Ash-Shu'ara · Makki · ayah 90 of 227

Ash-Shu'ara 26:90

وَأُزْلِفَتِ ٱلْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

“And Paradise will be brought near [that Day] to the righteous.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Before a word is said about the Fire, the Garden is drawn close to those who guarded themselves, near enough to see.

A reflection

Mercy is spoken first

Read this ayah with the one after it and notice the order. First: the Garden is brought near for the mindful. Then: the Blaze is brought out for those who strayed (26:91). The good news comes first.

One later commentary says the order is not an accident, and neither are the verbs. Uzlifat is bringing near to the utmost degree, so close that entering is all but certain. Burrizat, in the next ayah, is only bringing into view, which can happen even from a distance. And the Garden is put first, it says, because His mercy comes before.

The Prophet ﷺ described a writing kept with Allah above the Throne. When Allah completed creation, He wrote: 'My mercy has overcome My anger.' In one narration: 'has gone before My anger' (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Picture a long-haul flight diverted in the middle of the night. The cabin lights come up and the passengers wake, alarmed. Then the captain's voice. His first sentence is: 'Everyone on board is safe.' Only after that does he explain the technical fault and the landing in another country. The facts would be the same in either order. The order tells the passengers what he most wants them to hear.

This passage is a warning. It goes on to describe idols tumbled into the Fire and their followers quarrelling there (26:94-102). Yet before any of that, the scene opens on the Garden, drawn close to the ones who guarded themselves.

Some readers only ever hear the Quran's warnings. They come away with a picture of a Lord who is mostly waiting to punish. The order of these two ayat corrects that, quietly and without softening anything. The warning is real and it is coming. But mercy is mentioned first, and it is the one brought nearer.

So when a passage of warning frightens you, read it in full. Then go back and notice what it said first.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.