then guide them to the path of Hell.”

“And detain them, for they must be questioned.”

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb said: “Their counterparts.” This is authentically reported from ‘Umar, and it has also been narrated through him as a statement traced back to the Prophet. Likewise, Ibn ‘Abbās said: “Those like them.” Qatādah and al-Kalbī similarly said: “Everyone whose deeds resemble theirs: those given to wine will be with others given to wine, and those given to unlawful sexual intercourse will be with others given to it.” Al-Dahhāk and Muqātil explained it as: “Their companions among the devils; every disbeliever will be chained together with his devil.”

This is like His saying:

“And when souls are paired.”

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The wicked with the wicked, and the righteous with the righteous.” Ibn ‘Abbās said: “That is when people become three groups.” Al-Hasan and Qatādah said: “Each person will be joined to his own group: the Jew with the Jews, and the Christian with the Christians.” Al-Rabī‘ ibn Khuthaym said: “A person will be gathered with those whose deeds resemble his.”

This accords with what is established in the Sahīh: when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked about a man who loves certain people but has not yet joined their ranks, he said:

“A person will be with those he loves.”

He also said:

“Souls are troops assembled: those that recognize one another unite, and those that do not recognize one another differ.”

And he said:

“A person follows the religion of his close friend, so let each of you consider whom he befriends.”

The zawj of a thing is its counterpart. A category is called a zawj because its members resemble one another, as in His saying:

“We caused every noble kind to grow therein.”

And He said:

“And of everything We created pairs, so that you may take heed.”

Several Quran commentators explained this as two categories, two distinct kinds: heaven and earth, the sun and the moon, night and day, land and sea, plains and mountains, winter and summer, jinn and humankind, disbelief and faith, felicity and wretchedness, truth and falsehood, male and female, light and darkness, sweet and bitter, and the like.