Surah Al-Insan with Shaykh Kamal ElMekki

Opening — Khutbah al-Hajah

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَأَحْسَنَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ

Introduction: A Glimpse of Paradise

Brothers and sisters in Islam, today our khutbah is a glimpse of Paradise. We're going to be looking at some of the descriptions of Al-Jannah that Allah mentioned in Surah Al-Insan, also known as Surah Al-Dahr. And Surah Al-Insan primarily focuses on descriptions of Al-Jannah. Verse 4 mentions a brief look into the punishments of the people of the Hellfire, and then the rest of the Surah more or less focuses on the different types of pleasures and enjoyments in Al-Jannah.

The Drink of Al-Abrar — Verse 5

We'll start with verse number 5. In verse number 5, Allah says — after seeking refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytan:

Allah says: Indeed, the abrar… The abrar — this is the plural of barr or baar as well. And it's just like you can say نَهْرٌ — أَنْهَار; you can say بَرٌّ — أَبْرَار. So the al-abrar are those who do much good, a lot of good — يَعْنِي الْبَارُّ هُوَ كَثِيرُ الطَّاعَةِ أَوْ كَثِيرُ فِعْلِ الْخَيْرِ — they do a lot of good. And that is why it is also in the Qur'an one of the descriptions of Allah Himself. Allah says in the Qur'an:

Because He does so much good for His servants — He referred to Himself as Al-Barr. So the barr, the individual, is one who is obedient to Allah, the individual that does a lot of good.

So these righteous people — إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ يَشْرَبُونَ مِن كَأْسٍ — they drink from a ka's. A number of things about that: the first is that any vessel that contains something in it is a ka's. So if it's empty, you don't refer to it as a ka's. And then what's interesting — some of the mufassirun said that whenever you see ka's in the Qur'an, the word almost always refers to a cup of wine. They even cite that in the language of the Arabs, you never hear: فَجِئْتُهُ بِكَأْسِ لَبَنٍ — you don't see that. So ka's always refers to wine, especially in the Qur'an. You would say qadah for milk. So Allah says they drink from this cup of wine that is mixed — it was mixed with kafur, which in English is camphor.

And camphor is that substance — those of you who have ever washed a deceased body, you use camphor. It is from the mint family; it has this minty, cooling taste to it. And the Arabs used to mix different flavors with their wine.

Why Did Allah Mention Wine?

So why did Allah mention wine immediately here? Allah mentioned wine because the Arabs used to love wine very much. And from the stories that indicate how much they used to love wine — during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, a man known as Al-A'sha was interested in becoming Muslim. So the Quraysh tried to deter him from becoming Muslim. They said: "He will make zina haram for you." He said, "I have no need for zina, and if I did, my body can't handle it." So then they tried again. They said: "He will make wine haram for you." He said, "As for this, I find that difficult." But he still wanted to become Muslim. So he said: "I'm going to return home. I have a lot of wine. I'm going to spend this year drinking as much as I can, enjoying it as much as possible, and then next year I'll come and become Muslim." And then he went and he died that same year — he never became Muslim.

But the point of the story shows you how much the Arabs used to love wine. So Allah is telling them: you're going to have wine, and it's also going to be mixed with a flavor — the cool, minty flavor of camphor.

The Spring of Camphor — Verse 6

The ayn here is a spring. This is the spring that the servants of Allah drink from. And so the mufassirun said the camphor comes from this spring. And they describe that your house in Al-Jannah is gigantic — it is like 60 miles just inside the house. And so every time you want to drink, you would press down with your foot on the ground and a spring would show up, and you would drink from this spring, and it will continue to pour. And it beautifies your house — it's like when you go to someone's home and they have a nice fountain in the garden. So every time you press down to drink, your house becomes more beautiful, and you have this beautiful spring flowing in your home.

So the servants of Allah will drink — or they will get their camphor from this spring. Every time they want, they will press down, and they have complete control of it, and they will mix that with their wine and enjoy that flavor.

Others said that al-abrar drink from the wine mixed with the camphor, but al-muqarrabun — those who are closer to Allah — drink directly from this spring.

And Allah says يَشْرَبُ بِهَا — not يَشْرَبُ مِنْهَا or يَشْرَبُهَا — because if they drank it all, it would indicate that all of it finished. But nothing finishes in Al-Jannah. Resources don't end in Al-Jannah. And that's why it can keep flowing and it will just make the house look beautiful. But in this dunya, no matter how wealthy you are, you never visit a millionaire who has a shower always running in case his highness wants to step under it — because on earth resources are limited. But in Al-Jannah, there is no limit to the resources.

The Reward of Patience — Verse 12

Allah says in verse 12: And their reward will be Paradise and silk garments — because they were patient (بِمَا صَبَرُوا).

Reclining on Thrones — Verse 13

They are reclining on al-ara'ik — plural of al-arika — which some of the mufassirun said are beds, and others said are magnificent thrones. And they're reclining on these thrones or beds — لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا — in this Jannah, they don't feel or experience شَمْسًا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًا. And zamharir is bitter cold. So Allah is saying: they don't experience heat and they don't experience cold.

But Allah didn't say "heat" — He said "sun," because that is the source of the heat. So: one, we learn the source of the heat isn't there, so there is no heat. Two, there is no sun and there is no moon in Al-Jannah. And there is no need to count the days — and why would you try to count the days if you live for all eternity? May Allah grant us that.

Shade and Low-Hanging Fruit — Verse 14

And the shades thereof will be close upon them. But if there is no sun, why is there shade? The scholars said this is for tan'im — showing more luxury. Just like on earth, when you see a beautiful shade that you would maybe have a picnic or take a nap under it — that shade invites a relaxed feeling. So even though there is no sun, there is still shade, which invites that feeling.

وَذُلِّلَتْ قُطُوفُهَا تَذْلِيلًا — and the bunches of fruit, al-qutuf, have been made to hang low within reach. We see this in other places — in Surah Ar-Rahman:

And the fruits of the two gardens will be near at hand — daan, close.

So Allah says the fruit will be made hanging low so you can reach it without having to stretch or to get on your toes. One of the mufassirun added something beautiful — he said also there will be no thorns or anything to repel the hand away from the fruit. Because when you start to reach it, if there are thorns, you pull your hand back. But there is nothing that will delay your hand from reaching that fruit. You don't have to stretch, you don't have to put in effort, and you don't have to be wary of thorns or anything else.

Vessels of Silver and Crystal — Verses 15–16

وَيُطَافُ — just like tawaf. So here Allah is talking about the servants of Al-Jannah, and they're constantly around you. What's the difference between constantly being around you versus servants that are in their quarters — you have to ring for them, then they come and ask you what you want, then you tell them what drink to go get, then they go retrieve the drink — you have to wait. In Al-Jannah, they're always making tawaf around you. These servants are always coming and going with trays. So you don't have to wait, you don't have to call — you just reach and you drink.

And when you drink in Al-Jannah, you only drink out of sheer enjoyment. You're not drinking to hydrate. You're not drinking because you feel thirsty. Because after you drink from the pool of the Prophet ﷺ, you don't feel thirst again. So you're only drinking out of sheer enjoyment because of how amazing it tastes.

So the servants are walking around with these magnificent drinks constantly — بِآنِيَةٍ مِّن فِضَّةٍ — with vessels of silver, which is forbidden for us in this world, but in the Akhirah these are our drinks in Al-Jannah.

وَأَكْوَابٍ كَانَتْ قَوَارِيرَا — and cups that were of glass. But then you see the word قَوَارِيرَا and then the next verse starts with قَوَارِيرَ again. Because Allah is saying: these were cups, but don't think that it's the glass cups that they're used to. No — قَوَارِيرَ مِن فِضَّةٍ — these are cups of silver. Something that we have never seen — a metal that is see-through and clear. This is the silver of Al-Jannah: the cups will be made of a metal, but it looks transparent and see-through.

قَدَّرُوهَا تَقْدِيرًا — they measured it accurately. What does that mean? Some of the mufassirun said: the amount is perfect. Just like here in the dunya, sometimes you order a drink and you finish and you need just a little bit more to complete your satisfaction — just a little bit more. And another glass will be too much. Or sometimes you get the huge gulp and you finish and you get your fill, but there's still a little bit left — so it's a bit too much for you, and now you feel guilty dumping it out. So one tafsir says the amount is the perfect amount — exactly what you need, not a little bit more, not a little bit less.

Then the other tafsir said: قَدَّرُوهَا تَقْدِيرًا — the taste is absolutely measured to your desire. It is not too sweet, it is not too salty, it is not too sour, it is not too cold or too warm or too hot. It is perfectly how you, personally, would like it to be.

The Drink Mixed with Ginger — Verses 17–18

And then they will be given a ka's — which we said is a glass of wine — this time مِزَاجُهَا زَنجَبِيلًا, which is ginger. And so now we have al-tanwi' — we have the cool, minty drink, and now we have a more zingy or zesty kind of drink.

And زَنجَبِيل — some of you have tried it and found it to be a very unpleasant experience when you drink pure ginger. But Allah gives a clue in the surah that this ginger is not going to burn you. Why?

First, when Allah mentioned the camphor, He said عَيْنًا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا عِبَادُ اللَّهِ يُفَجِّرُونَهَا تَفْجِيرًا — this spring that the servants cause to gush forth — but He didn't mention the name of the spring. But when Allah mentioned the زَنجَبِيل, the ginger, He told us in the next verse — verse 18 — عَيْنًا فِيهَا تُسَمَّى سَلْسَبِيلًا: and this spring in it is called Salsabil.

Why is it that Allah told us the name of this spring but didn't tell us the name of the other spring? Because in the name of this spring there is a clue. And the clue is in the name Salsabil — something that is easy to consume, easy to swallow. يَعْنِي الشَّرَابُ اللَّذِيذُ السَّلِسُ الَّذِي يَجْرِي بِسُهُولَةٍ فِي حَلْقِ الْإِنْسَانِ. That's why Allah told us it's called Salsabil. So now you know that since that's the name of the spring, the ginger that comes out of it is not going to be too spicy, it's not going to burn your throat — but it's going to come down easy.

Unlike what Allah mentioned in Surah Ibrahim, mentioning the punishment of the Hellfire:

The people of the Hellfire drink boiling water, and Allah is saying: he sips it and he's barely able to bring it down — he doesn't want to drink it but it's forced down his throat. But here it's easy — it's salis — and we know that from the clue: salis, Salsabil. And that is why Allah mentioned the name here.

The Eternal Young Servants — Verse 19

We'll stop with this verse. Allah says: وَيَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ — servants all the time available and around them. وِلْدَانٌ — they are young boys, Allah created them to serve the people of Al-Jannah. مُّخَلَّدُونَ — they live forever. Why mukhalladun? Because if they got older, then he becomes a 30-year-old man and you feel uncomfortable leaving him with your wife. And in Al-Jannah, nothing makes you feel uncomfortable. So Allah made them young boys and they forever remain young boys.

إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ حَسِبْتَهُمْ لُؤْلُؤًا مَّنثُورًا — if you saw them, you would think they are like scattered pearls in your house. They are so beautiful, they beautify the house.

And then there are a number of interesting things here. The scholars said: Allah is telling you — if the servants look like scattered pearls, what about the master of the house? And from the excellent manners of the Qur'an is that it didn't describe you directly, and it didn't describe the believing women and how they will look in Al-Jannah — but only described your servants. So if your servants look like this, what will you look like?

And we'll end with the last word — لُؤْلُؤًا مَّنثُورًا — scattered pearl. So they're available, they're in every corner, they're always somewhere in the house, so that you don't need to call upon them. Whereas in other places the description is مَكْنُون — something hidden. But maknun wouldn't be good for the servants, because that means they're in their quarters and you have to wait for them. That's why Allah described them as manthur — scattered and available everywhere.

And Allah describes the hur al-'ayn:

When it comes to the women, the description was maknun — hidden. But the servants, you want them to be scattered and available and everywhere.

These are just a few of the glimpses into Surah Al-Insan.

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الذُّنُوبِ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ، فَيَا فَوْزَ الْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ. Ask Allah for His forgiveness — surely those who ask for His forgiveness shall prosper.

Second Khutbah — The Kingdom of Al-Jannah

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ الْأَمِينِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ.

In verse 20, Allah says:

Many different tafsir about this verse, but one of them is: and when you look way over there — وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ — you will see your kingdom. So it's way over there to give you a feel and a sense of the size of your kingdom. And you will see great blessings and a great kingdom everywhere.

The Silver of Al-Jannah

And Allah then mentions the different kinds of silk garments that people will be wearing, and He mentions فِضَّة — silver — is mentioned plenty of times. And someone might say: but silver is not very expensive, so why is Allah mentioning fidda?

The scholars said: the Prophet ﷺ described in Al-Jannah the stick that you will use to tap your riding animal — because there are riding animals in Al-Jannah and you will be using a wooden stick to tap your animal. The Prophet ﷺ said: the wooden stick that you use to tap your animal is better than this whole world and everything in it. So what about the silver — if this is the wood of Al-Jannah, what about the silver of Al-Jannah?

Closing — A Call to the Qur'an

We'll stop here. But as you can sense already, there is so much more and so much depth to Surah Al-Insan and to the Qur'an. And that's why this is an invitation and a reminder — for myself first and for everyone else — that we strengthen our relationship with the book of Allah. And it is a book of guidance and it is a book of contemplation. So beyond just reading it — and we know the reward and the barakah of that — there is also a deeper connection that comes with reading and understanding the tafsir, and what Allah is saying to us.

With that, we ask Allah to make us of those who recognize the truth as clear truth and follow the best of it, and to make us of those who recognize falsehood as clear falsehood and abstain from it. We ask Allah to rectify the conditions of the Muslims in Palestine, and to rectify the conditions of the Muslims in Yemen and in Syria, and to bring ease to the Muslims in Libya and in Morocco and in Sudan.