Surah Muhammad (47) — Ayah 12

(Ayah 12) ➊ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُدْخِلُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا … :} After mentioning the punishments that befell the previous nations in the world and the help given to the believers, the outcome of both in the Hereafter is mentioned. Since the believers adhered to the requirements of their faith and righteous deeds, they did not enjoy the blessings and pleasures of the world according to their own will and desire, but rather by abiding by the commands of Allah Almighty. They ate and wore only what their Lord made lawful for them, and abstained from all forbidden things. They avoided the use of alcohol, silk, and gold. They refrained from adultery, theft, usurping others' rights, in short, from every sin. Many desires for pleasures remained in their hearts, and they lived here like a prisoner, who can only benefit from the facilities provided by the one who has imprisoned him. In return, Allah Almighty will admit them into magnificent gardens beneath which rivers flow and will say that here every desire and every wish of your heart will be fulfilled, and even more, you will receive what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever imagined. Remember that Allah Almighty has mentioned gardens and rivers here and in most places, because a part of houses and mansions in the world consists of a garden, since humans have a natural love for plants, springs, and rivers, but the real abode is much more spacious, beautiful, and valuable than these. The meaning is that you can estimate the greatness and grandeur of those dwellings and the countless things in them—living, eating, drinking, wives, children, and many other things—by the gardens and rivers that are like gardens attached to those dwellings.

➋ {وَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا يَتَمَتَّعُوْنَ وَ يَاْكُلُوْنَ كَمَا تَاْكُلُ الْاَنْعَامُ:} In contrast to the believers, the disbelievers do not care about any restrictions in eating, drinking, and enjoying the pleasures of the world. They have no concern for halal and haram, their own or others' rights; they eat pork, carrion, and every forbidden thing, drink alcohol, commit adultery, in short, fulfill every desire of their hearts. It is another matter that due to lack of availability, they may not be able to enjoy some pleasures, because in the world, every person gets only as much as the Owner has decreed, but in fulfilling their desires, they leave no stone unturned. The world is a paradise for them where they live a life free from every restriction and limitation. Their condition is exactly like that of animals, who are not bound by any restrictions in eating, drinking, living, and fulfilling their sexual desires; among them, every strong one snatches the right of the weak. They neither remember the Hereafter nor have any concern for accountability.

➌ {وَ النَّارُ مَثْوًى لَّهُمْ:} Since they disbelieved in their Lord, did not believe, did not do righteous deeds, nor adhered to His commands, their permanent abode is the Fire.

➍ Some people interpret this verse to mean that animals eat and drink while standing, so eating and drinking while standing is prohibited, but for this purpose, one should use hadiths as evidence instead of this verse, and only be as strict in this matter as is established from the hadiths, because in times of need, permission for this is also established from the Sunnah.

➎ Since all the efforts of animals are only for eating and drinking, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized eating less to avoid resembling them. Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَلْمُؤْمِنُ يَأْكُلُ فِيْ مِعًی وَاحِدٍ وَالْكَافِرُ يَأْكُلُ فِيْ سَبْعَةِ أَمْعَاءٍ] [ بخاري، الأطعمۃ، باب المؤمن یأکل في معی واحد …: ۵۳۹۳ ] "A believer eats in one intestine, and a disbeliever eats in seven intestines." And Miqdam bin Ma'dikarib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَا مَلَأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ، بِحَسْبِ ابْنِ آدَمَ أُكُلاَتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ، فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ ] [ ترمذي، الزھد، باب ما جاء في کراھیۃ کثرۃ الأکل : ۲۳۸۰، و قال الألباني صحیح ] "No man fills a vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few morsels to keep his back straight. But if he must, then a third for his food, a third for his drink, and a third for his breath." Just as the Shariah has taken human nature into account in every matter, here too, if one ever eats to his fill, there is allowance for it, as in the case of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) drinking milk repeatedly at the insistence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), until he had to say that now there is no more room in my stomach. [ دیکھیے بخاري، الرقاق، باب کیف کان عیش النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم … : ۶۴۵۲ ]

12. 1. That is, just as an animal has no purpose other than fulfilling the needs of its belly and lust, the same is the case with disbelievers; their purpose in life is also nothing but eating, and they are completely heedless of the Hereafter. In this context, the prohibition of eating while standing is also established, which has become common practice at gatherings nowadays, because in this too there is resemblance to animals, which has been described as the way of disbelievers. In the ahadith, drinking water while standing has been strictly prohibited, from which the prohibition of eating while standing is established even more strongly. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to avoid eating while standing like animals.

Indeed, Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds into gardens beneath which rivers flow. But those who disbelieve enjoy themselves for a little while and eat as cattle [13] eat, and their abode will be the Fire.

[13]
The Eating and Drinking of Disbelievers is Like That of Animals:

This sentence has two aspects. One is that just as cattle do not distinguish whether their food comes from lawful or unlawful sources, similarly, disbelievers also do not care for such distinction. Cattle eat whatever they find, without distinguishing between their own and others; moreover, strong animals snatch and eat the food of weaker ones by force. The same is the case with disbelievers. The second aspect is that the purpose of eating for animals or cattle is nothing more than to satisfy their hunger and to sustain their lives. The purpose of eating for disbelievers is also just that. Beyond this, they do not think about why Allah has given us so much more intellect and discernment compared to cattle.