(كَلاَّ إِنَّ كِتَـبَ الاٌّبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ)
(18. Nay! Verily, the Record of Al-Abrar (the righteous
believers) is (preserved) in `Illiyyin.)
(وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ)
(19. And what will make you know what `Illiyyin is)
(كِتَـبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ)
(20. A Register inscribed,)
(يَشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ)
(21. To which bear witness those nearest.)
(إِنَّ الاٌّبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ)
(22. Verily, Al-Abrar (the righteous believers) will be
in Delight.)
(عَلَى الاٌّرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ)
(23. On thrones, looking.)
(تَعْرِفُ فِى وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ النَّعِيمِ)
(24. You will recognize in their faces the brightness of
delight)
(يُسْقَوْنَ مِن رَّحِيقٍ مَّخْتُومٍ)
(25. They will be given to drink of pure sealed Rahiq.)
(خِتَـمُهُ مِسْكٌ وَفِى ذَلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ الْمُتَنَـفِسُونَ)
(26. Sealed with musk, and for this let those strive who
want to strive.)
(وَمِزَاجُهُ مِن تَسْنِيمٍ)
(27. It will be mixed with Tasnim:)
(عَيْناً يَشْرَبُ بِهَا الْمُقَرَّبُونَ)
(28. A spring whereof drink those nearest to Allah.)
The Record Book of the Righteous and Their Reward
Allah says that truly,
﴿إِنَّ كِتَـبَ الاٌّبْرَارِ﴾
(Verily, the Record of Al-Abrar (the righteous
believers)) These people are in a situation that is the opposite of the wicked
people.
﴿لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ﴾
(is in `Illiyyin.) meaning, their final destination is
`Illiyyin, which is the opposite of Sijjin. It has been reported from Hilal bin
Yasaf that Ibn `Abbas asked Ka`b about Sijjin while he was present, and Ka`b
said, "It is the seventh earth and in it are the souls of the
disbelievers.'' Then Ibn `Abbas asked him about `Illiyyin, so he said, "It
is the seventh heaven and it contains the souls of the believers.'' This
statement -- that it is the seventh heaven -- has been said by others as well.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said concerning Allah's statement,
﴿كَلاَّ إِنَّ كِتَـبَ الاٌّبْرَارِ
لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ ﴾
(Nay! Verily, the Record of Al-Abrar (the righteous
believers) is in `Illiyyin.) "This means Paradise.'' Others besides him
have said, "`Iliyyin is located at Sidrat Al-Muntaha.'' The obvious
meaning is that the word `Illiyyin is taken from the word `Uluw, which means
highness. The more something ascends and rises, the more it becomes greater and
increases. Thus, Allah magnifies its affair and extols its matter by saying,
﴿وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ
﴾
(And what will make you know what `Illiyyin is) Then He
says by way of affirming what will be written for them,
﴿كِتَـبٌ مَّرْقُومٌ يَشْهَدُهُ
الْمُقَرَّبُونَ ﴾
(A Register inscribed. To which bear witness those
nearest.) They are the angels. This was stated by Qatadah. Al-`Awfi reported
from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Those nearest to Allah in each heaven will
witness it.'' Then Allah says,
﴿إِنَّ الاٌّبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ
﴾
(Verily, Al-Abrar (the righteuos believers) will be in
Delight.) meaning, on the Day of Judgement they will be in eternal pleasure and
gardens that contain comprehensive bounties.
﴿عَلَى الاٌّرَائِكِ﴾
(On thrones,) These are thrones beneath canopies from
which they will be gazing. It has been said, "This means that they will be
gazing at their kingdom and what Allah has given them of good and bounties that
will not end or perish. It has also been said,
﴿عَلَى الاٌّرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ
﴾
(On thrones, looking.) "This means that they will be
looking at Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.'' This is the opposite of what those
wicked people have been described with,
﴿كَلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّبِّهِمْ
يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ ﴾
(Nay! Surely, they (evildoers) will be veiled from seeing
their Lord that Day.) (83:15) Thus, it has been mentioned that these (righteous
people) will be allowed to look at Allah while they are upon their thrones and
elevated couches. Concerning Allah's statement,
﴿تَعْرِفُ فِى وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ
النَّعِيمِ ﴾
(You will recognize in their faces the brightness of
delight.) meaning, `you will notice a glow of delight in their faces when you
look at them.' This is a description of opulence, decorum, happiness,
composure, and authority that they will be experiencing from this great
delight. Concerning Allah's statement,
﴿يُسْقَوْنَ مِن رَّحِيقٍ مَّخْتُومٍ
﴾
(They will be given to drink of pure sealed Rahiq.)
meaning, they will be given drink from the wine of Paradise. Ar-Rahiq is one of
the names of the wine (in Paradise). Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Al-Hasan,
Qatadah and Ibn Zayd all said this. Ibn Mas`ud said concerning Allah's
statement,
﴿خِتَـمُهُ مِسْكٌ﴾
(Sealed with musk,) "This means it will be mixed
with musk.'' Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Allah will
make the wine have a pleasant aroma for them, so the last thing that He will
place in it will be musk. Thus, it will be sealed with musk.'' Qatadah and
Ad-Dahhak both said the same. Then Allah says,
﴿وَفِى ذَلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ
الْمُتَنَـفِسُونَ﴾
(and for this let (all) those strive who want to strive.)
meaning, for a situation like this, let the boasters boast, compete, and strive
to gain more. Let the competitors compete and race toward the likes of this.
This is similar to Allah's statement,
﴿لِمِثْلِ هَـذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ
الْعَـمِلُونَ ﴾
(For the like of this let the workers work.) (37:61)
Allah then says,
﴿وَمِزَاجُهُ مِن تَسْنِيمٍ ﴾
(It will be mixed with Tasnim.) meaning, this wine that
is being described is mixed with Tasnim. This refers to a drink called Tasnim,
and it is the most excellent and exalted drink of the people of Paradise. This
was said by Abu Salih and Ad-Dahhak. Thus, Allah says,
﴿عَيْناً يَشْرَبُ بِهَا الْمُقَرَّبُونَ
﴾
(A spring whereof drink those nearest to Allah.) (83:28)
meaning, those who are near to Allah, will drink from it as they wish, and the
companions of the right hand will be given a drink that is mixed with it. This
has been said by Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Masruq, Qatadah and others.