Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (31) Surah: Al-Kahf
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتُ عَدۡنٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهِمُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ يُحَلَّوۡنَ فِيهَا مِنۡ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٖ وَيَلۡبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضۡرٗا مِّن سُندُسٖ وَإِسۡتَبۡرَقٖ مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِۚ نِعۡمَ ٱلثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتۡ مُرۡتَفَقٗا
(31) [3818]Those for whom are Gardens of Eternity[3819]; rivers running underneath them. Therein they are adorned with golden bracelets and put on green[3820] robes of sundus (fine silk) and istabraq (brocade)[3821] ˹while˺ reclining[3822] therein on divans—awesome indeed is the prize and splendid indeed is the retreat![3823]
[3818] The following is a detailing of their reward: their abode, their garments and adornments and their regal reclining (cf. al-Rāzī). While the abode of the Deniers is Hellfire, theirs are Gardens of Eternity; while the Deniers are served with muhl, they have whole rivers running under them; while the Deniers burn in Hell, they regale in silk garments and wear gold bracelets (cf. Abū Ḥayyān): “Allah promised the Believers, male and female, Gardens under which rivers flow forever they abide therein and comely abodes in Gardens of Eternity, but a Pleasure from Allah is ˹ever˺ greater; that is ˹truly˺ the great triumph!” (9: 72)
[3819] Jannāt ʿAdn (lit. Gardens of Eternal Residence) (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “In the Gardens of Eternity, ˹there are˺ two gardens. Their utensils and all that is there is made of silver; ˹and another˺ two gardens their utensils and all that is there is made of gold. Nothing keeps its dwellers from seeing their Lord except the Mantle of Loftiness on His Face” (al-Bukhārī: 4878, Muslim: 180).
[3820] The colour green has special significance since Arabs considered it an emblem of kings (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “If you were made to see you would see there great pampering and kingship; *on them are garments of green sundus and istabraq; they are adorned with sliver bracelets and their Lord gives them especially pure drink!” (76: 20-21)
[3821] They put on both at the same time: fine silk next to their skin to shield them against the roughness of the gold-threaded brocade, which is their outer garment (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3822] The reclining posture is symbolic of comfort and luxury (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn). It is the favorite poise of kings who are in possession of total indulgence and at their utmost comfort (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3823] The word ‘retreat’ (murtafaq) is employed to drum up the contrasting picture being drawn here between the ‘sordid retreat’ of the haughty Deniers (cf. Aya 27 above) and the ‘splendid retreat’ of the humble Believers (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3819] Jannāt ʿAdn (lit. Gardens of Eternal Residence) (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “In the Gardens of Eternity, ˹there are˺ two gardens. Their utensils and all that is there is made of silver; ˹and another˺ two gardens their utensils and all that is there is made of gold. Nothing keeps its dwellers from seeing their Lord except the Mantle of Loftiness on His Face” (al-Bukhārī: 4878, Muslim: 180).
[3820] The colour green has special significance since Arabs considered it an emblem of kings (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “If you were made to see you would see there great pampering and kingship; *on them are garments of green sundus and istabraq; they are adorned with sliver bracelets and their Lord gives them especially pure drink!” (76: 20-21)
[3821] They put on both at the same time: fine silk next to their skin to shield them against the roughness of the gold-threaded brocade, which is their outer garment (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3822] The reclining posture is symbolic of comfort and luxury (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn). It is the favorite poise of kings who are in possession of total indulgence and at their utmost comfort (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3823] The word ‘retreat’ (murtafaq) is employed to drum up the contrasting picture being drawn here between the ‘sordid retreat’ of the haughty Deniers (cf. Aya 27 above) and the ‘splendid retreat’ of the humble Believers (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (31) Surah: Al-Kahf
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.