Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Al-Waqi'ah 56:31–36
وَمَاءٍ مَّسْكُوبٍ (...and water, poured forth...56:31) This means the water will be flowing constantly on the surface of the ground.
وَفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ (and a lot of fruits...56:32). The word Kathirah [ abounding ] has two senses: [ 1] there will be plenty of fruits; and [ 2] there will be an uncountable variety and kinds of fruits.
لَّا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلَا مَمْنُوعَةٍ (neither interrupted [ in any season ], nor prohibited ...56:33) The word maqtu` ah means the fruits the supply of which is cut off at the end of the season. In this world most fruits are seasonal; some bear in summer, some in winter and others in rainy season. Once the season of the fruit is over, it ceases to be available. However, the supply of the fruits of Paradise never runs out in any season. Rather they will always be available for those who want to eat from them. Whenever these fruits are desired, they will be available and easy to grasp by Allah's power. The word mamnu` ah (prohibited) means that in this world there are caretakers appointed to look after the gardens, who stop and prohibit people from picking the fruits, but in the gardens of Paradise there will be no such hindrance. The inmates will be able to pick them whenever they wish.
وَفُرُشٍ مَّرْفُوعَةٍ (...and mattresses of high quality....56:34). The word rush is the plural of firash which means 'bed, couch, mattress'. The word marfu'ah lexically means 'upraised, elevated'. The couches could be upraised or elevated for one of several reasons: [ 1] because the place itself is high; [ 2] because the mattresses will not be on the ground, but on the thrones or beds; or [ 3] because the couches themselves will be thick (and of high quality). Some exegetes have taken the word 'rush' in the sense of 'women', because it is one of the meaning of 'firash' is referred as firash, as in the Prophetic Tradition اَلوَلَدُ لِلفَرَاشِ. 'The child belongs to the firash'. The word firash refers to 'wife'. This is corroborated by the characteristics of the women of Paradise described in the forthcoming verses. In this case, the word marfu` ah would mean 'high-ranking'.
56:35Page 535
إِنَّآ أَنشَأۡنَٰهُنَّ إِنشَآءٗ ٣٥
Indeed, We have produced them [i.e., the women of Paradise] in a [new] creation
إِنَّا أَنشَأْنَاهُنَّ إِنشَاءً (Surely We have created those [ females ] a fresh creation...56:35) The word insha' means 'to create'. The pronoun هُنَّ hunna refers to the women of Paradise, although there is no mention of them in the immediately preceding verses. However, they have been mentioned in connection with 'the Foremost' in distantly foregoing verses [ 22-23]. If the word firash in the foregoing verse (34) refers to the women of Paradise, the antecedent of the pronoun is quite obvious. Likewise, the mention of beds, couches, thrones and other delightful items gives the pronoun the context to refer to women. The meaning of the verse is: 'We have created the Paradisiacal women in a special way, that is, the houris are created without being born biologically, and the women of this world who will enter the Paradise will also be reshaped in a way that the women who were ugly, dark-coloured or old in this world will be made beautiful, young and graceful.' It is recorded in Tirmidhi and Baihaqi on the authority of Sayyidna Anas that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said in explanation of Verse 35 that the women who were old, blear eyed, with gray hair and ugly features in the world will be made beautiful and young in this new creation. Baihaqi also reports from Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ that an old lady asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to pray to Allah that she may enter Paradise. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in a humorous way: لَا تَدخُلُ الجَنَّۃُ عَجُوزُ "Old ladies will not enter Paradise." Hearing this the old lady got very sad, and according to some narrations, started weeping. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then explained that she would not be old when she would enter Paradise; she would be transformed into a young beautiful woman. Then the Holy Prophet ﷺ recited this verse 35. [ Mazhari ]
أَبْكَارًا - 56:36). The word abkaran, being the plural of bikr, means 'virgins'. The sense is the creation of the maidens of Paradise will be of such a nature that, even after every sexual intercourse, they will remain like virgins.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences