the A‘raf (1), until Allah judges between all creation; then they will enter Paradise.

‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Yahya al-Kinani said: “They are those who died during the interval between messengers, without having altered their religion.”

It was also said: They are the children of the polytheists. Al-Hasan said: “They are the virtuous believers, raised upon the A‘raf, from where they behold both the people of Paradise and the people of the Fire, observing the condition of both groups.”

The saying of the Most High: “They will recognize each by their mark”—that is, they will recognize the people of Paradise by the whiteness of their faces and the people of the Fire by the blackness of their faces. “And they will call out to the people of Paradise, ‘Peace be upon you.’” That is, when they see the people of Paradise, they will say, “Peace be upon you.” “They have not entered it”—meaning, the people of the A‘raf have not entered Paradise—“though they hope to do so,” that is, they hope to enter it. Abu al-‘Aliyah said: “Allah placed this hope within them only as an honor He intended (2) for them.” Al-Hasan said: “He who placed hope in their hearts will bring them to that for which they hope.”

“And when their eyes are turned toward the people of the Fire, they will say, ‘Our Lord, do not place us with the wrongdoing people.’ And the people of the A‘raf will call out to men whom they recognize by their marks, saying, ‘What has your multitude availed you, and your arrogance? Are these the ones concerning whom you swore that Allah would never grant them mercy? Enter Paradise: no fear shall be upon you, nor shall you grieve.’” (47–49)

“And when their eyes are turned toward the people of the Fire,” they will seek refuge in Allah, saying, “Our Lord, do not place us with the wrongdoing people”—that is, with the disbelievers in the Fire.

“And the people of the A‘raf will call out to men”: they were eminent people of the Fire in this world, “whom they recognize by their marks. They will say, ‘What has your multitude availed you’”—of wealth and children in this world—“and your arrogance,” that is, your arrogance toward faith. Al-Kalbi said: “While standing upon the barrier, they will call out: ‘O Walid ibn al-Mughirah! O Abu Jahl ibn Hisham! O so-and-so!’ Then they will look toward Paradise and see there the poor and weak people whom they used to mock, such as Salman, Suhayb, Khabbab, Bilal, and others like them. The people of the A‘raf will then say to those disbelievers: ‘Are these the ones concerning whom you swore—’

“Are these the ones concerning whom you swore”—that is, you swore—“that Allah would never grant them mercy?” Meaning, you swore that they would not enter Paradise. Then the people of the A‘raf will be told: “Enter Paradise: no fear shall be upon you, nor shall you grieve.” There is another view: that