Surah As-Saaffaat (37) — Ayah 49

(Ayah 49) { كَاَنَّهُنَّ بَيْضٌ مَّكْنُوْنٌ: ’’ بَيْضٌ ‘‘ ’’بَيْضَةٌ‘‘} The word 'بَيْضٌ' is the plural of 'بَيْضَةٌ', meaning eggs. The color of an egg is usually white tinged with red, with some yellow mixed in. This color remains when kept hidden, otherwise it fades. Especially the eggs of the ostrich are of this color, and the ostrich places them on a bed of its soft and gentle feathers and covers them with the same. The Arabs greatly admire such a complexion in women and liken them to eggs kept hidden. In Ashraf al-Hawashi it is stated: “Some commentators have interpreted {’’ بَيْضٌ مَّكْنُوْنٌ ‘‘} as ‘the membrane hidden beneath the eggshell,’ and this is the very interpretation transmitted by Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so this is the authentic interpretation. She says that she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the meaning of {’’ بَيْضٌ مَّكْنُوْنٌ ‘‘}, and he replied: ‘Their (i.e., the maidens of Paradise) softness and delicacy will be like the membrane that clings to the eggshell, and it is called {’’غِرْقِيٌّ‘‘}.’” (Ibn Kathir, Ibn Jarir) In Qamus it is stated: {’’غَرْقَأَتِ الدَّجَاجَةُ بَيْضَتَهَا‘‘} “The hen laid an egg without a hard shell.” But the researcher of Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Hikmat bin Bashir, has written about this narration: “It has been narrated by Tabari and Tabarani with the same chain and text, and its chain is weak due to Sulaiman bin Abi Karima. Al-‘Uqayli and Ibn ‘Adi have declared him weak.” Furthermore, in the Qur’an these women are also called {’’ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُوْنِ ‘‘}, so the appropriateness of {’’ بَيْضٌ مَّكْنُوْنٌ ‘‘} and {’’ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُوْنِ ‘‘} should be kept in mind. (And Allah knows best)