ambiguity, “seeking discord” through the specious arguments they advance to show that these realities cannot exist in Paradise, and “seeking its interpretation” so as to reduce it to what they know and are familiar with in this world.

Allah Most High says:

“And none knows its fulfilment except Allah.”

For Allah has said concerning those realities:

“No soul knows what joy has been kept hidden for them.”

Neither an angel brought near nor a prophet sent knows it.

In His words, “And none knows its fulfilment,” the pronoun may refer either to the Book or to what is ambiguous. If it refers to the Book, as in His expressions “of it” and “of it”—“They follow what is ambiguous in it, seeking discord and seeking its interpretation”—this is valid. For, regarding all the verses of the Book, both clear and ambiguous, that tell of the unseen in which we have been commanded to believe, Allah alone knows the true nature of that unseen and when it will occur.

This may be supported by the fact that Allah attributes fulfilment to the entire Book, while stating that it has been explained in detail, in His words:

“We have certainly brought them a Book which We have explained in detail with knowledge, as guidance and mercy for people who believe.”

“Are they waiting for anything but its fulfilment? On the Day its fulfilment comes…”

Thus, He attributes the coming fulfilment to the Book that has been explained in detail.

We have already explained that Allah alone knows the time, extent, kind, and true nature of that fulfilment. We know only some of its attributes, within the limits of our knowledge, since we have nothing comparable to it in our experience. Likewise, He says:

“Rather, they have denied that which they have not encompassed in knowledge and whose fulfilment has not yet come to them.”