The first and second verses speak of the width and greatness of paradise and say that it is equal to all the heavens and earth combined. It then adds that it has been prepared for the righteous.
Many commentators have explained this verse and said that it seems that the Paradise is created and ready even now. (1)
The notable point is what Qartabi says as following:
“The majority of the Ulema of Islam believe that the Paradise exists even now for it has been created. The traditions about “Meraj” and others that are recorded in the “Sahiyin” also confirm this. But the Motazallis have not accepted this interpretation and they believe that it will be created after the destruction of this world because it is the world of rewards and retributions and this is the world of hardships so they cannot exist at the same time.” (2)
This idea of the Motazallis is a mistaken one because the verse speaks about the Paradise existing then and not about the entry of the people.
The third and fourth verses speak of the Hell existing now. It says fear the fire the fuel of which are men and stones and which has been prepared for the disbelievers.
This verse also speaks about a raging hell in the present. Some commentators have said that the word “Iddat” means prepared but though it is in the past tense it should be taken to mean in the future because sometimes a certain future is spoken of in the past tense. This interpretation is against the literal meaning of the verse and such ideas need justification and support.
The fifth verse is about the “Meraj” of the Holy Messenger. It says that the Messenger saw Sidra again near the lote tree (It is a very tall and large tree reaching out into the unknown). Paradise and the Garden of Eden are close to it.
Does the term “Jannatol Mawa” mean the paradise in purgatory or the paradise that will be eternal? There is discord among the commentators about it. The word “Mawa” may suggest an eternal Paradise but it being above the heavens suggests that it is one in Purgatory because the eternal Paradise is equal to the heavens and earth combined.
To explain its existence is correct only through the first verse. Some commentators have chosen this path. Tabrisi in Majmaul Bayan and Allama Tabatabai in Al Mizan concur on this.
The next verse speaks about the Hell encompassing the sinners and this is because of their being adamant actively. It is said: “They ask you to hasten the chastisement when the Hell encompasses the sinners even now.”
They have made not only this world A Hell through sins, injustices and polytheism but the Hell in the hereafter encompasses them even now. Since the sinners demanded the quickening of the chastisement so they are asked, “why do you hurry like this? You are in hell even now and it is only the screens set by God that protect you from it. On the Judgment Day when these screens will be removed you will see they way it encompasses you.” (3)
The explanation also says that this verse is about the Judgment Day and the next verse that says “Yawma Yagshaahumul ‘azaabu” means that the Hell encompasses them like a prison.
In other words this verse speaks about a sure and certain future because in Arabic parlance a sure future at times is spoken of in the present tense or in the past tense.
But we can take the help of the verses of Surah infitaar for the first interpretation. They say, “Surely the righteous are among the bounties of Paradise and the evil are in Hell and they will burn on the Day of Judgment and they are not far from it.”
This des c r i p tion tell us that “Sali” or the burning in Hell is on the judgment Day but Hell encompasses them even now though there are screens that save them from burning. “And they are not far from It.” stresses on this.
In the last verse the people who deny the Day of Judgment are addressed, “It is not as you think. You would certainly have seen Hell if you had certitude.”
It is emphasized again, “You shall certainly see it again.”
If we take the literal meaning then “Lau” will define a certainty and “You shall see the Hell fire” then will mean that those with certitude see Hell in this world. And this in turn means that it exists.
The commentators have raised a great hue and cry about the explanation of this verse and each one of them has taken a separate path because most of them could not digest the fact that the Hell can be visible in this world and then be seen again in the hereafter.
On the one side they see that this verse cannot be limited to the hereafter because all the sinners will see Hell on the Judgment Day and there is no exemption for this. So some of them have taken the idea that there is no condition about it Fakhr Razi has spoken about the unanimity of the commentators about this.(4) This of course is exaggeration and there cannot be a unanimity about it. He has described the meaning of the verse to be “You would not have resorted to boasting and considering each other inferior if you had certitude and God would not have made you oblivious of the Day of Judgment” (5)
Other commentators who doe not believe that it is correct to take the word “Jaza” to have been removed have taken this “seeing” to be related to the heart. According to them the verse will mean, “You would have believed on Hell if you had certitude.”
It is certain that the first and second interpretations are not compatible with the words of the verse because “Jaza” being hidden or removed is against the rules of the language and believing “Ru-iyat” to mean knowledge is also against the rules. (6)
So if we take the verse without removing the word then we will conclude what we have said earlier. Some commentators have accepted this but as a collateral.
There are many hadiths in Islamic books that which are compatible with this interpretation e.g. the incident of that young believer recorded in Usul kafi as narrated by Imam Sadiq:
“One day the Messenger of Islam performed the morning prayers with the people and suddenly he saw a young man who lay sleeping. His face was pale, his body was weak. The messenger called out his name and addressed him, “How are you young man?” He answered, “I have risen with certitude in the morning.” The Messenger was pleased and said, “Certitude has certain conditions what were yours?” He said, “O Messenger of God! My certitude is that which has made me sad, kept me praying through the night and fasting in the day; it has made be oblivious of all worldly things as if I am seeing the Throne of God! It is the day of gathering and the people are rising to give their accounts and I am with them. It is as if I see the Paradise whose dwellers are among the bounties sitting on couches. It is as if I see the dwellers of Hell and they are burning in its fire, wailing loud! I feel I hear the sound of the Hell’s fire and it echoes in my ears.”
The Messenger spoke to his companions, “God has enlightened the heart of this man” and then added, “Stay in the condition you are in and never let it leave you.” The young man said, “O Messenger of God! Please pray to God for me that He may give me the rank of Witness with you.”
The Messenger prayed for him. After a few days he went with the Messenger to a battle and was martyred after 9 Muslims and thus he attained his desire. (7)
The sentence, “As if can hear the voice of Hell echoing in my ears.” is also a proof that hell exists. One the faith reaches the visionary stage then it can be seen.
The above verses tell that Paradise and Hell do exist. If some one has doubts when he takes each verse individually this is dispelled when he studies them all together especially the verses that use the word “Iddat” or “has been prepared.”
1. Tafsir Majmaul Bayanvol.2.page 504, Tafsir Kabeer vol.9 page 4, Tafsir Ruhul Bayan vol.2 page 94, Tafsir Ruhul Jinan vol.3 page 188, Tafsir Qartabi vol2 page 146, Tafsir Ruhul Ma’ani vol.4 page 51, and Tafsir Al Minar vol.2 page 1447.
2. Tafsir Qartabi vol.2 page 1447
3. Allama Shayrani has mentioned this as a note in Tafsir Ruhul Jinan of Abu Futuh Razi vol.9 page 30.
4. Tafsir Kabeer vol32 pave 78
5. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan vol.10 page 530
6. The word “Ru-iyat” means knowledge but only when two verbs or doers are mentioned. It is not so in the verse and we should also heed that the words in the next verse “And You shall see it again with certainty.” refers to the Day of Judgment.
7. Usul Kafi vol.2 page 53 hadith 2
