out for a cluster of fruit from it. Had I done so, you would have kept eating from it for the remainder of the life of the world.)" Imam Ahmad recorded that `Utbah bin `Abd As-Sulami said, "A bedouin man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about the Hawd and Paradise. The bedouin asked, `Does Paradise have fruits' The Prophet said, «نَعَمْ، وَفِيهَا شَجَرَةٌ تُدْعَى طُوبَى» (Yes, and it also has a tree called Tuba.) (He ) said something more saying but I could not recall it. The bedouin asked, `Does it look like any of the trees that grow in our area' The Prophet said, «لَيْسَتْ تُشْبِهُ شَيْئًا مِنْ شَجَرِ أَرْضِك» (There is nothing resembling it among the trees in your land.) The Prophet then asked him, «أَتَيْتَ الشَّامَ؟» (Have you traveled to Ash-Sham area) The bedouin said: `No.' The Prophet said, «تُشْبِهُ شَجَرَةً بِالشَّامِ تُدْعَى الْجَوْزَةَ، تَنْبُتُ عَلَى سَاقٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، وَيَنْفَرِشُ أَعْلَاهَا» (It looks like a tree that grows in Ash-Sham area and is called Al-Jawzah, which stands on one stem but its branches grow all around to the fullest extent.) The bedouin asked, `How big is the cluster of its fruits' The Prophet said, «مَسِيرَةُ شَهْرٍ لِلْغُرَابِ الْأَبْقَعِ وَلَا يَفْتُر» (The distance that the crow flies in one month without rest.) The bedouin asked, `How huge its trunk is' The Prophet said, «لَوِ ارْتَحَلَتْ جَذَعَةٌ مِن إِبِلِ أَهْلِكَ مَا أَحَاطَتْ بِأَصْلِهَا، حَتْى تَنْكَسِرَ تَرْقُوَتُهَا هَرَمًا» (If a four-year old she-camel that your family owns travels it, it will not completely pass its trunk until its shoulders break from old age.) The man asked, `Does it bear grapes' The Prophet answered in yes. The bedouin asked, `How big are the grapes' The Prophet said, «هَلْ ذَبَحَ أَبُوكَ تَيْسًا مِنْ غَنَمِهِ قَطُّ عَظِيمًا؟» (Has your father ever slaughtered a ram) The bedouin answered, `Yes,' and the Prophet asked him, «فَسَلَخَ إِهَابَهُ فَأَعْطَاهُ أُمَّكَ فَقَالَ: اتَّخِذِي لَنَا مِنْهُ دَلْوًا؟» (And then he skinned it and gave the skin to your mother and asked her to make a hanging bucket out of it) The bedouin again said yes and said, `This grape would suffice for me and my family!' The Prophet agreed and said, «نَعَمْ، وَعَامَّةَ عَشِيرَتِك» (Yes, and also for the rest of your clan.)" Allah's statement, لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ (Whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.) The supply of these fruits never runs out, winter or summer. Rather, they are always available for those who want to eat from them, forever. Whenever these fruits are desired, they will be available and easy to grasp by Allah's power. Qatadah said, "Nothing will prevent them from reaching out to get these fruits, no branches, thorns or distance." We mentioned a Hadith before that states that whenever someone takes a fruit in Paradise, another one grows in its place. Allah said, afterwards: وَفُرُشٍ مَّرْفُوعَةٍ (And on couches, raised high.) meaning, high, soft and comfortable. Allah said, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ إِنشَآءً - فَجَعَلْنَـهُنَّ أَبْكَـراً - عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins.`Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.) The Ayat describe the women who will be on the beds and couches, but since mentioning the beds hints to them, they were not directly mentioned. For instance, Allah said that Sulayman said, إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِىِّ الصَّـفِنَـتُ الْجِيَادُ - فَقَالَ إِنِّى أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِى حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ (When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well-trained horses of the highest breed. He said, "I did love the good instead of remembering my Lord," till the time was over, and it had hidden in the veil (of night).) (38:31-32), "it" (Tawarat) refers to the sun setting, according to the scholars of Tafsir. Al-Akhfash said that Ayah, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ (Verily, We have created them), implied the maidens of Paradise although it did not mention them directly. Abu `Ubaydah said that they were mentioned before in Allah's statement, وَحُورٌ عِينٌ - كَأَمْثَـلِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ (And Hur (fair females) with wide lovely eyes. Like preserved pearls.) Therefore, Allah's statement, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ (Verily, We have created them), meaning, in the other life, after they became old in this life, they were brought back while virgin, youthful, being delightfully passionate with their husbands, beautiful, kind and cheerful. Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «يُعْطَى الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ قُوَّةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فِي النِّسَاء» (In Paradise, the believer will be given such and such strength for women.) Anas said, "I asked, `O Allah's Messenger! Will one be able to do that' He said, «يُعْطَى قُوَّةَ مِائَة» (He will be given the strength of a hundred (men).)" At-Tirmidhi also recorded it and said, "Sahih Gharib." Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Will we have sexual intercourse with our wives in Paradise" He said, «إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصِلُ فِي الْيَوْمِ إِلَى مِائَةِ عَذْرَاء» (The man will be able to have sexual intercourse with a hundred virgins in one day.) Al-Hafiz Abu `Abdullah Al-Maqdisi said, "In my view, this Hadith meets the criteria of the Sahih, and Allah knows best." Allah's statement, عُرُباً (`Urub,) Sa`id bin Jubayr reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "They are in an infatuated state with their husbands, haven't you ever seen a she-camel in heat She is like that." Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas who said, "The Urub and their husbands are their sweet hearts, and they are their husbands' sweet hearts." Similar was said by `Abdullah bin Sarjis, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, `Atiyah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others. Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas; أَتْرَاباً (Atrab), means "They will be of one age, thirty-three years old." Mujahid said, "Equal (age)." And in a different narration, "Similar (age)." `Atiyah said, "Comparative." Allah said, لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (For those on the right.) meaning, these women were created, kept or given in marriage to those on the right. It appears that the meaning here is that they were created for those on the right side, because Allah said, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ إِنشَآءً - فَجَعَلْنَـهُنَّ أَبْكَـراً - عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins. `Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.) This is the view of Ibn Jarir. It is possible that Allah's statement, لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (For those on the right.) refers to the description that came just before, عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Atrab. For those on the right.) meaning, in their age. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أَوَّلُ زُمْرَةٍ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى صُورَةِ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ، وَالَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ عَلَى ضَوْءِ أَشَدِّ كَوْكَبٍ دُرِّيَ فِي السَّمَاءِ إِضَاءَةً، لَا يَبُولُونَ، وَلَا يَتَغَوَّطُونَ، وَلَا يَتْفُلُونَ، وَلَا يَتَمَخَّطُونَ، أَمْشَاطُهُمُ الذَّهَبُ، وَرَشْحُهُمُ الْمِسْكُ، وَمَجَامِرُهُمُ الْأَلُوَّةُ، وَأَزْوَاجُهُمُ الْحُورُ الْعِينُ، أَخْلَاقُهُمْ عَلَى خُلُقِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، عَلَى صُورَةِ أَبِيهِمْ آدَمَ، سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا فِي السَّمَاء» (The first group to enter Paradise will be (shining) like the moon when it is full. The next group will be like the most radiant planet in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit or blow their noses. Their combs will be of gold and their sweat of musk; and censers of aloeswood will be used. Their wives will be from Al-Hur Al-`Ayn. Their shape will be similar to each other, the shape of their father `Adam, sixty cubits high in the sky.) Allah's statement, ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ (A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.) means, a multitude of those on the right will come from the earlier generations and a multitude from the latter generations. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "We were with the Prophet one night and in the next morning we went to him and he said, «عُرِضَتْ عَلَيَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ وَأَتْبَاعُهَا بِأُمَمِهَا، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَيَّ النَّبِيُّ، وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الْعِصَابَةِ، وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الثَّلَاثَةِ، وَالنَّبِيُّ وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَد» (Some Prophets and their nations were displayed before me. A Prophet would pass in front of me with a group of men, and another with three men, and another with nobody with him.) Qatadah, one of the narrators of the Hadith, then recited this Ayah, أَلَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ (Is there not among you a single right-minded man)(11:78) «حَتْى مَرَّ عَلَيَّ مُوْسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ فِي كَبْكَبَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيل» (Until Musa, son of `Imran passed me, with a great crowd from the Children of Israel.) So he said; «قُلْتُ: رَبِّي مَنْ هذَا؟ قَالَ: هذَا أَخُوكَ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُ مِنْ بَنِي إسْرَائِيل» «قُلْتُ: رَبِّ فَأَيْنَ أُمَّتِي؟ قَالَ: انْظُرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ فِي الظِّرَاب» «فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال» «قَالَ: أَرَضِيتَ؟» «قُلْتُ: قَدْ رَضِيتُ رَب» «انْظُرْ إِلَى الْأُفُقِ عَنْ يَسَارِكَ، فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال» «أَرَضِيتَ؟ قُلْتُ: قَدْ رَضِيتُ رَب» «فَإِنَّ مَعَ هؤُلَاءِ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ حِسَاب» (So, I asked my Lord, "Who is this" He said, "This is your brother Musa, son of `Imran, and those who followed him among the Children of Israel." I said, "O Lord! Where is my Ummah" Allah said, "Look to your right on the hill," and I looked and saw faces of men. Allah said, "Are you pleased," and I said, "I am pleased O Lord!" Allah said, "Look to the horizon to your left," and I saw faces of men. He again asked, "Are you pleased," and I said, "I am pleased, O Lord!" He said, "And with them are seventy-thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning.") `Ukkashah bin Mihsan from Bani Asad, one of those who participated in the battle of Badr, said, `O Allah's Messenger! Invoke Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet said, «اللْهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ مِنْهُم» (O Allah, make him one of them.) Another man said, `O Allah's Messenger, invoke Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet said, «سَبَقَكَ بِهَا عُكَّاشَة» (`Ukkashah beat you to it.) Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, «فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فِدَاكُمْ أَبِي وَأُمِّي أَنْ تَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَاب السَّبْعِينَ فَافْعَلُوا، وَإِلَّا فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الظِّرَابِ، وَإِلَّا فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْأُفُقِ، فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ نَاسًا كَثِيرًا قَدْ تَأَشَّبُوا حَوْلَه» (Therefore, may I sacrifice my father and mother for you! Try to be among the seventy (thousands), or among the crowds on the right, or the crowds that covered the side of the horizon, because I saw large crowds gathering on that side.) He continued: «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be a fourth of the people of Paradise.) and we said, `Allahu Akbar. ' He said, «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be a third of the people of Paradise.) and we said, `Allahu Akbar.' The Prophet said, «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise,) and we said `Allahu Akbar.' Then Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited this Ayah: ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ (A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.) We said to each other, `Who are those seventy thousand' We then said, `They are those who were born in Islam and did not associate (anything or anyone in the worship of Allah).' When what we said reached the Prophet , he said, «بَلْ هُمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَكْتَوُونَ، وَلَا يَسْتَرْقُونَ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ، وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُون» (They are the people who do not get treated by cauterization themselves, do not ask for Ruqyah (get oneself treated by the recitation of some verses of the Qur`an) and do not draw an evil omen from (birds), but put their trust (only) in their Lord.)" This Hadith has many chains of narration collected in the Sahihs and other collections of Hadith.