Verse:23 Commentary The philosophy of adorning the dwellers of Paradise with gold bracelets

Here a point may arise that bracelets are articles of jewellery worn by women only and their use by men is looked upon with disfavor. This objection is not entirely relevant because throughout ages monarchs have embellished their persons with costly jewellery, crowns and bracelets as symbols of their might and wealth. The story is well known that Suraqah Ibn Malik ؓ ، before his conversion to Islam, started out in pursuit of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in order to apprehend him while he was on his way from Makkah to Madinah. As he approached near the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم his horse sank, by Allah's Will, in a piece of treacherous sand. At that critical moment he expressed his repentance about his error and sinful way, and begged the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to pray for his deliverance from his predicament. When, as a result of the Holy Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم prayer, his horse was extracted from the quicksand, he promised Suraqah Ibn Malik ؓ that when the bracelets of the King of Persia would fall in the hands of the Muslims as spoils of war, they would be given to him. So, when during the caliphate of Sayyidna ` Umar' ؓ the Muslims conquered Persia and the bracelets worn by the King of Persia were brought to Madinah along with other spoils of war Suraqah Ibn Malik ؓ laid claim to them and received them from Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ . In brief, just as wearing a crown is a royal privilege and not a common practice among men, similarly wearing bracelets by men is a royal privilege, and thus the men admitted to heaven will wear them as a symbol of honour and Divine favour. According to this verse, and also Surah Fatir, the bracelets will be made of gold, but in Surah Nisa' it is said that they will be made of silver. For this reason commentators are of the view that the bracelets worn by the pious people in heaven will be of three kinds, that is made of gold, silver and pearls. This verse makes a mention of bracelets made of pearls also.

Silk clothes are forbidden for men

The verse says that those people who are admitted to Paradise will wear silk clothes which means that their dresses, carpets, curtains etc. will be made of silk, which is regarded as the best fabric in this world. However, it should be understood that the silk used in Paradise and the silk used in this world have only the name in common, otherwise from the point of view of quality there is no comparison between the two.

Imam Nasa'i, Bazzar and Baihaqi رحمۃ اللہ علیہم have related on the authority of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ that once the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that the clothes of the people living in Paradise will be made from silk, which will be extracted from a fruit growing there. There is also a statement by Sayyidna Jabir ؓ that there would be a tree in the Paradise which would produce silk and the people of Paradise would wear dresses made from it. (Mazhari)

In a hadith quoted by Imam Nasa'i (رح) on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم once said:

مَن لَبِسَ الحرِیر فی الدّنیا لم یلبسہ فی الآخرہ، و من شَرِبَ الخمر فی الدّنیا لم یَشرِبھا فی الآخرہ، ومن شرب فی اٰنیۃ الذّھب و الفضّہ لم یشرب فیھا فی الآخرۃ، ثمّ قال رسول اللہ صلى الله عليه وسلم لباس اھل الجنّۃ واٰنیۃ اھل الجنّۃ

"He who wears silk in this world will not wear it in the Hereafter; he who drinks wine in this world will be deprived of the sacred nectar in the Hereafter; he who uses utensils made of precious metals for food and drink in this world will be denied their use in the Hereafter." Then the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم added " These three things are exclusively for the people of Paradise." (Qurtubi quoting Nasa'i)

The meaning is that a person who spent his life in this world in the midst of these three luxuries and did not show contrition, would be deprived of them even if he were admitted to Paradise. According to Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that a person who drank wine in this world and did not repent would be deprived of the sacred nectar of the Paradise in the Hereafter. (Qurtubi)

According to Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudri ؓ there is another hadith in which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

مَن لَبِسَ الحرِیر فی الدّنیا لم یلبسہ فی الآخرہ، و ان دخل الجنّۃ، لبسہ اھل الجنّۃ ولم یلبسہ ھو (رواہ ابو داؤد الطیالسی فی مسندہ وقال القرطبی اسنادہ صحیح)

"He who wore silk in the world will not wear it in the Hereafter even if he is admitted to Paradise. All other people of Paradise will wear silk, but not he."

Here a point arises that if after admittance to Paradise a person remained deprived of something, he will nourish a sense of sorrow and grief, whereas Paradise is no place for such feelings, because everyone who is admitted to Paradise should at all times be easy in his mind and free from anxiety. On the other hand, if the deprivation of certain facilities causes no sorrow and grief, then the deprivation loses its purpose. Qurtubi has given a very convincing explanation to this matter. He says that the people of Paradise will be given different grades and places at different levels, depending on how well they stood in Allah's favour on account of their good deeds and devotion to the cause of the True Faith. Everybody will be aware of these differences, but Allah will fill their hearts with tranquility and contentment, so that they will not feel grief and sorrow about these differences: وَاللہُ سبحانَہُ و تعالیٰ اَعلَم Verse:24 Commentary وَهُدُوا إِلَى الطَّيِّبِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ (And guided they were to the good word (of faith) - 22:24) Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said that this refers to the Kalimah tayyibah لا إله إلا اللہ . Some others say that it means Qur'an. (Qurtubi) As a matter of fact it includes all these things in its meaning. Verse:25 Commentary Commentary

In the previous verse, mention was made of the mutual hostility between the believers and infidels. One aspect of this hostility has been described in this verse, namely that among the infidels there are those who not only persist in error themselves but also prevent others from following the path of virtue. Those were the people who prevented the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his companions when they wanted to enter the Sacred Mosque wearing the pilgrim's garb. Traditionally the Sacred Mosque and that part of Makkah which has an essential role in the rituals of the pilgrimage was not their property and they had no right to deny entry to anyone. The place is open to everyone, whether a local resident or a visitor. The verse goes on to say that anyone who commits an impious act in the Sacred Mosque, (meaning the whole of حَرَم Haram), such as preventing people from entering the Mosque, will be made to suffer severe chastisement from Allah, especially if he is also a polytheist as was the case with the infidels of Makkah. They will be liable for double punishment, one for being non-believers and second for preventing others to enter the Sacred Mosque for pilgrimage. Although all sinful acts especially shirk and kufr are forbidden and are great crimes and sins which are liable to punishment at all times and in all places, but such acts carried out in the حَرَم Haram enhance the crime double-fold, and hence referred here for their special importance.

يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ (Prevent (people) from the way of Allah - 22:25) The words سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ (the way of Allah) mean Islam and the sense of the verse is that these people not only repudiate Islam themselves but also prevent others from accepting it.

Their second offence is that they stop the Muslims from entering the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram) (22:25). In reality Al-Masjid Al-Haram is the name of the mosque which is built around بَیت اللہ (House of Allah - the Holy Ka'bah), and it is a very important part of حَرَم haram of Makkah. However, the term Al-Masjid Al-Haram is usually used for the whole of haram of Makkah, as is the case under this episode. Thus the infidels of Makkah excluded the Muslims not only from the Sacred Mosque but also from the precincts of haram of Makkah (as is evident from numerous traditions), and the words اَلمَسجِد الحَرَام used in this verse cover the entire haram. The Holy Qur'an has at another place used the word اَلمَسجِد الحَرَام under this episode in the meaning of the whole area of حَرَم Haram: وَصَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ. (48:25)

The meaning of equal rights of all Muslims within Haram of Makkah

According to al-Durr al-Manthur the term Al-Masjid Al-Haram in the present context means the entire haram as reported from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . The entire Muslim Ummah and all the jurists are unanimous on the fact that all those areas of Makkah and the haram where the essential rituals of the pilgrimage are performed, such as the space between Safa and Marwah, where the pilgrims perform سَعِی Sa'y, and all the open areas of Mina, ` Arafat and Muzdalifah are waqf for the benefit of the entire Muslim ummah and have never been, nor can ever be, owned by individuals. Some jurists apply this principle to the private houses in Makkah and the open lands in the area of haram to infer that these too are waqf for all the Muslims, that a Muslim can stay anywhere he likes and that the sale or letting out these properties on rent is not permissible. However, there are other jurists who do not accept this view and believe that the ownership of these properties can vest in private individuals and the houses can be sold or let out on rent. It is well established that Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ purchased the house of Safwan Ibn Umayyah in Makkah for use as prison for the criminals. As for Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، both views are attributed to him in different reports, but the hanaff jurists have issued their Fatwa (ruling) in favour of the latter view. (Ruh ul-Ma` ani) This verse mentions certain areas of haram where entry was denied to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his companions by the infidels of Makkah, but these areas are waqf by consensus of ummah and nobody can be denied access to them.

وَمَن يُرِ‌دْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ (And whoever intends therein to commit deviation with injustice - 22:25.) The word إِلْحَادٍ literally means deviation from the right path. While Mujahid and Qatadah have interpreted this word to mean unbelief and denial of the Oneness of Allah (kufr and shirk) other commentators have given this word its literal meaning which embraces all kinds of sins so much so that even hurling abuses to one's servant is also included in it.

Sayyidna ` Ata' ؓ has further enlarged the scope of the meaning of this word by declaring that ilhad within the precincts of haram means entering it without wearing the pilgrims garb (ihram), or violating any of the prohibition inside the haram, such as hunting or cutting down trees within its limits. It needs to be clarified here that all things forbidden by the religious code are forbidden everywhere and will attract punishment wherever committed; and the specific reference to haram in this verse is to emphasize the fact that just as a good deed performed within its limits will be generously rewarded, similarly a sin committed there will attract the most severe punishment. (Mujahid). Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ has related another interpretation of the word ilhad to mean that whereas at any other place the mere intention to commit a sin does not constitute a sin unless it is actually committed, within the limits of the haram even the resolve to commit a sin is punishable, as if it has actually been committed. Qurtubi has adopted this interpretation from Ibn ` Umar ؓ and lends his own support to it. Whenever Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ went for the pilgrimage, he used to set up two tents - one within the limits of haram and the other outside it. If ever an occasion arose when he needed to scold or rebuke any one of his households, he would do it in the tent which he had set up outside the limits of haram. When people asked him the reason for this, his answer was that the words کلَّا واللہ or بلٰی واللہ which a person normally uses when angry also constitute إلحَاد فی الحَرَم (committing an act of sin within the precincts of haram). (Mazhari)