The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 108
CH. 52 AṬ-ṬŪR (Lane, Aqrab, Tāj & Mufradāt). means, assemble those who acted wrongly along with their companions (37:23). and ✓is the plural of both which are derived from b. They say bi. e. he washed the cloth and ,means (حوراء. fem) أحور. made it white a man whose eyes are characterized by the quality termed (hawarun), i. e. intense whiteness of the white of the eye and intense blackness of the black thereof, with intense whiteness or fairness of the rest of the person. ✓also means, pure or clear intellect. whose is said of a person مايعيش بأحور affairs are not clean (Lane, Mufradāt & Tāj). عين (a'yan) عين is the plural of both and which are derived from ('ayina) which means, he had wide black eyes. and respectively mean, man and woman having black, wide and large eyes. he also means, a good or beautiful saying or word (Lane, Mufradāt & Tāj). Commentary: Description of the rewards and punishments of Heaven and Hell as given in some Quranic Surahs, particularly in Ar-Raḥmān, Al- Waqi'ah and in the present Surah call for an explanatory note. The following points may be borne in mind for an appreciation of life after death: 1. According to the Quran, God's handiwork as manifested in the creation of the universe, and in that of man placed at its centre, shows that man's life on earth has a purpose higher and nobler and beyond mere eating and drinking or leading a more or less circumscribed (23:115-116). PT. 27 existence 2. There is a life after death and that life is the continuation of the life which man leads in this world. One's heaven or hell begins from this very world; death only opening up vast and unknown vistas of ever- expanding spiritual progress. 3. As soon as the human soul leaves this tabernacle of clay, it is given a new body, because the soul can make no progress or enjoy no bliss or feel no pain without a body. Its development and progress depend upon its permanent connection with a body. The new body is as fine and delicate as the soul was in this world. In fact, it is the very soul in a new transformation which after having passed through certain experiences develops a new soul which possesses far higher and finer and more delicate faculties and perception than the soul from which it emanates. To this new soul the old soul serves as a body and man is able to perceive things through his new senses which he could perceive formerly only through the soul, and is able to partake of the pains and pleasures of the next world—the present body of clay being quite unfit for the new experience. That is why the Quran says, "And no soul knows what joy of the eyes is kept hidden for them, as a reward for their good works" (32:18). And the Holy Prophet explained this Quranic verse in a well-known saying. viz. "No eye has seen the blessings of Paradise, nor has any ear heard of them nor can human mind conceive of them" (Bukhārī, Kitāb 3004