(17) “They will be waited upon by youths of everlasting youth.”
That is, young boys of the utmost beauty and radiance will circulate among the people of Paradise, serving them and attending to their needs. “As though they were pearls kept hidden”—that is, protected from anything that might alter them. They were created to remain forever: they will neither age nor change, nor advance beyond their youthful years.
They will circulate among them with their drinking vessels: “with cups”—vessels without handles—“and pitchers”—vessels with handles—“and a cup from a flowing spring”; that is, filled with delicious wine entirely free of harm.
“They will suffer no headache from it”; that is, it will not cause their heads to ache as worldly wine causes the drinker’s head to ache.
“Nor will it deprive them of reason”; that is, it will neither impair their minds nor rob them of sound judgment, as worldly wine does.
In short, all (1) the forms of bliss in Paradise whose kind also exists in this world will be entirely free of every defect there. Allah Most High says: “Therein are rivers of water that never stagnates, rivers of milk whose taste never changes, rivers of wine delightful to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey.” Here He mentions the wine of Paradise and declares it free of every harm found in worldly wine.
“And fruit of whatever they choose”; that is, whatever varieties of delicious fruit and delectable produce they select, find pleasing to the eye, and desire in their souls will be theirs in the most perfect and excellent form.
“And the flesh of whatever birds they desire”; that is, they may have any kind of bird they desire and whichever kind of its flesh they wish, whether roasted, cooked, or otherwise prepared.
“And fair maidens with large, beautiful eyes, like pearls kept hidden.” That is, they will have fair maidens with large, beautiful eyes. Such a maiden has eyes that appear lined with kohl and possess charm, beauty, and radiance; and these women have beautiful, large eyes (2). Beautiful eyes in a woman are among the greatest indications of her beauty and loveliness.
“Like pearls kept hidden”; that is, they are like lustrous, pure, radiant white pearls, shielded from sight, wind, and sunlight, whose color is among the finest of colors and which are flawless in every respect. Likewise, the fair maidens with large, beautiful eyes have no defect [in any respect]; rather, their attributes are perfect and their qualities beautiful.
Whatever part of one of them you contemplate, you will find only what delights the mind (3) and pleases the eye.
That bliss prepared for them is “a reward for what they used to do.” Just as their deeds were excellent, Allah has made their recompense excellent and granted them triumph and bliss in full measure.
“They will hear therein neither idle talk nor sinful speech”; that is, in the Gardens of Bliss they will hear no futile speech devoid of benefit, nor any words that cause their speaker to sin.
“Only the words, ‘Peace, peace.’” That is, they will hear only wholesome speech, for it is the abode of wholesome people and contains nothing but what is wholesome. This demonstrates the refined manners of the people of Paradise when addressing one another: their speech will be the finest, the most delightful to souls (4), and the furthest removed from all idle and sinful talk. We ask Allah for His bounty.