The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 402
CH. 15 AL-HIJR 50. "Tell My servants that I am surely the One Most Forgiving, the Merciful;1753 51. And balso that My PT. 14 نَى عِبَادِي أَنِّي أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ وَأَنَّ عَذَابِى هُوَ الْعَذَابُ الاَلِيْمُ punishment is the grievous punishment. 1754 "5:99. b5:99. spite of this, however, believers will feel none of the fatigue which is the inevitable result of work in this world, and so in Heaven there will also be no waste or decay, which are the inevitable result of fatigue. The Quran repudiates the popular idea that in Heaven believers will have no work to do. On the contrary, it says that believers will be constantly engaged in work tending to the glorification of God. They will be there servants of God par excellence and a true servant does not sit idle but is constantly engaged in the service of his Master. Only the struggle against one's evil passions will cease in Heaven, for the obvious reason that there shall be no evil passions there (52:24), and one will continuously enjoy the work he is engaged in. Heaven will certainly not be like a poor-house in which there will be no work and where they will get their food gratuitously. According to the Quranic conception, Heaven is a place of constant work and worship and not an idlers' paradise. For the words, nor shall they be ejected therefrom, see under 11:109. 1753. Commentary: In the previous verses two classes of men were mentioned: firstly, those who had incurred the displeasure of God by their evil deeds and thus had made themselves deserving of punishment; secondly, the righteous who had attained salvation. The verse under comment is addressed to both under the these classes of men common appellation of "My servants" which contains a message of hope and good cheer for both of them. To sinners the verse says that they should not despair of God's mercy because, being (Most Forgiving), He can forgive all their sins, no matter how serious and numerous they may be. And the righteous are told that they should not become content with the good works they have already done, but should continue to excel in such deeds for, God being (Merciful), the more they advance in virtue the greater measure of mercy will they receive at His hands in the form of an increased reward of their deeds. For the full meaning of the Divine attribute (Merciful) see 1:1. 1754. Commentary: Punishment inflicted by anyone beside God hardly deserves to be called punishment in the true sense of the word, for such a punishment is not only transitory, but there is also | always a means of escape from it. But 1610