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Reward of Those on the Right After Allah mentioned the final destination of those foremost in faith, the nearest to Him, He next mentioned the end of those on the right, the righteous believers. Maymun bin Mihran said that those on the right side are lesser in rank than the foremost in faith. Allah said, وَأَصْحَـبُ الْيَمِينِ مَآ أَصْحَـبُ الْيَمِينِ (And those on the right -- how (fortunate) will be those on the right) who are those on the right, what is their condition and what will their final destination be like Allah next answers this question by saying, فِى سِدْرٍ مَّخْضُودٍ ((they will be) among Sidr Makhdud.) Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ibn Al-Ahwas, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, As-Safr bin Nusayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Abdullah bin Kathir, As-Suddi, Abu Hazrah and several others said, "The kind without thorns." And from Ibn `Abbas: "It is the one that is laden with fruits." This is also reported from `Ikrimah and Mujahid. Similar was also said by Qatadah as we mentioned. So it is the one with a full load of fruits without thorns. So it appears that both meanings apply here. The lote tree, of this life is thorny and carries few fruits. In the Hereafter, it is the opposite; it does not have thorns and carries plenty of fruit, the weight of which strains its trunk. `Utbah bin `Abd As-Sulami said, "I was sitting with Allah's Messenger ﷺ, when a bedouin came and said, `O Messenger of Allah! Have you heard about the tree that has more thorns than any other being in Paradise' Meaning the Talh tree. So Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «إِنَّ اللهَ يَجْعَلُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ شَوْكَةٍ مِنْهَا ثَمَرَةً، مِثْلَ خُصْوَةِ التَّيْسِ الْمَلْبُودِ، فِيهَا سَبْعُونَ لَوْنًا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، لَا يُشْبِهُ لَوْنٌ آخَر» (For each spot that there was a thorn on it, Allah instead put fruit, similar to a castrated tight skinned ram, a food having seventy colors, each different than the other.) Allah's said, وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ (and among Talh Mandud.) refers to large thorny shrub that used to grow in the area of Hijaz (Western Arabia). Mujahid said that مَّنْضُودٍ (Mandud) means: "Its fruits are piled on top of each other. Allah is reminding the Quraysh of these kinds of trees, since they used to like the shade that the Talh and Sidr provided for them." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Sa`id said that وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ (Talh Mandud) means: "The banana tree." And he (Ibn Abi Hatim) said, "Similar is reported from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Hurayrah, Al-Hasan, `Ikrimah, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, Qatadah and Abu Hazrah. " Mujahid and Ibn Zayd said similalry, Ibn Zayd added, "The people of Yemen call the banana tree, Talh." Ibn Jarir mentioned no other explanation for Talh. Allah said, وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ (And in shade Mamdud (extended).) Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ لَا يَقْطَعُهَا، اقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ: وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ » (In Paradise, there is a tree that a rider can travel for a hundred years under its shade but would not be able to pass it. Recite if you will: (And in shade extended.)) Muslim also collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ، اقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ: وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ » (There is a tree in Paradise the shade of which a rider would take one hundred years to pass. Recite if you will: (And in shade extended.)) Muslim, Al-Bukhari and `Abdur-Razzaq collected this Hadith. Allah said, وَفَـكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ - لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ (And fruit in plenty, whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.) indicating that they will have plenty of fruits of various kinds, that which no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of and no heart has ever imagined, as Allah said, كُلَّمَا رُزِقُواْ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقاً قَالُواْ هَـذَا الَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَأُتُواْ بِهِ مُتَشَـبِهاً (Every time they will be provided with a fruit therefrom, they will say: "This is what we were provided with before, "and they will be given things in resemblance.)(2:25) The shape will appear similar, but the taste is different. In the Two Sahihs, Sidrat Al-Muntaha (the tree in the seventh heaven) is described as: «فَإِذَا وَرَقُهَا كَآذَانِ الْفِيَلَةِ، وَنَبْقُهَا مِثْلُ قِلَالِ هَجَر» (...its leaves were like the ears of elephants and its Nabir fruits resembled the clay jugs of Hajar.) The Two Sahihs also collected a Hadith from Ibn `Abbas, who said, "The sun was eclipsed and Allah's Messenger ﷺ led the people in the Eclipse prayer. They asked, `O Allah's Messenger, we saw you reach out for something while standing (in prayer), but then you stepped back.' He said, «إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَتَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا عُنْقُودًا، وَلَوْ أَخَذْتُهُ لَأَكَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ مَا بَقِيَتِ الدُّنْيَا» (I saw Paradise and reached out for a cluster of fruit from it. Had I done so, you would have kept eating from it for the remainder of the life of the world.)" Imam Ahmad recorded that `Utbah bin `Abd As-Sulami said, "A bedouin man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about the Hawd and Paradise. The bedouin asked, `Does Paradise have fruits' The Prophet said, «نَعَمْ، وَفِيهَا شَجَرَةٌ تُدْعَى طُوبَى» (Yes, and it also has a tree called Tuba.) (He ) said something more saying but I could not recall it. The bedouin asked, `Does it look like any of the trees that grow in our area' The Prophet said, «لَيْسَتْ تُشْبِهُ شَيْئًا مِنْ شَجَرِ أَرْضِك» (There is nothing resembling it among the trees in your land.) The Prophet then asked him, «أَتَيْتَ الشَّامَ؟» (Have you traveled to Ash-Sham area) The bedouin said: `No.' The Prophet said, «تُشْبِهُ شَجَرَةً بِالشَّامِ تُدْعَى الْجَوْزَةَ، تَنْبُتُ عَلَى سَاقٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، وَيَنْفَرِشُ أَعْلَاهَا» (It looks like a tree that grows in Ash-Sham area and is called Al-Jawzah, which stands on one stem but its branches grow all around to the fullest extent.) The bedouin asked, `How big is the cluster of its fruits' The Prophet said, «مَسِيرَةُ شَهْرٍ لِلْغُرَابِ الْأَبْقَعِ وَلَا يَفْتُر» (The distance that the crow flies in one month without rest.) The bedouin asked, `How huge its trunk is' The Prophet said, «لَوِ ارْتَحَلَتْ جَذَعَةٌ مِن إِبِلِ أَهْلِكَ مَا أَحَاطَتْ بِأَصْلِهَا، حَتْى تَنْكَسِرَ تَرْقُوَتُهَا هَرَمًا» (If a four-year old she-camel that your family owns travels it, it will not completely pass its trunk until its shoulders break from old age.) The man asked, `Does it bear grapes' The Prophet answered in yes. The bedouin asked, `How big are the grapes' The Prophet said, «هَلْ ذَبَحَ أَبُوكَ تَيْسًا مِنْ غَنَمِهِ قَطُّ عَظِيمًا؟» (Has your father ever slaughtered a ram) The bedouin answered, `Yes,' and the Prophet asked him, «فَسَلَخَ إِهَابَهُ فَأَعْطَاهُ أُمَّكَ فَقَالَ: اتَّخِذِي لَنَا مِنْهُ دَلْوًا؟» (And then he skinned it and gave the skin to your mother and asked her to make a hanging bucket out of it) The bedouin again said yes and said, `This grape would suffice for me and my family!' The Prophet agreed and said, «نَعَمْ، وَعَامَّةَ عَشِيرَتِك» (Yes, and also for the rest of your clan.)" Allah's statement, لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ (Whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.) The supply of these fruits never runs out, winter or summer. Rather, they are always available for those who want to eat from them, forever. Whenever these fruits are desired, they will be available and easy to grasp by Allah's power. Qatadah said, "Nothing will prevent them from reaching out to get these fruits, no branches, thorns or distance." We mentioned a Hadith before that states that whenever someone takes a fruit in Paradise, another one grows in its place. Allah said, afterwards: وَفُرُشٍ مَّرْفُوعَةٍ (And on couches, raised high.) meaning, high, soft and comfortable. Allah said, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ إِنشَآءً - فَجَعَلْنَـهُنَّ أَبْكَـراً - عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins.`Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.) The Ayat describe the women who will be on the beds and couches, but since mentioning the beds hints to them, they were not directly mentioned. For instance, Allah said that Sulayman said, إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِىِّ الصَّـفِنَـتُ الْجِيَادُ - فَقَالَ إِنِّى أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِى حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ (When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well-trained horses of the highest breed. He said, "I did love the good instead of remembering my Lord," till the time was over, and it had hidden in the veil (of night).) (38:31-32), "it" (Tawarat) refers to the sun setting, according to the scholars of Tafsir. Al-Akhfash said that Ayah, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ (Verily, We have created them), implied the maidens of Paradise although it did not mention them directly. Abu `Ubaydah said that they were mentioned before in Allah's statement, وَحُورٌ عِينٌ - كَأَمْثَـلِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ (And Hur (fair females) with wide lovely eyes. Like preserved pearls.) Therefore, Allah's statement, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ (Verily, We have created them), meaning, in the other life, after they became old in this life, they were brought back while virgin, youthful, being delightfully passionate with their husbands, beautiful, kind and cheerful. Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «يُعْطَى الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ قُوَّةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فِي النِّسَاء» (In Paradise, the believer will be given such and such strength for women.) Anas said, "I asked, `O Allah's Messenger! Will one be able to do that' He said, «يُعْطَى قُوَّةَ مِائَة» (He will be given the strength of a hundred (men).)" At-Tirmidhi also recorded it and said, "Sahih Gharib." Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Will we have sexual intercourse with our wives in Paradise" He said, «إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصِلُ فِي الْيَوْمِ إِلَى مِائَةِ عَذْرَاء» (The man will be able to have sexual intercourse with a hundred virgins in one day.) Al-Hafiz Abu `Abdullah Al-Maqdisi said, "In my view, this Hadith meets the criteria of the Sahih, and Allah knows best." Allah's statement, عُرُباً (`Urub,) Sa`id bin Jubayr reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "They are in an infatuated state with their husbands, haven't you ever seen a she-camel in heat She is like that." Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas who said, "The Urub and their husbands are their sweet hearts, and they are their husbands' sweet hearts." Similar was said by `Abdullah bin Sarjis, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, `Atiyah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others. Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas; أَتْرَاباً (Atrab), means "They will be of one age, thirty-three years old." Mujahid said, "Equal (age)." And in a different narration, "Similar (age)." `Atiyah said, "Comparative." Allah said, لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (For those on the right.) meaning, these women were created, kept or given in marriage to those on the right. It appears that the meaning here is that they were created for those on the right side, because Allah said, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ إِنشَآءً - فَجَعَلْنَـهُنَّ أَبْكَـراً - عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins. `Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.) This is the view of Ibn Jarir. It is possible that Allah's statement, لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (For those on the right.) refers to the description that came just before, عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Atrab. For those on the right.) meaning, in their age. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أَوَّلُ زُمْرَةٍ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى صُورَةِ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ، وَالَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ عَلَى ضَوْءِ أَشَدِّ كَوْكَبٍ دُرِّيَ فِي السَّمَاءِ إِضَاءَةً، لَا يَبُولُونَ، وَلَا يَتَغَوَّطُونَ، وَلَا يَتْفُلُونَ، وَلَا يَتَمَخَّطُونَ، أَمْشَاطُهُمُ الذَّهَبُ، وَرَشْحُهُمُ الْمِسْكُ، وَمَجَامِرُهُمُ الْأَلُوَّةُ، وَأَزْوَاجُهُمُ الْحُورُ الْعِينُ، أَخْلَاقُهُمْ عَلَى خُلُقِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، عَلَى صُورَةِ أَبِيهِمْ آدَمَ، سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا فِي السَّمَاء» (The first group to enter Paradise will be (shining) like the moon when it is full. The next group will be like the most radiant planet in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit or blow their noses. Their combs will be of gold and their sweat of musk; and censers of aloeswood will be used. Their wives will be from Al-Hur Al-`Ayn. Their shape will be similar to each other, the shape of their father `Adam, sixty cubits high in the sky.) Allah's statement, ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ (A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.) means, a multitude of those on the right will come from the earlier generations and a multitude from the latter generations. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "We were with the Prophet one night and in the next morning we went to him and he said, «عُرِضَتْ عَلَيَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ وَأَتْبَاعُهَا بِأُمَمِهَا، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَيَّ النَّبِيُّ، وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الْعِصَابَةِ، وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الثَّلَاثَةِ، وَالنَّبِيُّ وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَد» (Some Prophets and their nations were displayed before me. A Prophet would pass in front of me with a group of men, and another with three men, and another with nobody with him.) Qatadah, one of the narrators of the Hadith, then recited this Ayah, أَلَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ (Is there not among you a single right-minded man)(11:78) «حَتْى مَرَّ عَلَيَّ مُوْسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ فِي كَبْكَبَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيل» (Until Musa, son of `Imran passed me, with a great crowd from the Children of Israel.) So he said; «قُلْتُ: رَبِّي مَنْ هذَا؟ قَالَ: هذَا أَخُوكَ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُ مِنْ بَنِي إسْرَائِيل» «قُلْتُ: رَبِّ فَأَيْنَ أُمَّتِي؟ قَالَ: انْظُرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ فِي الظِّرَاب» «فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال» «قَالَ: أَرَضِيتَ؟» «قُلْتُ: قَدْ رَضِيتُ رَب» «انْظُرْ إِلَى الْأُفُقِ عَنْ يَسَارِكَ، فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال» «أَرَضِيتَ؟ قُلْتُ: قَدْ رَضِيتُ رَب» «فَإِنَّ مَعَ هؤُلَاءِ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ حِسَاب» (So, I asked my Lord, "Who is this" He said, "This is your brother Musa, son of `Imran, and those who followed him among the Children of Israel." I said, "O Lord! Where is my Ummah" Allah said, "Look to your right on the hill," and I looked and saw faces of men. Allah said, "Are you pleased," and I said, "I am pleased O Lord!" Allah said, "Look to the horizon to your left," and I saw faces of men. He again asked, "Are you pleased," and I said, "I am pleased, O Lord!" He said, "And with them are seventy-thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning.") `Ukkashah bin Mihsan from Bani Asad, one of those who participated in the battle of Badr, said, `O Allah's Messenger! Invoke Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet said, «اللْهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ مِنْهُم» (O Allah, make him one of them.) Another man said, `O Allah's Messenger, invoke Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet said, «سَبَقَكَ بِهَا عُكَّاشَة» (`Ukkashah beat you to it.) Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, «فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فِدَاكُمْ أَبِي وَأُمِّي أَنْ تَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَاب السَّبْعِينَ فَافْعَلُوا، وَإِلَّا فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الظِّرَابِ، وَإِلَّا فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْأُفُقِ، فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ نَاسًا كَثِيرًا قَدْ تَأَشَّبُوا حَوْلَه» (Therefore, may I sacrifice my father and mother for you! Try to be among the seventy (thousands), or among the crowds on the right, or the crowds that covered the side of the horizon, because I saw large crowds gathering on that side.) He continued: «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be a fourth of the people of Paradise.) and we said, `Allahu Akbar. ' He said, «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be a third of the people of Paradise.) and we said, `Allahu Akbar.' The Prophet said, «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise,) and we said `Allahu Akbar.' Then Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited this Ayah: ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ (A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.) We said to each other, `Who are those seventy thousand' We then said, `They are those who were born in Islam and did not associate (anything or anyone in the worship of Allah).' When what we said reached the Prophet , he said, «بَلْ هُمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَكْتَوُونَ، وَلَا يَسْتَرْقُونَ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ، وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُون» (They are the people who do not get treated by cauterization themselves, do not ask for Ruqyah (get oneself treated by the recitation of some verses of the Qur`an) and do not draw an evil omen from (birds), but put their trust (only) in their Lord.)" This Hadith has many chains of narration collected in the Sahihs and other collections of Hadith.