Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)

90. “And the Paradise shall be brought near for the pious.”

91. “And the Hell shall appear plainly to the erring ones,”

92. “And it shall be said to them: 'Where are those that you used to worship,”

The Qur’anic word: /’uzlifat/ means ‘to approach’, and the Arabic word /burrizat/, derived from /buruz/, means ‘to appear’, and the word /qawin/ which is derived from /qiwa’/ is called to ‘a vice and ignorance’ that originates from decadence of belief.

However, in these verses, the Qur’an has explained the status of Paradise and Hell.

It says:

“And the Paradise shall be brought near for the pious.”

Then it says:

“And the Hell shall appear plainly to the erring ones,”

This explanation, in fact, is about the time before they enter into Paradise or Hell when each of these two groups will see their own abode in front of them. Then the believers will become happy and the misguided ones will terrify; and this is the first step of their reward and retribution.

It is interesting that it does not say: the pious will be made approach to Paradise, hut it says:

“...Paradise shall be brought near for the pious”,

and this meaning points to their very great and worthy rank.

This point is also worthy to be noted that the application of the word /qawin/ (the erring ones) here is the same meaning which has been applied in the story of Satan after when he was sent away, where He says in the Qur’an:

“Verily, (as regards) My (devoted) servants, there is not for you over them any authority, except those who follow you of the deviators.”1

Then the Qur’an pays to the scorning statement that, at this time, will be said to this deviated group, where it says:

“And it shall be said to them: 'Where are those that you used to worship,”