FajaAAalnahunna abkara (surah Waqiah: 36)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(56:36) and shall have made them virgins, *17

Faja`alnaahunna abkaaraa

*17) This signifies the virtuous women of the world, who will enter Paradise on the basis of their faith and good works. Allah will make them young no matter how aged they might have died in the world; will make them beautiful whether or not they were beautiful in the world; and will make them virgins whether they died virgins in the world or after bearing children. If their husbands also entered Paradise with them, they would be joined with them, otherwise AIIah will wed them to another dweller in Paradise. This very explanation of this verse has been reported from the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) in several Ahadith. According to Shama il Tirmidhi, an old woman requested the Holy Prophet to pray for her admission to Paradise. The Holy Prophet replied: "No old woman will enter Paradise." Hearing this the woman went back crying. Thereupon the Holy Prophet said to the people: "Tell her that she will not enter Paradise as an old woman, for Allah says: `We shall create them anew and make them virgins'." Ibn Abi Hatim has related, on the authority of Hadrat Salamah bin Yazid, that he heard the Holy Prophet ( upon whom be peace) explain this verse, thus: "This implies the women of the world; whether they died virgins or married." Tabarani contains a lengthy tradition related from Hadrat Umm Salamah according to which she asked the Holy Prophet the meaning of the several references in the Qur'an to the women of Paradise. In answer, he explained this very verse and said: "These are the women who died as aged and decayed women, with sticky eyes and gray hair; alter this old age Allah will again make them young and virgins." Hadrat Umm Salamah asked: "If a woman had several husbands in the world, one after the other, to whom will she belong in Paradise ?'' The Holy Prophet replied "She will he asked to make her own choice, and she will choose the one who had the best moral character. She will say: O my Lord, make me his wife, for he was the best in his conduct and dealings with me. O Umm Salamah, good moral conduct has carried off all the good of this world and the Hereafter." (For further explanation, see E.N. 51 of Surah Ar-Rahman).