سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 20
لَـٰكِنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ غُرَفٌ مِّن فَوْقِهَا غُرَفٌ مَّبْنِيَّةٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
But those who fear their Lord (Allâh) and keep their duty to Him, for them are built lofty rooms, one above another under which rivers flow (i.e. Paradise). (This is) the Promise of Allâh: and Allâh does not fail in (His) Promise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَـٰكِنِ
lākini
But
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ٱتَّقَوْا۟
ittaqaw
fear
رَبَّهُمْ
rabbahum
their Lord
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
غُرَفٌۭ
ghurafun
(are) lofty mansions
مِّن
min
above them
فَوْقِهَا
fawqihā
above them
غُرَفٌۭ
ghurafun
lofty mansions
مَّبْنِيَّةٌۭ
mabniyyatun
built high
تَجْرِى
tajrī
flow
مِن
min
from
تَحْتِهَا
taḥtihā
beneath it
ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ
l-anhāru
the rivers
وَعْدَ
waʿda
(The) Promise
ٱللَّهِ ۖ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
لَا
lā
Not
يُخْلِفُ
yukh'lifu
Allah fails
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah fails
ٱلْمِيعَادَ
l-mīʿāda
(in His) promise
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 20) ➊ { لٰكِنِ الَّذِيْنَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ غُرَفٌ …:} Along with the mention of the people of Hell, the good end of the righteous has been described, so that encouragement continues along with warning. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَغُرَفًا يُرٰی ظُهُوْرُهَا مِنْ بُطُوْنِهَا وَ بُطُوْنُهَا مِنْ ظُهُوْرِهَا فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ لِمَنْ هِيَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللّٰهِ!؟ قَالَ هِيَ لِمَنْ أَطَابَ الْكَلَامَ وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ وَ أَدَامَ الصِّيَامَ وَ صَلّٰی لِلّٰهِ بِاللَّيْلِ وَ النَّاسُ نِيَامٌ ] [ ترمذي، صفۃ الجنۃ، باب ما جاء في صفۃ غرف الجنۃ : ۲۵۲۷، و قال الألباني حسن ] "In Paradise, there are such lofty palaces whose outer parts are visible from their inner parts and their inner parts are visible from their outer parts." A Bedouin stood up and asked: "O Messenger of Allah! For whom are they?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "For those who speak pure words, feed others, persist in fasting, and pray to Allah at night when people are asleep."
➋ { مِنْ فَوْقِهَا غُرَفٌ … :} That is, for the righteous people there are lofty palaces, and above them are even higher palaces; the mention of their height has already passed in the commentary of Surah Al-Furqan, verse (75).
➌ {’’ مَبْنِيَّةٌ ‘‘ ’’بَنٰي يَبْنِيْ بِنَاءً‘‘} is a passive participle. "Constructed" means constructed with utmost excellence. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that we said: [ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ! حَدِّثْنَا عَنِ الْجَنَّةِ، مَا بِنَاؤُهَا؟ قَالَ لَبِنَةُ ذَهَبٍ وَ لَبِنَةُ فِضَّةٍ، وَمِلاَطُهَا الْمِسْكُ الْأَذْفَرُ، وَ حَصْبَاؤُهَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ وَالْيَاقُوْتُ، وَ تُرَابُهَا الزَّعْفَرَانُ، مَنْ يَّدْخُلُهَا يَنْعَمُ وَ لَا يَبْأَسُ، وَ يَخْلُدُ وَ لَا يَمُوْتُ، لَا تَبْلٰی ثِيَابُهُ وَ لَا يَفْنٰی شَبَابُهُ ] [ مسند أحمد : 305/2، ح : ۸۰۶۳، قال المحقق صحیح بطرقہ و شواہدہ ] "O Messenger of Allah! Tell us about Paradise, what is it made of?" He said: "One brick is of gold, one brick is of silver, its mortar is fragrant musk, its pebbles are pearls and rubies, and its soil is saffron. Whoever enters it will be happy, never miserable, will live forever, never die, his clothes will never wear out, and his youth will never fade."
➍ {’’ مَبْنِيَّةٌ ‘‘} (constructed) indicates that those palaces of Paradise have already been built and Paradise has been prepared for the righteous servants, as He said: « اُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِيْنَ » [ آل عمران : ۱۳۳ ] "(Paradise) has been prepared for the God-fearing."
➋ { مِنْ فَوْقِهَا غُرَفٌ … :} That is, for the righteous people there are lofty palaces, and above them are even higher palaces; the mention of their height has already passed in the commentary of Surah Al-Furqan, verse (75).
➌ {’’ مَبْنِيَّةٌ ‘‘ ’’بَنٰي يَبْنِيْ بِنَاءً‘‘} is a passive participle. "Constructed" means constructed with utmost excellence. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that we said: [ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ! حَدِّثْنَا عَنِ الْجَنَّةِ، مَا بِنَاؤُهَا؟ قَالَ لَبِنَةُ ذَهَبٍ وَ لَبِنَةُ فِضَّةٍ، وَمِلاَطُهَا الْمِسْكُ الْأَذْفَرُ، وَ حَصْبَاؤُهَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ وَالْيَاقُوْتُ، وَ تُرَابُهَا الزَّعْفَرَانُ، مَنْ يَّدْخُلُهَا يَنْعَمُ وَ لَا يَبْأَسُ، وَ يَخْلُدُ وَ لَا يَمُوْتُ، لَا تَبْلٰی ثِيَابُهُ وَ لَا يَفْنٰی شَبَابُهُ ] [ مسند أحمد : 305/2، ح : ۸۰۶۳، قال المحقق صحیح بطرقہ و شواہدہ ] "O Messenger of Allah! Tell us about Paradise, what is it made of?" He said: "One brick is of gold, one brick is of silver, its mortar is fragrant musk, its pebbles are pearls and rubies, and its soil is saffron. Whoever enters it will be happy, never miserable, will live forever, never die, his clothes will never wear out, and his youth will never fade."
➍ {’’ مَبْنِيَّةٌ ‘‘} (constructed) indicates that those palaces of Paradise have already been built and Paradise has been prepared for the righteous servants, as He said: « اُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِيْنَ » [ آل عمران : ۱۳۳ ] "(Paradise) has been prepared for the God-fearing."
