Tafsir

The Life of the People of Paradise

Allah tells us that on the Day of Resurrection, when the people of Paradise have reached the arena of judgement, and have settled in the gardens of Paradise, they will be too preoccupied with their own victory and new life of eternal delights to worry about anyone else. Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Isma`il bin Abi Khalid said, "They will be too busy to think about the torment which the people of Hell are suffering. Mujahid said:فِى شُغُلٍ فَـكِهُونَ(will be busy with joyful things.) "With the delights which they are enjoying." This was also the view of Qatadah.

Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "This means that they will be rejoicing."هُمْ وَأَزْوَجُهُمْ(They and their wives) Mujahid said, "Their spouses,فِى ظِلَـلٍ(will be in pleasant shade,) means, in the shade of trees."عَلَى الاٌّرَآئِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ(reclining on thrones.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Khusayf said:الاٌّرَائِكِ(throne) means beds beneath canopies.لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَـكِهَةٌ(They will have therein fruits) means, of all kinds.وَلَهُمْ مَّا يَدَّعُونَ(and all that they ask for.) means, whatever they ask for, they will find it, all kinds and types.سَلاَمٌ قَوْلاً مِّن رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ ("Salam (Peace!)" -- a Word from the Lord (Allah), Most Merciful.) Ibn Jurayj said, "Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, concerning this Ayah, Allah Himself, Who is the Peace (As-Salam) will grant peace to the people of Paradise. This view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, is like the Ayah:تَحِيَّتُهُمْ يَوْمَ يَلْقَوْنَهُ سَلَـمٌ(Their greeting on the Day they shall meet Him will be "Salam") (33:44).

Then, in verse 55, it was said:إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِي شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُونَ (The people of the Paradise are engaged today in (their) activities, happily enjoying [ them ]) - 36:55). After having mentioned the worries of the people of Jahannam, described here is the state of the people of Paradise on the day of Qiyamah that they will be enjoying themselves. The word: فَاكِهُونَ (fakihun) is the plural form of: فَاکِہُ (fakih). It signifies happiness of the heart as well as happiness out of one's surroundings. As for the expression: فِي شُغُلٍ (fi shughul) appearing before it, it could also mean that they will be totally unaffected by the misfortunes afflicting the people of Jahannam (as said by some commentators).

And then it is also possible that, at this place, this expression: فِي شُغُلٍ (fi shughul) has been added to remove the thought - when, in Jannah, there will be no religious duty like obligatory or necessary worship, nor the job of earning one's livelihood, would this lack of activity not leave one uptight or bored? - hence, it was said that their enjoyment itself will be their principal activity, and the question of any boredom simply does not arise.

إن أهل الجنة في ذلك اليوم مشغولون عن غيرهم بأنواع النعيم التي يتفكهون بها.

يخبر تعالى عن أهل الجنة : أنهم يوم القيامة إذا ارتحلوا من العرصات فنزلوا في روضات الجنات : أنهم ( في شغل [ فاكهون ) أي : في شغل ] عن غيرهم ، بما هم فيه من النعيم المقيم ، والفوز العظيم .قال الحسن البصري : وإسماعيل بن أبي خالد : ( في شغل ) عما فيه أهل النار من العذاب .وقال مجاهد : ( في شغل فاكهون ) أي : في نعيم معجبون ، أي : به . وكذا قال قتادة .وقال ابن عباس : ( فاكهون ) أي فرحون .قال عبد الله بن مسعود ، وابن عباس ، وسعيد بن المسيب ، وعكرمة ، والحسن ، وقتادة ، والأعمش ، وسليمان التيمي ، والأوزاعي في قوله : ( إن أصحاب الجنة اليوم في شغل فاكهون ) قالوا : شغلهم افتضاض الأبكار .وقال ابن عباس - في رواية عنه - : ( في شغل فاكهون ) أي بسماع الأوتار .وقال أبو حاتم : لعله غلط من المستمع ، وإنما هو افتضاض الأبكار .