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Reward of Those on the Right After Allah mentioned the final destination of those foremost in faith, the nearest to Him, He next mentioned the end of those on the right, the righteous believers. Maymun bin Mihran said that those on the right side are lesser in rank than the foremost in faith. Allah said, وَأَصْحَـبُ الْيَمِينِ مَآ أَصْحَـبُ الْيَمِينِ (And those on the right -- how (fortunate) will be those on the right) who are those on the right, what is their condition and what will their final destination be like Allah next answers this question by saying, فِى سِدْرٍ مَّخْضُودٍ ((they will be) among Sidr Makhdud.) Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ibn Al-Ahwas, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, As-Safr bin Nusayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Abdullah bin Kathir, As-Suddi, Abu Hazrah and several others said, "The kind without thorns." And from Ibn `Abbas: "It is the one that is laden with fruits." This is also reported from `Ikrimah and Mujahid. Similar was also said by Qatadah as we mentioned. So it is the one with a full load of fruits without thorns. So it appears that both meanings apply here. The lote tree, of this life is thorny and carries few fruits. In the Hereafter, it is the opposite; it does not have thorns and carries plenty of fruit, the weight of which strains its trunk. `Utbah bin `Abd As-Sulami said, "I was sitting with Allah's Messenger ﷺ, when a bedouin came and said, `O Messenger of Allah! Have you heard about the tree that has more thorns than any other being in Paradise' Meaning the Talh tree. So Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «إِنَّ اللهَ يَجْعَلُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ شَوْكَةٍ مِنْهَا ثَمَرَةً، مِثْلَ خُصْوَةِ التَّيْسِ الْمَلْبُودِ، فِيهَا سَبْعُونَ لَوْنًا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، لَا يُشْبِهُ لَوْنٌ آخَر» (For each spot that there was a thorn on it, Allah instead put fruit, similar to a castrated tight skinned ram, a food having seventy colors, each different than the other.) Allah's said, وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ (and among Talh Mandud.) refers to large thorny shrub that used to grow in the area of Hijaz (Western Arabia). Mujahid said that مَّنْضُودٍ (Mandud) means: "Its fruits are piled on top of each other. Allah is reminding the Quraysh of these kinds of trees, since they used to like the shade that the Talh and Sidr provided for them." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Sa`id said that وَطَلْحٍ مَّنضُودٍ (Talh Mandud) means: "The banana tree." And he (Ibn Abi Hatim) said, "Similar is reported from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Hurayrah, Al-Hasan, `Ikrimah, Qasamah bin Zuhayr, Qatadah and Abu Hazrah. " Mujahid and Ibn Zayd said similalry, Ibn Zayd added, "The people of Yemen call the banana tree, Talh." Ibn Jarir mentioned no other explanation for Talh. Allah said, وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ (And in shade Mamdud (extended).) Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ لَا يَقْطَعُهَا، اقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ: وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ » (In Paradise, there is a tree that a rider can travel for a hundred years under its shade but would not be able to pass it. Recite if you will: (And in shade extended.)) Muslim also collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ، اقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ: وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ » (There is a tree in Paradise the shade of which a rider would take one hundred years to pass. Recite if you will: (And in shade extended.)) Muslim, Al-Bukhari and `Abdur-Razzaq collected this Hadith. Allah said, وَفَـكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ - لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ (And fruit in plenty, whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.) indicating that they will have plenty of fruits of various kinds, that which no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of and no heart has ever imagined, as Allah said, كُلَّمَا رُزِقُواْ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقاً قَالُواْ هَـذَا الَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَأُتُواْ بِهِ مُتَشَـبِهاً (Every time they will be provided with a fruit therefrom, they will say: "This is what we were provided with before, "and they will be given things in resemblance.)(2:25) The shape will appear similar, but the taste is different. In the Two Sahihs, Sidrat Al-Muntaha (the tree in the seventh heaven) is described as: «فَإِذَا وَرَقُهَا كَآذَانِ الْفِيَلَةِ، وَنَبْقُهَا مِثْلُ قِلَالِ هَجَر» (...its leaves were like the ears of elephants and its Nabir fruits resembled the clay jugs of Hajar.) The Two Sahihs also collected a Hadith from Ibn `Abbas, who said, "The sun was eclipsed and Allah's Messenger ﷺ led the people in the Eclipse prayer. They asked, `O Allah's Messenger, we saw you reach out for something while standing (in prayer), but then you stepped back.' He said, «إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَتَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا عُنْقُودًا، وَلَوْ أَخَذْتُهُ لَأَكَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ مَا بَقِيَتِ الدُّنْيَا» (I saw Paradise and reached out for a cluster of fruit from it. Had I done so, you would have kept eating from it for the remainder of the life of the world.)" Imam Ahmad recorded that `Utbah bin `Abd As-Sulami said, "A bedouin man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about the Hawd and Paradise. The bedouin asked, `Does Paradise have fruits' The Prophet said, «نَعَمْ، وَفِيهَا شَجَرَةٌ تُدْعَى طُوبَى» (Yes, and it also has a tree called Tuba.) (He ) said something more saying but I could not recall it. The bedouin asked, `Does it look like any of the trees that grow in our area' The Prophet said, «لَيْسَتْ تُشْبِهُ شَيْئًا مِنْ شَجَرِ أَرْضِك» (There is nothing resembling it among the trees in your land.) The Prophet