سُوْرَةُ الْفُرْقَانِ
Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 16
لَّهُمْ فِيهَا مَا يَشَآءُونَ خَـٰلِدِينَ ۚ كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ وَعْدًا مَّسْـُٔولًا ﴿16﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
For them there will be therein all that they desire, and they will abide (there forever). It is a promise binding upon your Lord that must be fulfilled.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَّهُمْ
lahum
For them
فِيهَا
fīhā
therein
مَا
mā
(is) whatever
يَشَآءُونَ
yashāūna
they wish
خَـٰلِدِينَ ۚ
khālidīna
they will abide forever
كَانَ
kāna
It is
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
رَبِّكَ
rabbika
your Lord
وَعْدًۭا
waʿdan
a promise
مَّسْـُٔولًۭا
masūlan
requested
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 16) ➊ The bringing forward of {لَهُمْ فِيْهَا مَا يَشَآءُوْنَ خٰلِدِيْنَ:’’ لَهُمْ ‘‘} and {’’ فِيْهَا ‘‘} implies exclusivity, meaning this blessing—that whatever one desires will be granted—is only for the righteous, and even for them, only in Paradise. In this world, neither the righteous nor the unrighteous have this blessing. In this world, everyone’s condition is as the poet has described:
{مَا كُلُّ مَا يَتَمَنَّي الْمَرْءُ يُدْرِكُهُ ¤ تَجْرِي الرِّيَاحُ بِمَا لَا تَشْتَهِي السُّفُنُ}
“It is not so that a person attains whatever he wishes, for the winds often blow contrary to the wishes of the ships.”
The same theme is mentioned in Surah Ha-Meem As-Sajdah, Ayah (31): « وَ لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيْۤ اَنْفُسُكُمْ وَ لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَدَّعُوْنَ».
➋ Here a question is raised: When the people of Paradise will be given everything they desire, if they wish for the rank of the Prophets, will they also be granted that? The answer is that Allah will not place such a desire in their hearts; all will be content with their own occupations and will be free from envy and rivalry, happy with their own state, as He said: «{ اِنَّ اَصْحٰبَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِيْ شُغُلٍ فٰكِهُوْنَ }» [ یٰسٓ : ۵۵ ] “Indeed, the inhabitants of Paradise, that Day, will be busy in joyful occupation.” And the difference in ranks in Paradise is determined by Allah. Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ يَتَرَاءَ وْنَ أَهْلَ الْغُرَفِ مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ كَمَا يَتَرَاءَوْنَ الْكَوْكَبَ الدُّرِّيَّ الْغَابِرَ فِي الْأُفُقِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ أَوِ الْمَغْرِبِ لِتَفَاضُلِ مَا بَيْنَهُمْ ] [ بخاري، بدء الخلق، باب ما جاء في صفۃ الجنۃ … : ۳۲۵۶ ] “The people of Paradise will look at those in the upper chambers above them as you see a brilliant star on the far horizon in the east or west, due to the superiority of some over others in ranks.”
➌ { كَانَ عَلٰى رَبِّكَ وَعْدًا مَّسْـُٔوْلًا :} can have two meanings: one, that this promise is worthy of being asked from Allah to fulfill; or, it is a promise that will certainly be fulfilled upon request, as Allah has mentioned the supplication of the believers {’’ اُولُوا الْاَلْبَابِ ‘‘}, which they used to make: «{ رَبَّنَا وَ اٰتِنَا مَا وَعَدْتَّنَا عَلٰى رُسُلِكَ وَ لَا تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ اِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيْعَادَ }» [آل عمران : ۱۹۴ ] “Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise.” Al-Tabari has narrated from some of the people of Arabic language that the meaning of {’’ وَعْدًا مَّسْـُٔوْلًا ‘‘} is {’’ وَعْدًا وَاجِبًا ‘‘}, because that which can be asked or demanded becomes obligatory, even if it is not actually demanded, such as a debt, as the Arabs say: {’’ لَأُعْطِيَنَّكَ أَلْفًا وَّعْدًا مَسْؤلًا‘‘} “I will give you a thousand; this is a promise that can be demanded,” meaning it is obligatory for you, and you can ask and demand it.
{مَا كُلُّ مَا يَتَمَنَّي الْمَرْءُ يُدْرِكُهُ ¤ تَجْرِي الرِّيَاحُ بِمَا لَا تَشْتَهِي السُّفُنُ}
“It is not so that a person attains whatever he wishes, for the winds often blow contrary to the wishes of the ships.”
The same theme is mentioned in Surah Ha-Meem As-Sajdah, Ayah (31): « وَ لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيْۤ اَنْفُسُكُمْ وَ لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَدَّعُوْنَ».
➋ Here a question is raised: When the people of Paradise will be given everything they desire, if they wish for the rank of the Prophets, will they also be granted that? The answer is that Allah will not place such a desire in their hearts; all will be content with their own occupations and will be free from envy and rivalry, happy with their own state, as He said: «{ اِنَّ اَصْحٰبَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِيْ شُغُلٍ فٰكِهُوْنَ }» [ یٰسٓ : ۵۵ ] “Indeed, the inhabitants of Paradise, that Day, will be busy in joyful occupation.” And the difference in ranks in Paradise is determined by Allah. Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ يَتَرَاءَ وْنَ أَهْلَ الْغُرَفِ مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ كَمَا يَتَرَاءَوْنَ الْكَوْكَبَ الدُّرِّيَّ الْغَابِرَ فِي الْأُفُقِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ أَوِ الْمَغْرِبِ لِتَفَاضُلِ مَا بَيْنَهُمْ ] [ بخاري، بدء الخلق، باب ما جاء في صفۃ الجنۃ … : ۳۲۵۶ ] “The people of Paradise will look at those in the upper chambers above them as you see a brilliant star on the far horizon in the east or west, due to the superiority of some over others in ranks.”
➌ { كَانَ عَلٰى رَبِّكَ وَعْدًا مَّسْـُٔوْلًا :} can have two meanings: one, that this promise is worthy of being asked from Allah to fulfill; or, it is a promise that will certainly be fulfilled upon request, as Allah has mentioned the supplication of the believers {’’ اُولُوا الْاَلْبَابِ ‘‘}, which they used to make: «{ رَبَّنَا وَ اٰتِنَا مَا وَعَدْتَّنَا عَلٰى رُسُلِكَ وَ لَا تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ اِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيْعَادَ }» [آل عمران : ۱۹۴ ] “Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise.” Al-Tabari has narrated from some of the people of Arabic language that the meaning of {’’ وَعْدًا مَّسْـُٔوْلًا ‘‘} is {’’ وَعْدًا وَاجِبًا ‘‘}, because that which can be asked or demanded becomes obligatory, even if it is not actually demanded, such as a debt, as the Arabs say: {’’ لَأُعْطِيَنَّكَ أَلْفًا وَّعْدًا مَسْؤلًا‘‘} “I will give you a thousand; this is a promise that can be demanded,” meaning it is obligatory for you, and you can ask and demand it.
