Surah 56. Al-Waqia

and waters gushing,

  - Mohammad Asad

constantly flowing water,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And water gushing,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and fruit abounding,

  - Mohammad Asad

abundant fruits

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And fruit in plenary

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

never-failing and never out of reach.

  - Mohammad Asad

of unforbidden never ending supply,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Neither out of reach nor yet forbidden,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [with them will be their] spouses, raised high:¹³

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "[they will rest on] couches raised high". The rendering adopted by me is regarded as fully justified by some of the most outstanding commentators (e.g., Baghawi, Zamakhshari, Razi, Baydawi, etc.), and this for two reasons: firstly, because in the classical Arabic idiom, the term firash (lit., "bed" or "couch") is often used tropically to denote "wife" or "husband" (Raghib; also Qamus, Taj al-'Arus, etc.); and, secondly, because of the statement in the next verse that God "shall have brought them (hunna) into being in a life renewed". (In the context of this interpretation, Zamakhshari quotes also 36:56 , which thus refers to the inmates of paradise: "...in happiness will they and their spouses on couches recline". There is no doubt that the "spouses raised high" - i.e., to the status of the blest - are identical with the hur mentioned in verse {22} above as well as in 44:54 , 52:20 and 55:72 .

and will be reclining on high raised couches.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And raised couches,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for, behold, We shall have brought them into being in a life renewed,

  - Mohammad Asad

We shall create their wives of special creation

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! We have created them a (new) creation

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

having resurrected them as virgins,¹⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "and We shall have made them virgins". According to a number of authentic Traditions (quoted in full by Tabari and Ibn Kathir), the Prophet stated on several occasions that all righteous women, however old and decayed they may have been on earth, will be resurrected as virginal maidens and will, like their male counterparts, remain eternally young in paradise.

and make them virgins

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And made them virgins

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

full of love, well-matched

  - Mohammad Asad

beloved by nature, equal in age,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lovers, friends,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

with those who have attained to righteousness:¹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., equal in dignity with all other inmates of paradise. As regards the term atrab (sing. tirb), rendered above - as well as in 38:52 and 78:33 - as "well-matched", there is no doubt that it primarily denotes "[persons] of equal age" (a meaning adopted by most of the commentators); however, as pointed out by all philological authorities, this term is also used in the sense of "[persons] equal in quality", that is, "well-matched": a significance which, to my mind, is eminently appropriate here inasmuch as it is meant to stress the equal excellence of all who have attained to righteousness, whether they be men or women; or, alternatively, the equal attraction towards one another and, thus, a mutual fulfilment of their spiritual and emotional needs; or both of the above meanings.

for those of the right hand.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

For those on the right hand;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

a good many of olden times,

  - Mohammad Asad

Many of them will be from the former

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

A multitude of those of old

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and a good many of later time.¹⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

In contrast with "the foremost", who have always been "drawn close unto God" - and of whom there are less and less as time goes on (see note [4] above) - there will always be many of those who attain to righteousness after initial stumbling and sinning (see note [10]).

and many from the later generations.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And a multitude of those of later time.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

BUT AS FOR those who have persevered in evil - what of those who have persevered in evil?¹⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., until their death. Literally, the phrase reads, "those on the left hand" (see note [3] above).

As for those of the left hand - how unfortunate will be the people of the left hand!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And those on the left hand: What of those on the left hand?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[They will find themselves] in the midst of scorching winds, and burning despair,¹⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

For this rendering of hamim, see surah {6}, note [62].

They will be in the midst of scorching winds and in boiling water:

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

In scorching wind and scalding water

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and the shadows of black smoke -

  - Mohammad Asad

in the shade of a pitch-black smoke,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And shadow of black smoke,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[shadows] neither cooling nor soothing.

  - Mohammad Asad

neither cool nor refreshing.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Neither cool nor refreshing.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For, behold, in times gone by they were wont to abandon themselves wholly to the pursuit of pleasures,¹⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., to the exclusion of all moral considerations. For the meaning of the term mutraf, see surah {11}. note [147].

For they lived in comfort before meeting this fate.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! heretofore they were effete with luxury

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and would persist in heinous sinning,

  - Mohammad Asad

They persisted in heinous sins

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And used to persist in the awful sin.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and would say, "What! After we have died and become mere dust and bones, shall we, forsooth, be raised from the dead? -

  - Mohammad Asad

and used to say: "When we are dead and turned to dust and bones, shall we then be raised to life again?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they used to say: When we are dead and have come dust and bones, shall we then, forsooth, be raised again,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and perhaps, too, our forebears of old?"

  - Mohammad Asad

And our forefathers, too?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And also our forefathers?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Say: "Verily, those of olden times and those of later times

  - Mohammad Asad

Tell them: "Surely those of old and those of present age

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Lo! those of old and those of later time

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

will indeed be gathered together at an appointed time on a Day known [only to God]:

  - Mohammad Asad

shall certainly be brought together on an appointed time of a known Day.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Will all be brought together to the tryst of an appointed day.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall