As-Sajdah 32:19 - Linguistic Miracle

Because those who believed and did righteous deeds, will have gardens, the perfect refuge; as an initial accommodation for what they used to do.

This verse continues from the words “They are not equal” in the last verse.

Because those who believed - a believer was contrasted with a fāsiq because unlike the fāsiq who breaks out of God’s limits, boundaries and commandments, a believer remains secured inside them. The same word is used here. آمن - translated as believedand ( مؤمن believer) come from the same root.

Did righteous deeds - the word عمل was used in classical Arabic to refer to hard labor. When referring to actions, it refers to actions done deliberately and willingly.

The word ṣāliḥat is translated as “righteous deeds” but at its root, it means correction,

restoration and rectification as we covered in surah al- ʿAṣr. Ṣāliḥat are actions that rectify and mend our souls.

Will have Gardens; the perfect refuge - The word maʾwā is translated as refuge. It comes from the root أوى which means to join and cling to something for protection. Here it

means the gardens that grant eternal safety and protection from all harms, grief and anything undesirable.

Translations normally render it as “gardens of refuge” and translate it literally but doing so misses the whole reason why it is phrased as such. The genitive construction, combined with the definite article with the word maʾwā creates the meaning of perfection and completeness. We saw this in verse 17 when instead of saying “ for

the coolness of their eyes”, Allah used the genitive construction in “what is the coolness of the eyes” to denote the perfection and the highest degree of comfort obtained in paradise. Same is the case here and hence, it is better rendered as “the gardens of perfect refuge and protection.” This perfection is in all forms; whether related to time or quality because being temporal is a flaw while being eternal is perfection related to time.

Gardens; not garden- Multiple gardens, not just one. This denotes freedom. A believer a muʾmin- is someone who secures himself inside God’s limits and boundaries unlike the fāsiq who breaks out of them. The believers remained confined within God’s boundaries in this world and restricted their freedom to act on their desires and as a result, they gained utmost freedom in the hereafter. They did not gain only one garden to which they are confined, rather multiple gardens and Allah does not even number them. They could be in thousands, perhaps even more. The consequence of remaining restricted inside Allah’s limits in the world is absolute freedom in the hereafter.

As a first hospitality - nuzūl is the first hospitality shown to a guest. At its root, nuzūl means to descend. In Arabic culture and even today, when a guest arrives he is given

his first greetings and salutations when he descends his ride or gets out of his car. Hence, this word came to be used in the meanings of the very first and initial

greetings and hospitality shown to a guest. Allah says that these gardens that offer them perfect and eternal protection from all harms, are just the beginning. They will only be their first greetings and even greater things await them beyond. Now what are these greater things that await them beyond these gardens? Allah keeps them hidden as He says so in verse 17

فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أُخْفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍۢ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

Therefore, no soul knows what was kept hidden for them, of what is the coolness of eyes; as a .reward of what they consistently used to do Both verses end with the same words بما كانوا يعملون - because of what they consistently used

to do.