Surah As-Saffat, Ayah 52

The gathering of the People of Paradise, and the exchange between One of Them and His Counterpart in

Allah tells us how the people of Paradise will turn to one another, asking one another about their situation, how they were in this world and what they suffered. This is part of their conversation when they get together to converse and drink, sitting on their thrones, servants coming and going, bringing all kinds of good food, drink, clothes and other delights no eye has seen, no ear has heard, never having comprehend the mind of man.

قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ إِنِّى كَانَ لِى قَرِينٌ

(A speaker of them will say: "Verily, I had a companion...") Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him said, "This refers to an idolator man who had a companion among the believers in this world."

An inmate of Jannah and his disbelieving acquaintance

After having described the general condition of the people of Jannah, one of them has been mentioned particularly. Once he has settled down with other inmates of Jannah, he will recall a disbelieving acquaintance who denied the possibility of the Hereafter during his mortal life. Then, with the permission of Allah Ta’ ala, he will be given an opportunity to talk to him by peeping into the Jahannam. The identity of this man has not been given in the Qur'an. Therefore, it cannot be said with any degree of certainty as to who this person could be. Still, some commentators have opined that the name of the believer was Yahudah and the name of his disbelieving acquaintance was Matrus, and they were the same two comrades mentioned earlier in the verse of Surah al-Kahf:... وَاضْرِ‌بْ لَهُم مَّثَلًا رَّ‌جُلَيْنِ (And give them an example. There were two men... - 18:32). (Tafsir Mazhari)

The present world is a world of trial. Here people are given the opportunity to act freely so that God may separate the good from the bad. Those who prove by their words and deeds that they deserve to savour the joys of Paradise, will be selected by their Lord for this purpose. Special favours will be bestowed on them and they will be asked to remain forever in these gardens which afford every comfort and enjoyment.