Al-Furqan 25:15
The Criterion · Juz 18 · Page 361
قُلۡ أَذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ جَنَّةُ ٱلۡخُلۡدِ ٱلَّتِي وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَۚ كَانَتۡ لَهُمۡ جَزَآءٗ وَمَصِيرٗا ١٥
Say, "Is that better or the Garden of Eternity which is promised to the righteous? It will be for them a reward and destination.
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 25:15–16
Is the Fire better, or Paradise
Here Allah says: `O Muhammad, this that We have described to you about the state of those who are doomed, who will be dragged on their faces to Hell, which will receive them with a scowling face, with hatred and moans. There they will be thrown into their constricted spaces, tied up to their shoulders, unable to move or call for help, and unable to escape their plight --- is this better, or the eternal Paradise which Allah has promised to the pious among His servants, which He has prepared for them as a reward and ultimate destiny in return for their obedience to Him in this world'
لَّهُمْ فِيهَا مَا يَشَآءُونَ
(For them there will be therein all that they desire,) of delights such as food, drink, clothing, dwellings, means of transportation and scenery, and other things that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor the heart of anyone can comprehend. They will abide therein forever; it will never cease or come to an end, and they will never leave it. This is what Allah has promised to those whom He has blessed and to whom He has shown His favor. He says:
كَانَ عَلَى رَبِّكَ وَعْداً مَّسْئُولاً
(It is a upon your Lord a Wa`dan Mas'ula) meaning, it must inevitably come to pass. Abu Ja`far bin Jarir reported from some of the scholars of the Arabic language that the words
وَعْداً مَّسْئُولاً
(Wa`dan Mas'ula) mean: a binding pledge. In this Surah Allah mentions Hell, then refers to the situation of the people of Paradise. This is similar to the passage in Surat As-Saffat where Allah mentions the status of the people of Paradise, with its beauty and joy, then He says:
أَذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ نُّزُلاً أَمْ شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّومِ - إِنَّا جَعَلْنَهَا فِتْنَةً لِّلظَّلِمِينَ - إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ تَخْرُجُ فِى أَصْلِ الْجَحِيمِ - طَلْعُهَا كَأَنَّهُ رُءُوسُ الشَّيَطِينِ - فَإِنَّهُمْ لاّكِلُونَ مِنْهَا فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ - ثُمَّ إِنَّ لَهُمْ عَلَيْهَا لَشَوْباً مِنْ حَمِيمٍ - ثُمَّ إِنَّ مَرْجِعَهُمْ لإِلَى الْجَحِيمِ - إِنَّهُمْ أَلْفَوْاْ ءَابَآءَهُمْ ضَآلِّينَ - فَهُمْ عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِمْ يُهْرَعُونَ
:(Is that better entertainment or the tree of Zaqqum Truly, We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers. Verily, it is a tree that springs out of the bottom of Hellfire, The shoots of its fruit stalks are like the heads of Shayatin. Truly, they will eat thereof and fill their bellies therewith. Then on the top of that they will be given boiling water to drink so that it becomes a mixture. Then thereafter, verily, their return is to the flaming fire of Hell. Verily, they found their fathers on the wrong path. So they hastened in their footsteps!) (37:62-70)
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25:12
إِذَا رَأَتۡهُم مِّن مَّكَانِۭ بَعِيدٖ سَمِعُواْ لَهَا تَغَيُّظٗا وَزَفِيرٗا ١٢
When it [i.e., the Hellfire] sees them from a distant place, they will hear its fury and roaring.
25:13
وَإِذَآ أُلۡقُواْ مِنۡهَا مَكَانٗا ضَيِّقٗا مُّقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوۡاْ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُورٗا ١٣
And when they are thrown into a narrow place therein bound in chains, they will cry out thereupon for destruction.
25:14
لَّا تَدۡعُواْ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ ثُبُورٗا وَٰحِدٗا وَٱدۡعُواْ ثُبُورٗا كَثِيرٗا ١٤
[They will be told], "Do not cry this Day for one destruction but cry for much destruction."
25:15
قُلۡ أَذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ جَنَّةُ ٱلۡخُلۡدِ ٱلَّتِي وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَۚ كَانَتۡ لَهُمۡ جَزَآءٗ وَمَصِيرٗا ١٥
Say, "Is that better or the Garden of Eternity which is promised to the righteous? It will be for them a reward and destination.
25:16
لَّهُمۡ فِيهَا مَا يَشَآءُونَ خَٰلِدِينَۚ كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ وَعۡدٗا مَّسۡـُٔولٗا ١٦
For them therein is whatever they wish, [while] abiding eternally. It is ever upon your Lord a promise [worthy to be] requested.1
1 translator’s note
- Or "...a promise requested [for them by the angels]." ↩
25:17
وَيَوۡمَ يَحۡشُرُهُمۡ وَمَا يَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَقُولُ ءَأَنتُمۡ أَضۡلَلۡتُمۡ عِبَادِي هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَمۡ هُمۡ ضَلُّواْ ٱلسَّبِيلَ ١٧
And [mention] the Day He will gather them and that which they worship besides Allāh and will say, "Did you mislead these, My servants, or did they [themselves] stray from the way?"
25:18
قَالُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَكَ مَا كَانَ يَنۢبَغِي لَنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ مِن دُونِكَ مِنۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ وَلَٰكِن مَّتَّعۡتَهُمۡ وَءَابَآءَهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ نَسُواْ ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَكَانُواْ قَوۡمَۢا بُورٗا ١٨
They will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for us to take besides You any allies [i.e., protectors]. But You provided comforts for them and their fathers until they forgot the message and became a people ruined."
25:19
فَقَدۡ كَذَّبُوكُم بِمَا تَقُولُونَ فَمَا تَسۡتَطِيعُونَ صَرۡفٗا وَلَا نَصۡرٗاۚ وَمَن يَظۡلِم مِّنكُمۡ نُذِقۡهُ عَذَابٗا كَبِيرٗا ١٩
So they will deny you, [disbelievers], in what you say,1 and you cannot avert [punishment] or [find] help. And whoever commits injustice2 among you - We will make him taste a great punishment.
25:20
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا قَبۡلَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ إِلَّآ إِنَّهُمۡ لَيَأۡكُلُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمۡشُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَسۡوَاقِۗ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَعۡضَكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٖ فِتۡنَةً أَتَصۡبِرُونَۗ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرٗا ٢٠
And We did not send before you, [O Muḥammad], any of the messengers except that they ate food and walked in the markets. And We have made some of you [people] as trial for others - will you have patience? And ever is your Lord, Seeing.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy