B U S I N E S S N A M E

Reflections
From the Glorious Qur’ān
I S S U E N O . 1 5 1 S T J U L Y 2 0 0 9

Who are the As’hāb al-A’rāf?

‫َو بَيَْنَ ُام ِحجابٌ َو ع َََل ْ َاْل ْعر ِاف ِرجا ٌل‬ are able to see (and be seen by) peo- This explanation fits in well with the
ple on both sides of the veil. However, term A’rāf (elevations) which gives
َ ‫اميُه َو اند َْوا أَ ْْص‬
‫اب الْ َجنَّ ِة‬ ْ ُ ‫لُك بِس‬ ًّ ُ ‫ون‬ َ ُ‫ي َ ْع ِرف‬ there is a difference of opinion among the impression of being ‘above’ and

َ ‫أَ ْن َسال ٌم عَلَ ْي ُ ُْك ل َ ْم يَدْ ُخلُوها َو ُ ُْه ي َ ْط َم ُع‬

‫ون‬ exegetes regarding the identity of the
Ashāb al-A’rāf.
in a ‘higher position’. Further, it
makes sense that these great per-
And there will be a veil between them. sonalities would be able to recog-
Jārullāh al-Zamakhshari mentions in
POINTS TO And on the elevations will be men who his commentary, al-Kashshāf, that the
nize all the people by their marks
and tell whether they are from the
PONDER recognize all of them by their marks. Ashāb al-A’rāf are men from among
They will call out to the inhabitants of people of paradise or from those
the Muslims who will be the last to
UPON doomed to hell. However, two ques-
paradise, “Peace be to you!” They will enter paradise because of the insuffi-
not have entered it (paradise) though tions arise from this interpretation:
 What is the ciency of their good deeds (and, possi-
they would be eager to do so. bly, some of the sins they committed). 1) Why are they not, then,
view held by al-
Zamakhshari (al-A’rāf [7]:46) They will be held in abeyance between among the foremost to
about the peo- paradise and hell until such a time enter paradise?
ple of the eleva- when they will be allowed to enter 2) What does ‘wa hum yat-
tions and what In numerous verses of the Glorious paradise by the command of Allāh. ma’un’ (and they would be
theological Qur’ān, paradise and hell have been
While in this state, they will look at eager to enter paradise)
problem does it described vividly, and the verses that
the people of hell and the torment mean?
claim to solve? precede this one depict the generation
they are undergoing, and will cry out In answering the first question,
that followed the footsteps of their
 Why does the beseeching Allāh not to place them in Sayyid Tabātabāi says that because
predecessors, in transgression and sin,
second interpre- hell. They will also look at paradise of their lofty station, they will act as
trying to lay blame on those who had
tation fit in and it bounties with eagerness and overseers and intercessors for the
been the cause of their misguidance.
better with the desire to be among its inhabitants.
The people of paradise, meanwhile, people and that is why they will not
verses that This will continue up to such a time
glorify Allāh for having blessed them enter paradise until all the other
describe the when Allāh will finally permit them to
with guidance and acknowledge that people have entered it.
Ashāb al-A’rāf? enter paradise.
without it they would not have suc- As for the second question, the
ceeded. The commentators who espouse this commentators say that it is not the
interpretation use the succeeding people of the elevations who are
What is interesting to note from these
verses to elaborate and strengthen eager and desirous to enter para-
verses is that the people of paradise
this view. They also express that this dise, rather it is the people of para-
and the people of hell are able to
would resolve the problem of the fate dise who are eager for these great
directly communicate with each other.
of infants, the insane etc. who have and lofty personalities to enter
There is a veil between them, but they
not performed any good actions de- paradise and join them so that they
can call out to each other and are
serving of eternal reward, as they will may be in their presence. Therefore
aware of the situation on the other
be included in the category of the the pronoun ‘hum’ refers to the
side. In fact, the people of hell call out
Ashāb al-A’rāf. people of paradise, not the people
to those in paradise and ask them to
pour some water on them or some- The above interpretation has been of the elevations.
thing from what has been bestowed to challenged my many other exegetes This view of the identity of Ashāb al-
them. In reply they are told that these like Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Ta- A’rāf is supported by numerous
things are forbidden to the faithless. bātabāi, who say that the Ashāb al- narrations like the narration from
A’rāf are actually people who have a Salmān al-Fārsi (r) who said that he
The people after whom this surah is
lofty status and a special nearness to heard the Holy Prophet (s) tell ‘Ali
named are the Ashāb al-A’rāf (or the
Allāh. They would include the Messen- ibn Abi Tālib (‘a) more than ten
people of the elevations). In the verse
ger of Allāh, his infallible progeny and times, “O ‘Ali, verily you and your
quoted above, this group is described
other prophets and saints. successors will be the people of the
as being on elevations such that they
elevations…”