Al-Waqi'ah · Makki · ayah 11 of 96

Al-Waqi'ah 56:11

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ

“Those are the ones brought near [to Allāh]”

Saheeh International

Essence

The first rank finally gets a statement, and it is one word: they are the ones who were brought near.

A reflection

Drawing near is the last night of a march

"Those are the nearest ones" sounds like a seating chart. Closest to the front, in the good rows.

The root is not about seating. It is about thirst.

Picture a caravan walking towards water. For days the herders let the camels graze as they go, because there is no hurry and the animals need feeding. Then only one evening's march is left. At that point the grazing stops. They push on through the night, so as to reach the water at dawn. The Arabs had a name for that night. Laylat al-qarab, the night of drawing near. A man travelling by night towards water was a qārib.

So nearness in this language is not a position. It is the last stretch of a journey, walked with urgency, by someone who is thirsty.

The ordinary uses of the same letters keep the sense of approach. A cup near full was qurbān. A king's inner circle, his ministers and his companions, were his qarābīn. And the offering a worshipper brought in order to be near Allah was a qurbān.

The commentaries read the word here in two directions, and both are about favour rather than furniture. One reads it as ḥuẓwa: those granted standing and favour with Allah. Another says it means those whose ranks have been brought near to the great Throne.

And notice the form of the word, because this is where English gives up. Muqarrabūn is passive. They are not the ones who got near. They are the ones who were brought near, by somebody, who is not named in the ayah because the surah has not named Him yet.

That is the whole content of the first rank's reward, stated in one word. Not a prize. Not an estate. Proximity, granted.

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.