“And those who carefully maintain their prayers (34)—those will be honoured in gardens of bliss (35). So what is the matter with those who disbelieve, hastening toward you (36), from the right and from the left, in separate groups (37)? Does every one of them hope to be admitted into a Garden of Bliss (38)? No indeed! We created them from that which they know (39).”

“And those who carefully maintain their prayers—those will be honoured in gardens of bliss.”

“So what is the matter with those who disbelieve?” That is, what is the condition of those who disbelieve? It is like His saying: “So what is the matter with them that they turn away from the Reminder?” (al-Muddaththir 74:49). “Hastening toward you”: rushing forward and approaching you, with their necks outstretched, their eyes fixed upon you, and gazing eagerly in your direction.

This was revealed concerning a group of disbelievers who would gather around the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, listening to his words, mocking him, and denying him. Allah, Most High, said: What is the matter with them, that they look at you and sit with you, yet derive no benefit from what they hear? (1)

“From the right and from the left, in separate groups”: that is, in circles and factions. The term ʿizīn denotes groups that are scattered apart; its singular is ʿizah.

“Does every one of them hope to be admitted into a Garden of Bliss?” Ibn Abbas said: Its meaning is: Does each man among them hope that he will enter My Garden, as the Muslims enter it and enjoy its delights, despite having denied My Prophet? “No indeed”: they will not enter it. Then He began anew, saying: “We created them from that which they know”—that is, from a drop of fluid, then from a clinging clot, then from a lump of flesh. He thereby alerted people to the fact that they were created from one origin, and that they surpass one another and become deserving of Paradise only through faith and obedience.

Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Shurayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Tha‘labi informed us; al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Fanjuwayh informed us; Musa ibn Muhammad ibn Ali related to us; Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Firyabi related to us; Safwan ibn Salih related to us; al-Walid ibn Muslim related to us; Jarir ibn Uthman al-Rahabi related to us, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Maysarah, from Jubayr ibn Nufayr, from Busr ibn Jihash al-Qurashi (2), who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, once spat into his palm and placed his finger upon it, then said: Allah, Exalted is He, says: “O son of Adam, how can you render Me incapable, when I created you from the like of this? Then, once I had fashioned you ⦗175/a⦘ and proportioned you, you walked about in two garments, while the earth thudded beneath you. You amassed and withheld, until it reached the collarbones