2. That is, when the Hour strikes.

3. Alternatively, no soul will, at that moment, deny it; or deny other Unseen affairs that it denies now (Zamakhshari).

4. I.e., raising those who were lowly – but righteous in this world – over and above many self-conceited ones of this world, ushering them high into Paradise, while debasing others; i.e., the self-conceited ones of this world, casting them low into Hellfire (Au.).

5. “Habaa’” is for that spark which shoots out of fire and dies out in a moment (Ibn Jarir, Shawkani).

When it rises, you see it as something but when it falls, it leaves no trace of itself (Qurtbi).

6. This Ayah has its parallel in another verse of the Qur’ān:

“Then We gave the Book in inheritance to such of Our servants as We chose. Of them are some who wrong their own souls, and of them some who are on the middle course, while some who are by Allah’s grace, outrunners in good deeds.” Thus, the division into three groups echoes in this verse also (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).

That is how the people will be divided on the Judgment day: (i) Some on the right side of the `Arsh, those that were brought forth from the right side of Adam (at the start of the creation). They will be given their Records in their right hands and will be taken to the right side. Suddi said that the great majority of the dwellers of Paradise will belong to this group. (ii) Another group will be placed on the left side of the `Arsh.

They had emerged from the left side of Adam. They will be given their Records in their left hands and will be taken to the left side. They will be the dwellers of Hellfire. (iii) A third category will comprise of those who were foremost (in every act of virtue:

Au.), and will be nearest to Allah.

These will be Prophets, Messengers Siddiqoon and martyrs (Ibn Kathir).

7. These have also been mentioned in the narrative coming through Abu Dharr in Muslim (and many other works). The Prophet said (while speaking of his ascent to the heavens) “As we rose up to this world’s firmament we found a man who had a huge dark patch on his right hand side and a huge dark patch on his left hand side.

When he looked at those at the right hand side, he laughed. But when he looked at those at the left hand side, he wept. He said (to me), ‘Welcome, a righteous Prophet and a righteous son.’ He said, I asked Jibril. He said it was Adam – peace be upon him. And these dark patches on his right and left are the souls of his sons.

Those of the right hand side are inhabitants of Paradise while the dark patch on his left hand side are inhabitants of the Fire..” (Qurtubi).

8. What the commentators have said in a variety of ways can be summed up as follows: Outrunners are those who forerun all others in all kinds of virtuous deeds (Ibn Kathir).

Kashshaf places a line which aptly describes his own situation, if we keep in mind his long travels in search of knowledge. He writes:

Those are meant who hastened to all good things, and tore through dust seeking their Lord’s pleasure.

9. That is, these Outrunners will be more from the nations of the past while few from the followers of our Prophet (Ibn Jarir). That is because this Ummah was the last to appear.

There were numerous Prophets and Messengers who appeared before it.

Jointly, the numbers of their Outrunners are expected to be more than that of this single Ummah; hence the words, “a few from the later ones.” This was hard for the Companions to hear (since it promised low numbers) and so the Prophet consoled them by saying that, all in all, they will yet be half of those in Paradise (Kashshaf, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and others).

Ibn Abi Hatim has preserved a report from Hasan that when `Ali (b. Abi Talib) passed by this Ayah, he remarked, “As for the Outrunners they have been; but, O Allah, make of us those of the Right Hand side.” However, Hasan himself believed, as also did Muhammad b. Seereen, that by “a throng from the earlier ones” the allusion is to the first group of believers of this Ummah (Ibn Kathir).

Asad’s note needs consideration:

“The above stress on the ‘many’ and the ‘few’ contains an allusion to the progressive diminution, in the historical sense, of the element of excellence in men’s faith and ethical achievements.”

10. Another possible meaning is “lined up”, i.e., the couches shall be lined up (Ibn Jarir).

11. That is, young ones who will never grow in age, but remain unchanged forever, serving the dwellers of Paradise.

12. “Akwaab” (sing.: koob) have no sprout and no ears (handles). “Abaareeq” (sing.: ibreeq) are those that have a sprout and ears; while in classical Arabic “ka’s” was generally referred to those glasses that had wine filled in them; i.e., when empty they were not referred to as “ka’s”.

13. The translation is literal, but Ibn `Abbas, Dahhak and Qatadah explained as in Ibn Jarir, that here it stands for wine.

14. The mention of fruits reminds Ibn Kathir of a hadīth preserved by Ahmed (and Abu Ya`la and which Haythami declared as of narrators same as of Sahih works: Sami) :

Anas reports that good dreams pleased the Prophet. Sometimes he would ask, “Has anyone of you seen a dream?” If one of them had experienced one, he would ask him to narrate it. If he did not see anything unpleasant in it, the man would be pleasing to him on that score. Now one day a woman came and said “Messenger of Allah. I saw as if I have entered Paradise. I heard a huge noise which shook Paradise.

I looked up, and lo, so and so, son of so and so, and, so and so, son of so and so, until she counted 12 that were brought in.” [Indeed earlier the Prophet had sent a force against an enemy]. She continued “They were brought in with torn clothes and their neck veins bleeding. It was said, ‘Take them to the Sadakh – or may be the narrator said, Bayzakh – spring.’ They were taken there and a dip given after which their faces became like moon in the middle of the month.” The narrator said, “Then golden chairs were brought for them. As they sat on them a large plate – or maybe the narrator said another word of this kind - was brought up that had half-ripe dates. They ate thereof. And, they did not turn it to a side but ate thereof a fruit of their choice. I too ate with them.” Then a news-carrier came from a battalion the Prophet had sent earlier and said, “Messenger of Allah it (the battle) went this way and that way, and so and so and so and so were martyred” - naming the twelve the woman had named. The Prophet ordered that the woman be brought back. When she came he told her “Now, narrate your dream to this man.” Hafiz Diyaa’ judged the narrative as meeting with the standards of Muslim (Ibn Kathir).

15. Ahmed has a hadīth of this context. The Prophet said, “Fowls of Paradise are like long-necked (birds).

They feed on the trees of Paradise.” Abu Bakr asked, “Messenger of Allah, are these birds soft (of flesh)?” He answered, “But those who eat of them will be in greater blessing” – he said that three times – “and I hope you will be of those who will eat of them, O Abu Bakr” (Ibn Kathir).

[Haythami added: The above report is also in Tirmidhi in a shorter form while Ahmed’s report has narrators of Sahih ahadīth except for Sayyar b. Hatim, who in any case was trustworthy:

Au.].

Ibn Kathir reproduces several other narratives of this nature that have been preserved and judged variously by hadīth doctors. Although they are weak, they strengthen each other (Au.).

16. A tradition preserved by Hakim reports, Abu Umamah said that the Companions of the Prophet would await a Bedouin to turn up, who could ask questions and thus Allah bestow benefit through him.

Once a Bedouin came in and asked, “Messenger of Allah. Allah has mentioned an irritating tree in the Qur’ān. I never imagined that there would be a tree in Paradise that would trouble its dwellers.” The Prophet asked him what it was and he said “Lote tree, for it is full of thorns.” The Prophet read out, “(Among thornless lote-trees) – Allah will remove its thorns and replace every thorn with a fruit. It will fructify with fruits and whenever a fruit opens up, seventy-two colors will open up, none of the colors like any other” – Qurtubi Ibn Kathir, Shawkani.

Hakim declared it as of good chain and Dhahabi confirmed his opinion (Au.).

There is another report of similar meaning In sum it says that a Bedouin said to the Prophet, “You mention a tree (talh) in Paradise, but which is full of thorns” and the Prophet replied, “Allah will replace every thorn with a fruit like a castrated light-skinned ram, each of a different colored-food, that will not resemble another” (Ibn Kathir Shawkani).

[Note that “talh” meant, in Yemeni dialect banana, while among the Hijazis it referred to a thorny tree of the deserts: Au.].

It may also be noted that the Prophet drew a simile that was familiar to a shepherd (Au.).

The report was treated trustworthy by Haythami (Sami).

17. The great majority of the Salaf have believed that “talh” is for bananas (Ibn Jarir). In fact, its leaves are also layered (Razi).

Note the contrast, which could be the reason why the comparatively unknown lote-tree has been mentioned:

The lote-tree has the smallest of leaves among the (fruit) plants while banana tree has the largest of leaves (Razi).

18. We have a hadīth in this reference.

(It is in Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and other collections: Au.). The Prophet is reported by Anas as having said, “Paradise has a tree in whose shade a rider might ride for a hundred years, but will not be able to cross it” (Ibn Jarir).

The report is in the Sahihayn and others, of “mutawatir” status and a report of Ahmed names it as “shajaratu al-khuld” that is the immortal tree. Nonetheless scholars have pointed out that there will be no sun in Paradise but, as Ibn Mas`ud said, rather like the time after Fajr, neither dark nor bright (Ibn Kathir).

19. We have passed by a verse of similar meaning :

i.e., “Every time they are fed with a fruit they will say, ‘This is what we have been fed with before.’ And, (indeed) they will be given the like of it.” Yet another report of similar nature is in Abu Ya`la and others :

Ka`b reported from his father that “once while we were lined up behind the Prophet in Zuhr Prayers, we saw the Prophet reach out for something. He stepped back and so did the people. Then he stepped back a second time and so did the people. I said ‘Messenger of Allah, we saw you doing something that normally you do not do in Prayers?’ He answered, ‘Paradise was shown to me along with its fruits and flowers. I tried to reach out for a bunch of grapes. Had I taken it everyone in the heaven and earth would have eaten out thereof without any reduction. But a barrier was created between me and it’” (Ibn Kathir).

Dhahabi declared this hadīth of Hakim as Sahih (Au.).

20. Most commentators agree that these will be especially created women.

The hadīth that says that the allusion is to the re-creation of the old, decrepit women of this world, is weak (Au.).

It is narrated about Sulayman al-Darani that he said, “I offered (tahajjud) Prayers one night and then began to supplicate. It was an extremely cold night so I began to supplicate with one hand. Then sleep overtook me and I saw a Hourie the like of whom I had never seen before. She said, ‘O Abu Sulayman. Do you supplicate with one hand while I have been preparing food for you in the Blissful Garden for five hundred years?’” (Ibn Kathir).

21. “`Urub” are those who desire after their husbands - lovingly. Another connotation is, “those of amorous gestures” (Ibn Jarir from the Salaf).

22. A hadīth can be quoted in support :

The Prophet said, “The inhabitants of Paradise will enter therein with no hair growth on their heads or cheeks, with kohl in their eyes, of age thirty-three years” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

Tirmidhi himself declared the report as a kind of weak one. But Albani treated it as Sahih. Haythami said that some of its parts are in the Sahih works (Au.).

Sex in Paradise Ibn Kathir mentions a few ahadīth here on the topic of sex in Paradise during the search of which we have found a few others. Bukhari and Muslim have no reports, neither in favor nor in denial. But a few other collections do deal with the subject although in passing. As is our habit we present only those that enjoy some credibility ignoring those of the lesser order, whether Ibn Kathir presents them or not (Au.).

Prophet was asked, “Shall we have sex with our women in Paradise just as we do in this life?” He answered, “By Him in whose hands is my life, a man will have sex during a day with a hundred virgins.” The above was preserved by Abu Ya`la and others which Haythami treated as not so untrustworthy.

However, Albani said it is Sahih. Tabarani recorded that the Prophet was asked whether the dwellers of Paradise will have sex. He answered, “Yes: with organs that will not get weary and a desire that will never be satiated – forcefully, forcefully.” According to another version, “Without ejaculation-liquid from either side.” Another report in Tabarani is on the authority of Zayd b. al- Arqam. It says: A Jewish man said to the Prophet, “O Abu al- Qasim, do you claim that the inhabitants of Paradise will eat and drink?” He replied, “Yes. And, by Him in whose hand is my life, a man will be given the strength of a hundred men in matters of eating drinking, and intercourse.” The Jew said, “Whoever eats and drinks will need to relieve himself, but Paradise is a clean place.” He answered, “The manner of a man’s relief will be issuance of a liquid of smell like musk. With that his stomach will be cleansed” (Au.).

(Haythami declared it as carrying a trustworthy chain: Au.).

Yet another hadīth is as follows:

asked the Prophet whether, “We shall have intercourse with our women in Paradise as we have intercourse with them in this life?” He answered, “By Him in whose hands is my life, during a single day a man will have intercourse with a hundred virgins” (Au.).

Haythami treated the above as quite trustworthy (Au.).

The hadīth of course does not mention the length of the day or night in Paradise.

According to yet another version when asked whether the inhabitants of Paradise will have sex he answered “Yes; and they will also eat and drink.” Haythami remarked: These were preserved by Tabarani being reports with some narrators trusted while others considered weak. Tabarani and Abu Ya`la have it that the Prophet was asked “Messenger of Allah. Shall we have sex with our women in Paradise?” He answered, “Yes. By Him in whose hands is my life, a man will have sex with a hundred virgins in a day.” Haythami adds: The narrators of the above report are those of the Sahih works but for Muhammad b. Thawab who was, anyway, also trustworthy.

Another narration of Tabarani says :

The Prophet said, “A man will be married to seventy women in Paradise.” It was asked, “Messenger of Allah. Will he have the ability?” He answered, “He will be given the power of a hundred.” Although it is partly available in Tirmidhi it has been considered weak by Haythami.

Ibn Hibban’s Sahih has the following:

The Prophet was asked, “Shall we have sex in Paradise?” He replied, “Yes. By Him in whose hand is my soul, forcefully, forcefully.

When he moves away from her, she would turn purified, virgin.” Shu`ayb al-Arna’oot however declared it a Hasan report, i.e., a kind of weak, but not too weak (Au.). Tirmidhi’s report, considered Sahih-Ghareeb by him quotes the Prophet as having said, “A believer will be given the power to co-habit, to such and such level.” He was asked, “Messenger of Allah. Will he have the strength for it?” He answered, “He will be given the strength of a hundred.” The above are the ahadīth that the books yield on this subject. Some are in Ibn Kathir. We may terminate by re-quoting another hadīth, relevant to the above, answering how a man could have strength of so many.

Apart from other things, it speaks of their size in Paradise. It is in the Sahihayn and other works :

The Prophet said, “The first group to enter Paradise will have faces like the full-moon. Those who follow them will be like the most shining star in the sky. They will not have to attend to the call of nature. They will not spit, nor spit phlegm. Their combs will be of gold and their sweat musk; their perfume-burners of high quality material; their spouses wide-eyed houris. They will be on one pattern of creation, on the face of their progenitor Adam sixty feet in the sky.” Before closing this subject, we may also point out that the reports on this topic are a clear proof of the authenticity of the general body of hadīth.

We know that in sexual terms the Arab Peninsula is identified as the most active and passionate region in the world. Interest in sex starts pretty early in life, and remains till quite late in old age. It is treated with frankness and as a matter of fact. Its discussion involves no shame. The poetry that the Companions would have heard was no other than the Jaahiliyy poetry concerned with nothing but wars wine and women. Had the ahadīth in Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmed, and major works been fabricated, surely, one would have found dozens of ahadīth on this topic of popular interest - in every one of these books. But none are found in them. In comparison there are scores of ahadīth on letting down the beards and trimming the moustaches. But the deviant minds of the Orientalists and their followers rarely give an ear to a keynote that would threaten their resolutely adopted position of rejection (Au.).