Tafsir of Surah Fatir - Verse 33

يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤاً

(therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls,) It was recorded in the Sahih from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«تَبْلُغُ الْحِلْيَةُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ حَيْثُ يَبْلُغُ الْوَضُوء»

(The ornaments of the believer will reach as far as his Wudu'.)

وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ

(and their garments therein will be of silk.) For this reason it is forbidden for them (the males) in this world, but Allah will permit it for them in the Hereafter. It was recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«مَنْ لَبِسَ الْحَرِيرَ فِي الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَلْبَسْهُ فِي الْاخِرَة»

(Whoever wears silk in this world, will not wear it in the Hereafter.) And he said:

«هِيَ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَلَكُمْ فِي الْاخِرَة»

(It is for them in this world, and for you in the Hereafter.)

وَقَالُواْ الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ الَّذِى أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا الْحَزَنَ

(And they will say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has removed from us (all) grief...") which means fear of everything that is feared; it has been lifted from us and we have been relieved of all that we used to fear of the anxieties of the world and the Hereafter. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and others said, "He forgives them for their major sins, and appreciates even the smallest of their good deeds."

الَّذِى أَحَلَّنَا دَارَ الْمُقَامَةِ مِن فَضْلِهِ

(Who, out of His grace, has lodged us in a home that will last forever,) means, `Who has given us this position and status out of His grace and blessing and mercy, for our good deeds are not equivalent to this.' It was reported in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: -

«لَنْ يُدْخِلَ أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّة»

(None of you will enter Paradise by virtue of his good deeds.) They said, "Not even you, O Messenger of Allah" He said,

«وَلَا أَنَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِي اللهُ تَعَالَى بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْل»

(Not even me, unless Allah encompasses me with His mercy and grace.)

لاَ يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَلاَ يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا لُغُوبٌ

(where toil will touch us not nor weariness will touch us.) means, neither hardship nor exhaustion will touch us. The words translated here as "toil" and "weariness" both mean exhaustion, as if what is meant by the negation of both is that neither their bodies nor their souls will become exhausted; and Allah knows best. They used to exhaust themselves in worshipping this world, but their obligations will come to an end when they enter Paradise, where they will enjoy eternal rest and repose. Allah says:

كُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ هَنِيئَاً بِمَآ أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِى الاٌّيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ

(Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!) (69:24)

A close look at the last sentence of verse 32 and the statement in verse ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ‌ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ‌ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤًا وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِ‌يرٌ‌ (That is the great bounty, gardens of eternity they enter. They will be ornamented with bracelets of gold and with pearls, and their dress therein will be (of) silk. - 35:32, 33) shows that in the beginning of verse 32, Allah Ta’ ala has pointed out to three kinds of His chosen servants following which it was said: ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ‌: That is, 'this counting of all these three among His chosen servants is the great bounty.' Next comes the statement relating to their recompense - that they will go to Jannah, that they will be given bracelets of gold and ornaments of pearls to wear and that their dress shall be of silk.

For men, in this mortal world, it is حَرَام haram to wear ornaments of gold, and dresses made of silk too. To compensate, they will have these in Jannah. Let there be no doubt about it, something like: Ornaments are for women, not for men in whose case these do not suit. The reason is simple. Taking the conditions prevailing in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter) and Jannah (Paradise) on the analogy of conditions prevailing in the mortal world is unreasonable, even dumb.

According to a narration of Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudri ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, 'Crowns on the heads of the people of Jannah will be studded with pearls. Light emitted by the smallest of its pearls will fill the entire horizon from the East to the West.' (Reported by at-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim, who has authenticated it, and by al-Baihaqi - from Mazhari)

Imam al-Qurtubi (رح) Ta’ ala said: Commentators explain that every inmate of Jannah will have bracelets to wear on their hands - of gold, silver, and pearls. About this celestial bracelet, a verse mentions 'of silver' (76:21) while others, 'of gold' (18:31; 22:23; 35:33; 43:53). The present explanation brings both verses in correspondence.

Jacob was Abraham’s grandson. From Jacob up to the time of Jesus, all the prophets were from among the tribes of the Children of Israel. In this way, the chain of Jewish prophets remained unbroken for about two thousand years. But, latter day Jews did not remain capable of bearing aloft the Book of God. Therefore, another community, the Children of Isma‘il, was selected to be the guardian of the divine scriptures. The Prophet Muhammad was born into this tribe. When the Prophet Muhammad presented the Quran before the tribe (Children of Isma‘il), three groups emerged—one which consisted of those who stood in opposition, a second which adopted a middle way, and a third which believed in the message he presented. It was the last group, who stood by the Prophet at all times. They had to forego every comfort and lived lives of gruelling hard work during which time they exhibited great patience. As a reward for their sacrifice God admitted them in the everlasting gardens of paradise where no sorrow or trouble could ever affect them.