the punishment because you used to disbelieve.”

“So taste My punishment and My warnings.”

“They will taste no death therein except the first death.”

“They will taste therein neither coolness nor drink, except scalding water and foul discharge.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever is content with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and Muhammad as Messenger has tasted the flavor of faith.”

Among the supplications is:

“Let us taste the coolness of Your pardon and the sweetness of Your forgiveness.”

Thus, the word “tasting” is used for everything one senses and whose pain or pleasure one experiences. To claim that the word applies exclusively to what occurs through the mouth is therefore an arbitrary restriction. Rather, that particular use is qualified: one says, “I tasted the food,” or “I tasted this drink.” These qualifications indicate that the tasting occurs through the mouth. Since tasting is used for what a person senses inwardly or outwardly—even scalding water is something one is said to have tasted—one says of a hot or cold drink, “I tasted its heat and its coolness.”

As for the word “garment,” it is used for everything that envelops a person and comes into close contact with him. The Most High said:

“And We made the night a garment.”

And He said:

“But the garment of righteousness—that is best.”

And He said:

“They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them.”

This also underlies the expression “He mingled truth with falsehood”: he mixed it with falsehood until it was covered over and could no longer be distinguished.

The pain of hunger thus pervades the whole hungry person—soul and body—and fear likewise envelops the body. Had it been said, “So Allah made it taste hunger and fear,” this would not have indicated that it encompassed every part of the hungry person, unlike the expression “the garment of hunger and fear.” Had He said, “So He clothed them,” the wording would not have indicated that they tasted what caused them pain. That could only be inferred through reason, from the knowledge that someone who is hungry and afraid suffers pain. By contrast, the expression “tasting hunger and fear” itself indicates the sensation of something painful. When applied to something pleasurable, it indicates