Overview

(Verses 4 - 10)

When the Test is Over

Now that the test has been put, and man has chosen one way or the other, what happens next? What awaits the unbelievers is briefly stated in one verse, because the general ambience of the surah is one of luxury, comfort and blessing. The torment prepared for the unbelievers is summed up: "For the unbelievers, we have prepared chains and shackles, and a blazing fire." (Verse 4) They will have chains for their feet and shackles for their wrists, and then they will be cast into the blazing fire. The surah then quickly moves on to speak about the happiness of the other group:

The righteous shall drink from a cup mixed with kafur, a fountain where God's servants shall drink, making it flow in abundance. (Verses 5-6)

This statement implies that the drink given to the righteous who are in heaven will be mixed with kafur, i.e. the calyx of sweet-smelling flowers, and that they will receive this drink in a cup filled from a fountain which flows in abundance. The Arabs used to mix their wine with kafur, or ginger, to give it a fine taste. Now, they know that their drink in heaven will be mixed with this and that it is plentiful. As for the nature of this drink, we understand that it is much finer and purer than any type of drink in this world, and that its enjoyment will be that much more enhanced. In our limited world, we cannot define the level or kind of enjoyment in the life to come. These are merely descriptions that give us an impression of what there is, because God knows that mankind cannot imagine what is beyond their world.

The surah calls the dwellers of heaven the righteous' in the first verse, and describes them as 'Gods servants' in the second, honouring them first by acknowledging their moral standing and then referring to them as close to God. It then describes the qualities that earned them such a prize:

They are the ones who fulfil their vows and stand in awe of a day of woes that fly far and wide, who give food - though they need it themselves - to the needy the orphan and the captive, [saying within themselves,] 'We feed you for the sake of God alone. We desire neither recompense from you, nor thanks. We fear the day of our Lord: a bleak, distressful day.' (Verses 7-10)

This is a bright picture of people with sincere hearts, sincere in their determination to fulfil the duties required by their faith, compassionate to those who are less fortunate, putting them ahead of themselves, keen to earn God's pleasure and wary of incurring what may earn His punishment. Thus, they are God-fearing and serious in approaching their duties.