then asked him, «أَتَيْتَ الشَّامَ؟» (Have you traveled to Ash-Sham area) The bedouin said: `No.' The Prophet said, «تُشْبِهُ شَجَرَةً بِالشَّامِ تُدْعَى الْجَوْزَةَ، تَنْبُتُ عَلَى سَاقٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، وَيَنْفَرِشُ أَعْلَاهَا» (It looks like a tree that grows in Ash-Sham area and is called Al-Jawzah, which stands on one stem but its branches grow all around to the fullest extent.) The bedouin asked, `How big is the cluster of its fruits' The Prophet said, «مَسِيرَةُ شَهْرٍ لِلْغُرَابِ الْأَبْقَعِ وَلَا يَفْتُر» (The distance that the crow flies in one month without rest.) The bedouin asked, `How huge its trunk is' The Prophet said, «لَوِ ارْتَحَلَتْ جَذَعَةٌ مِن إِبِلِ أَهْلِكَ مَا أَحَاطَتْ بِأَصْلِهَا، حَتْى تَنْكَسِرَ تَرْقُوَتُهَا هَرَمًا» (If a four-year old she-camel that your family owns travels it, it will not completely pass its trunk until its shoulders break from old age.) The man asked, `Does it bear grapes' The Prophet answered in yes. The bedouin asked, `How big are the grapes' The Prophet said, «هَلْ ذَبَحَ أَبُوكَ تَيْسًا مِنْ غَنَمِهِ قَطُّ عَظِيمًا؟» (Has your father ever slaughtered a ram) The bedouin answered, `Yes,' and the Prophet asked him, «فَسَلَخَ إِهَابَهُ فَأَعْطَاهُ أُمَّكَ فَقَالَ: اتَّخِذِي لَنَا مِنْهُ دَلْوًا؟» (And then he skinned it and gave the skin to your mother and asked her to make a hanging bucket out of it) The bedouin again said yes and said, `This grape would suffice for me and my family!' The Prophet agreed and said, «نَعَمْ، وَعَامَّةَ عَشِيرَتِك» (Yes, and also for the rest of your clan.)" Allah's statement, لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ (Whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.) The supply of these fruits never runs out, winter or summer. Rather, they are always available for those who want to eat from them, forever. Whenever these fruits are desired, they will be available and easy to grasp by Allah's power. Qatadah said, "Nothing will prevent them from reaching out to get these fruits, no branches, thorns or distance." We mentioned a Hadith before that states that whenever someone takes a fruit in Paradise, another one grows in its place. Allah said, afterwards: وَفُرُشٍ مَّرْفُوعَةٍ (And on couches, raised high.) meaning, high, soft and comfortable. Allah said, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ إِنشَآءً - فَجَعَلْنَـهُنَّ أَبْكَـراً - عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins.`Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.) The Ayat describe the women who will be on the beds and couches, but since mentioning the beds hints to them, they were not directly mentioned. For instance, Allah said that Sulayman said, إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِىِّ الصَّـفِنَـتُ الْجِيَادُ - فَقَالَ إِنِّى أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِى حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ (When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well-trained horses of the highest breed. He said, "I did love the good instead of remembering my Lord," till the time was over, and it had hidden in the veil (of night).) (38:31-32), "it" (Tawarat) refers to the sun setting, according to the scholars of Tafsir. Al-Akhfash said that Ayah, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ (Verily, We have created them), implied the maidens of Paradise although it did not mention them directly. Abu `Ubaydah said that they were mentioned before in Allah's statement, وَحُورٌ عِينٌ - كَأَمْثَـلِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ (And Hur (fair females) with wide lovely eyes. Like preserved pearls.) Therefore, Allah's statement, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ (Verily, We have created them), meaning, in the other life, after they became old in this life, they were brought back while virgin, youthful, being delightfully passionate with their husbands, beautiful, kind and cheerful. Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «يُعْطَى الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ قُوَّةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فِي النِّسَاء» (In Paradise, the believer will be given such and such strength for women.) Anas said, "I asked, `O Allah's Messenger! Will one be able to do that' He said, «يُعْطَى قُوَّةَ مِائَة» (He will be given the strength of a hundred (men).)" At-Tirmidhi also recorded it and said, "Sahih Gharib." Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Will we have sexual intercourse with our wives in Paradise" He said, «إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصِلُ فِي الْيَوْمِ إِلَى مِائَةِ عَذْرَاء» (The man will be able to have sexual intercourse with a hundred virgins in one day.) Al-Hafiz Abu `Abdullah Al-Maqdisi said, "In my view, this Hadith meets the criteria of the Sahih, and Allah knows best." Allah's statement, عُرُباً (`Urub,) Sa`id bin Jubayr reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "They are in an infatuated state with their husbands, haven't you ever seen a she-camel in heat She is like that." Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas who said, "The Urub and their husbands are their sweet hearts, and they are their husbands' sweet hearts." Similar was said by `Abdullah bin Sarjis, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, `Atiyah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others. Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas; أَتْرَاباً (Atrab), means "They will be of one age, thirty-three years old." Mujahid said, "Equal (age)." And in a different narration, "Similar (age)." `Atiyah said, "Comparative." Allah said, لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (For those on the right.) meaning, these women were created, kept or given in marriage to those on the right. It appears that the meaning here is that they were created for those on the right side, because Allah said, إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَـهُنَّ إِنشَآءً - فَجَعَلْنَـهُنَّ أَبْكَـراً - عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Verily, We have created them a special creation. And made them virgins. `Urub, Atrab. For those on the right.) This is the view of Ibn Jarir. It is possible that Allah's statement, لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (For those on the right.) refers to the description that came just before, عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً - لاًّصْحَـبِ الْيَمِينِ (Atrab. For those on the right.) meaning, in their age. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أَوَّلُ زُمْرَةٍ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى صُورَةِ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ، وَالَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ عَلَى ضَوْءِ أَشَدِّ كَوْكَبٍ دُرِّيَ فِي السَّمَاءِ إِضَاءَةً، لَا يَبُولُونَ، وَلَا يَتَغَوَّطُونَ، وَلَا يَتْفُلُونَ، وَلَا يَتَمَخَّطُونَ، أَمْشَاطُهُمُ الذَّهَبُ، وَرَشْحُهُمُ الْمِسْكُ، وَمَجَامِرُهُمُ الْأَلُوَّةُ، وَأَزْوَاجُهُمُ الْحُورُ الْعِينُ، أَخْلَاقُهُمْ عَلَى خُلُقِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، عَلَى صُورَةِ أَبِيهِمْ آدَمَ، سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا فِي السَّمَاء» (The first group to enter Paradise will be (shining) like the moon when it is full. The next group will be like the most radiant planet in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit or blow their noses. Their combs will be of gold and their sweat of musk; and censers of aloeswood will be used. Their wives will be from Al-Hur Al-`Ayn. Their shape will be similar to each other, the shape of their father `Adam, sixty cubits high in the sky.) Allah's statement, ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ (A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.) means, a multitude of those on the right will come from the earlier generations and a multitude from the latter generations. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "We were with the Prophet one night and in the next morning we went to him and he said, «عُرِضَتْ عَلَيَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ وَأَتْبَاعُهَا بِأُمَمِهَا، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَيَّ النَّبِيُّ، وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الْعِصَابَةِ، وَالنَّبِيُّ فِي الثَّلَاثَةِ، وَالنَّبِيُّ وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَد» (Some Prophets and their nations were displayed before me. A Prophet would pass in front of me with a group of men, and another with three men, and another with nobody with him.) Qatadah, one of the narrators of the Hadith, then recited this Ayah, أَلَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ (Is there not among you a single right-minded man)(11:78) «حَتْى مَرَّ عَلَيَّ مُوْسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ فِي كَبْكَبَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيل» (Until Musa, son of `Imran passed me, with a great crowd from the Children of Israel.) So he said; «قُلْتُ: رَبِّي مَنْ هذَا؟ قَالَ: هذَا أَخُوكَ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُ مِنْ بَنِي إسْرَائِيل» «قُلْتُ: رَبِّ فَأَيْنَ أُمَّتِي؟ قَالَ: انْظُرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ فِي الظِّرَاب» «فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال» «قَالَ: أَرَضِيتَ؟» «قُلْتُ: قَدْ رَضِيتُ رَب» «انْظُرْ إِلَى الْأُفُقِ عَنْ يَسَارِكَ، فَإِذَا وُجُوهُ الرِّجَال» «أَرَضِيتَ؟ قُلْتُ: قَدْ رَضِيتُ رَب» «فَإِنَّ مَعَ هؤُلَاءِ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ حِسَاب» (So, I asked my Lord, "Who is this" He said, "This is your brother Musa, son of `Imran, and those who followed him among the Children of Israel." I said, "O Lord! Where is my Ummah" Allah said, "Look to your right on the hill," and I looked and saw faces of men. Allah said, "Are you pleased," and I said, "I am pleased O Lord!" Allah said, "Look to the horizon to your left," and I saw faces of men. He again asked, "Are you pleased," and I said, "I am pleased, O Lord!" He said, "And with them are seventy-thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning.") `Ukkashah bin Mihsan from Bani Asad, one of those who participated in the battle of Badr, said, `O Allah's Messenger! Invoke Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet said, «اللْهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ مِنْهُم» (O Allah, make him one of them.) Another man said, `O Allah's Messenger, invoke Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet said, «سَبَقَكَ بِهَا عُكَّاشَة» (`Ukkashah beat you to it.) Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, «فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فِدَاكُمْ أَبِي وَأُمِّي أَنْ تَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَاب السَّبْعِينَ فَافْعَلُوا، وَإِلَّا فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الظِّرَابِ، وَإِلَّا فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْأُفُقِ، فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ نَاسًا كَثِيرًا قَدْ تَأَشَّبُوا حَوْلَه» (Therefore, may I sacrifice my father and mother for you! Try to be among the seventy (thousands), or among the crowds on the right, or the crowds that covered the side of the horizon, because I saw large crowds gathering on that side.) He continued: «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be a fourth of the people of Paradise.) and we said, `Allahu Akbar. ' He said, «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be a third of the people of Paradise.) and we said, `Allahu Akbar.' The Prophet said, «إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة» (I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise,) and we said `Allahu Akbar.' Then Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited this Ayah: ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الاٌّخِرِينَ (A multitude of those will be from the first generation. And a multitude of those will be from the later generations.) We said to each other, `Who are those seventy thousand' We then said, `They are those who were born in Islam and did not associate (anything or anyone in the worship of Allah).' When what we said reached the Prophet , he said, «بَلْ هُمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَكْتَوُونَ، وَلَا يَسْتَرْقُونَ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ، وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُون» (They are the people who do not get treated by cauterization themselves, do not ask for Ruqyah (get oneself treated by the recitation of some verses of the Qur`an) and do not draw an evil omen from (birds), but put their trust (only) in their Lord.)" This Hadith has many chains of narration collected in the Sahihs and other collections of Hadith.