Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
The Worshipper of the Truth and the Worshipper of Lust are not Equal
Allah says:
أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ
(Can then he, who stands on clear evidence from his Lord...) This means a person who is upon clear vision and certainty concerning Allah's commands and His religion, because of the guidance and knowledge that Allah has revealed in His Book, and because of the pure nature upon which Allah has created him.
كَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَاتَّبَعُواْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ
((Can he) be likened to those for whom their evil deeds are beautified for them, while they follow their own lusts) which means that they cannot be equal. This is similar to Allah's saying,
أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَى
(Can he who knows that what has been revealed unto you from your Lord is the truth be like him who is blind) (13:19) And,
لاَ يَسْتَوِى أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ وَأَصْحَـبُ الْجَنَّةِ أَصْحَـبُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمُ الْفَآئِزُونَ
(Not equal are the people of the Fire and the people of Paradise. The People of Paradise will be the successful ones.) (59:20)
Description of Paradise and Its Rivers
Allah then says:
مَّثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِى وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ
(The description of Paradise which is promised for those who have Taqwa...) `Ikrimah said,
مَّثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ
(The description of Paradise) "This means its description."
فِيهَآ أَنْهَارٌ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيْرِ ءَاسِنٍ
(In it are rivers of water that are not Asin,) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Al-Hasan, and Qatadah all said, "It does not change." Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, and `Ata' Al-Khurasani all said, "It is not foul-smelling." The Arabs say Asin if its (water) scent changes.
وَأَنْهَارٌ مِّن لَّبَنٍ لَّمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُ
(rivers of milk, the taste of which never changes,) which means that the milk is of utmost whiteness, sweetness, and richness. It has been mentioned in a Hadith attributed to the Prophet "Their milk did not come out of the udders of cattle."
وَأَنْهَـرٌ مِّنْ خَمْرٍ لَّذَّةٍ لِّلشَّـرِبِينَ
(rivers of wine delightful to those who drink it, ) hich means that the wine does not have a bad taste or foul smell like that of the worldly life. Rather, it is good in its appearance, taste, smell, and effect, as Allah says,
لاَ فِيهَا غَوْلٌ وَلاَ هُمْ عَنْهَا يُنزَفُونَ
(it (the wine) has no bad effects, nor does it cause intoxication.) (37:47) and,
لاَّ يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلاَ يُنزِفُونَ
(From which (the wine) they will have no headache, nor will they be intoxicated.) (56:19)
بَيْضَآءَ لَذَّةٍ لِّلشَّـرِبِينَ
(white, delicious to the drinkers.)(37:46) It has been mentioned in a Hadith attributed to the Prophet , "Their wine was not pressed under men's feet."
وَأَنْهَـرٌ مِّنْ عَسَلٍ مُّصَفًّى
(and rivers of refined honey;) which means that the honey is of utmost purity and pleasant color, taste, and smell. It has been mentioned in a Hadith attributed to the Prophet , "Their honey did not come out of the bellies of bees." Imam Ahmad recorded from Hakim bin Mu`awiyah who narrated from his father that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said,
«فِي الْجَنَّةِ بَحْرُ اللَّبَنِ وَبَحْرُ الْمَاءِ وَبَحْرُ الْعَسَلِ وَبَحْرُ الْخَمْرِ، ثُمَّ تُشَقَّقُ الْأَنْهَارُ مِنْهَا بَعْد»
(Verily, there is in Paradise a lake of milk, a lake of water, a lake of honey, and a lake of wine. The rivers then gush out of them. At-Tirmidhi reported this narration in his section of the Description of Paradise, and he said, "Hasan Sahih. In the Sahih, it is recorded that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said,
«إِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللهَ تَعَالى فَاسْأَلُوهُ الْفِرْدَوْسَ فَإِنَّهُ أَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ، وَأَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَمِنْهُ تُفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّةِ، وَفَوْقَهُ عَرْشُ الرَّحْمن»
(When you ask Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaws, because it is the central and highest part of the Paradise, and from it gush the rivers of the Paradise and above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful.)Allah says,
وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَتِ
(...and therein for them are all kinds of fruits, ...) This similar to His saying,
يَدْعُونَ فِيهَا بِكلِّ فَـكِهَةٍ ءَامِنِينَ
(They will call in it for every kind of fruit in peace and security.) (44:55) And His saying,
فِيهِمَا مِن كُلِّ فَـكِهَةٍ زَوْجَانِ
(In them will be every kind of fruits in pairs.) (55:52) Allah says
وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ
(. ..and forgiveness from their Lord.) meaning, in addition to all of the above. Allah says,
كَمَنْ هُوَ خَـلِدٌ فِى النَّارِ
(Can this be likened to those who abide eternally in the Fire) meaning, `can those that We have described their position in the Paradise be like those who will abide eternally in the Fire' They are not equal, and nor are those who will be in the high ranks (in the Paradise) and those who will be in the lowest depths (Hell).
وَسُقُواْ مَآءً حَمِيماً
(and are given to drink boiling water) meaning, extremely hot; so hot that it is unbearable.
فَقَطَّعَ أَمْعَآءَهُمْ
(that severs their intestines) meaning, that will cut their insides -- both bowels and intestines. We seek refuge in Allah from that.
وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى إِذَا خَرَجُواْ مِنْ عِندِكَ قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفاً أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَاتَّبَعُواْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ - وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْاْ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَءَاتَـهُمْ تَقُوَاهُمْ - فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ السَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا فَأَنَّى لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَاهُمْ