Surah Al Kahf Notes (29-31)

Source: Ibn Kathir

The Truth is from Allah, and the Punishment of Those Who do not believe in it

 (29) And say: "The truth is from your Lord." Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. Verily, We have prepared for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.), a Fire whose walls will be surrounding them (disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah). And if they ask for help (relief, water, etc.) they will be granted water like boiling oil, that will scald their faces. Terrible the drink, and an evil Murtafaqa (dwelling, resting place, etc.)!

(Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.) This is a type of threat and stern warning, after which Allah says,

(Verily, We have prepared), meaning made ready,

(for the wrongdoers,) meaning those who disbelieve in Allah, His Messenger and His Book,

 Ibn Jurayj said that Ibn `Abbas said,

(a Fire whose walls will be surrounding them.) "A wall of fire.''

(And if they ask for drink, they will be granted water like Al-Muhl, that will scald their faces.) Ibn `Abbas said; "Al-Muhl is thick water which is similar to the sediment in oil.'' Mujahid said, "It is like blood and pus.'' `

Ikrimah said, "It is the thing that is heated to the ultimate temperature.'' 

Others said: "It is everything that is melted.'' 

Qatadah said, "Ibn Mas`ud melted some gold in a grove, and when it became liquid and foam rose to the top, he said, this is the thing that is most like Al-Muhl.'' 

Ad-Dahhak said: "The water of Hell is black, and it itself is black and its people are black.'' There is nothing contradictory in these comments, for Al-Muhl includes all of these unpleasant characteristics, it is black, evil-smelling, thick and hot, as Allah said,

(﴿it﴾ will scald their faces.) meaning because of its heat. When the disbeliever wants to drink it and brings it close to his face, it will scald it so that the skin of his face falls off into it. 

Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "When the people of Hell get hungry, they will ask for relief from it, and they will be given the tree of Zaqqum from which they will eat. The tree will tear off the skin of their faces, and if anyone who knew them were to pass by, he would recognize the skin of their faces in the tree. Then they will feel thirsty, so they will ask for drink, and they will be granted water like Al-Muhl, that is what has been heated to the ultimate temperature. When it is brought near their mouths, the flesh of their faces from which the skin has been torn off will be baked.'' After describing this drink in these horrifying qualities, Allah says:

(Terrible is the drink,) meaning, how awful this drink is. 

Similarly, He says in another Ayah:

(and be given to drink boiling water so that it cuts up their bowels.) ﴿47:15﴾

(They will be given to drink from a boiling spring.) ﴿88:5﴾

(They will go between it (Hell) and the fierce boiling water.) ﴿55:44﴾

(and an evil Murtafaq!) means, how evil a place is the Fire to dwell and rest and gather.

The Reward of those Who believe and do Righteous Deeds

(30) Verily! As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, certainly! We shall not suffer to be lost the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner.

When Allah mentions the state of those who are doomed, He follows that by mentioning the blessed who believed in Allah and believed what His Messengers brought, those who did the righteous deeds that they commanded them to do. They will have Jannatu `Adn. `Adn means lasting.

(31) These! For them will be 'Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens); wherein rivers flow underneath them, therein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine and thick silk. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good is the reward, and what an excellent Murtafaqa (dwelling, resting place, etc.)!

(wherein rivers flow beneath them,) means, from beneath its rooms and dwellings.

(they will be adorned) means, with jewelry.

(with bracelets of gold,) Allah says elsewhere:

(and pearls and their garments therein will be of silk) ﴿22:23﴾. This is explained in more detail here, 

where Allah says:

(and they will wear green garments of Sundus and Istabraq.) Sundus refers to a fine garment, like a shirt and the like, and Istabraq is thick and shiny velvet.

(They will be Muttaki'in therein on Ara'ik.) The word Muttaki'in implies lying down, or it was said that it means sitting with one's legs crossed, which is closer to the meaning here. In a Sahih Hadith, the Prophet said:

(As for me, I do not eat sitting with legs crossed (Muttaki'an)). Ara'ik is the plural of Arikah, which is a bed under a canopy. And Allah knows best.

(How good is the reward, and what an excellent place of rest (Murtafaq)!) means, how blessed is Paradise as a reward for their good deeds. And what an excellent Murtafaq means, and how good a place to dwell and rest and stay. 

Then He mentions the qualities of the believers, then says:

(Those will be rewarded with the highest place because of their patience. Therein they shall be met with greetings and the word of peace and respect. Abiding therein excellent it is as an abode, and as a place to rest in.) ﴿25:75-76﴾