Surah 76. Al-Insan

And so, God will preserve them from the woes of that Day, and will bestow on them brightness and joy,

  - Mohammad Asad

So Allah will deliver them from the evil of that Day, and bestow on them freshness and joy,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Therefor Allah hath warded off from them the evil of that day, and hath made them find brightness and joy;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and will reward them for all their patience in adversity with a garden [of bliss] and with [garments of] silk.¹³

  - Mohammad Asad

For this allegory, see first half of note [41] on 18:31 .

and reward them, for their steadfastness with paradise and garments of silk.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And hath awarded them for all that they endured, a Garden and silk attire;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

In that [garden] they will on couches recline, and will know therein neither [burning] sun nor cold severe,

  - Mohammad Asad

There they shall be reclining upon high couches; they shall feel neither the scorching heat nor the biting cold.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Reclining therein upon couches, they will find there neither (heat of) a sun nor bitter cold.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

since its [blissful] shades will come down low over them,¹⁴ and low will hang down its clusters of fruit, most easy to reach.¹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Regarding the allegorical implication of the term "shades" (zilal), see note [74] on 4:57 . It is to be noted that the existence of shade presupposes the existence of light (Jawhari), which latter is one of the characteristics implicit in the concept of "paradise".

Lit., "in all humility".

The trees of paradise will spread their shade around them, and their fruits will hang in clusters within their easy reach.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The shade thereof is close upon them and the clustered fruits thereof bow down.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And they will be waited upon with vessels of silver and goblets that will [seem to] be crystal -

  - Mohammad Asad

They shall be served with silver dishes, goblets of crystal,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Goblets of silver are brought round for them, and beakers (as) of glass

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

crystal-like, [but] of silver - the measure whereof they alone will determine.¹⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., partaking of as much as they may desire.

and goblets made of crystal-clear silver, filled by their attendants in due measure.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

(Bright as) glass but (made) of silver, which they (themselves) have measured to the measure (of their deeds).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And in that [paradise] they will be given to drink of a cup flavoured with ginger,

  - Mohammad Asad

And they will also be given to drink a cup of wine mixed with Zanjabil (ginger-flavored water),

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There are they watered with a cup whereof the mixture is of Zanjabil,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[derived from] a source [to be found] therein, whose name is "Seek Thy Way".¹⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

This is how 'Ali ibn Abi Talib - as quoted by Zamakhshari and Razi - explains the (obviously compound) word salsabilan, dividing it into its two components, sal sabilan ("ask [or "seek"] the way"): namely, "seek thy way to paradise by means of doing righteous deeds". Although Zamakhshari does not quite agree with this interpretation, it is, in my opinion, very convincing inasmuch as it contains an allusion to the highly allegorical character of the concept of "paradise" as a spiritual consequence of one's positive endeavours in this world. That its delights are not of a material nature is also evident from their varying descriptions - i.e., "a cup flavoured with ginger" in verse {17}, and "flavoured with the calyx of sweet-smelling flowers" in verse {5}; or "they will be waited upon with trays and goblets of gold" in 43:71 , and "vessels of silver and goblets that will [seem to] be crystal - crystal-like, [but] of silver", in verses {15-16} of this surah; and so forth.

from a fountain, called Salsabil.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The water of a spring therein, named Salsabil.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And immortal youths will wait upon them:¹⁸ when thou seest them, thou wouldst deem them to be scattered pearls;

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [6] on {56:17-18}.

They shall be attended by boys graced with eternal youth: when you see them, they would seem like sprinkled pearls.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There serve them youths of everlasting youth, whom, when thou seest, thou wouldst take for scattered pearls.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and when thou seest [anything that is] there, thou wilt see [only] bliss and a realm transcendent.

  - Mohammad Asad

And which ever direction you will look, you will see blessings and the splendor of a great Kingdom.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When thou seest, thou wilt see there bliss and high estate.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Upon those [blest] will be garments of green silk and brocade; and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver.¹⁹ And their Sustainer will give them to drink of a drink most pure.²⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

See 18:31 (where "bracelets of gold" are mentioned) and the corresponding note [41].

Implying that God Himself will slake their spiritual thirst by purifying their inner selves "of all envy, and rancour, and malice, and all that leads to harm, and all that is base in man's nature" (Ibn Kathir, quoting 'Ali ibn Abi Talib), and by allowing them to "drink" of His Own Light (Razi).

They (the residents of paradise) shall be arrayed in the garments of fine green silk and rich brocade, and adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Rabb will give them pure wine to drink.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Their raiment will be fine green silk and gold embroidery. Bracelets of silver will they wear. Their Lord will slake their thirst with a pure drink.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[And they will be told:] "Verily, all this is your reward, since your endeavour [in life] has met with [God's] goodly acceptance!"

  - Mohammad Asad

O believers, that's how you will be rewarded, and your endeavors appreciated.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

(And it will be said unto them): Lo! this is a reward for you. Your endeavor (upon earth) hath found acceptance.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

VERILY, [O believer,] it is We who have bestowed from on high this Qur'an upon thee, step by step²¹ truly a bestowal from on high!

  - Mohammad Asad

The gradualness of Qur'anic revelation is implied in the verbal form nazzalna.

Surely, it is We Who have sent down this Qur'an to you through gradual revelations,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! We, even We, have revealed unto thee the Qur'an, a revelation;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Await, then, in all patience thy Sustainer's judgment,²² and pay no heed to any of them who is a wilful sinner or an ingrate;

  - Mohammad Asad

This connects with the preceding mention of the life to come, in which the righteous will meet with bliss, and the evildoers with suffering.

therefore, await with patience the command of your Rabb and do not yield to any sinner or disbeliever from among the unbelievers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So submit patiently to thy Lord's command, and obey not of them any guilty one or disbeliever.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and bear in mind thy Sustainer's name²³ at morn and evening

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e. His "attributes" as they manifest themselves in His creation - since the human mind can grasp only the fact of His existence and the manifestation of those "attributes", but never the "how" of His Reality (Razi).

Glorify the name of your Rabb morning and evening;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Remember the name of thy Lord at morn and evening.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall