Surah Al-Insan 76:13
سُورَةُ الإِنسَانِ · Medinan · Verse 13 of 31
مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ ۖ لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا شَمْسًۭا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًۭا
Translation
They will sit on couches, feeling neither scorching heat nor biting cold,
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This beautiful verse from Surah Al-Insan paints a vivid picture of the ultimate comfort awaiting the righteous in Paradise. After being protected from the horrors of the Day of Judgment and granted radiance and joy, they are now described in their eternal abode. Allah, in His boundless generosity, is describing the state and environment of these favored ones.
A Posture of Ease
The verse opens with «مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ» (mutta'ikeena), meaning "reclining" or "leaning back." This single word immediately conveys a state of profound ease and relaxation. As scholars like Ibn Ashur explain, this was a posture of kings and the wealthy in this world, a position of complete comfort, free from effort or strain. It's a powerful word choice, signaling that every need is met, and worries are entirely absent. They are not merely sitting; they are deeply settled in luxurious repose.
Seats of Honor
This reclining posture takes place «عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ» (alal-araa'ik), translated as "couches" or "adorned beds." This isn't just any furniture. The word *areeka* (singular of *araa'ik*) signifies a lavishly decorated bed or couch, often found in a private, curtained chamber, as al-Jalalayn and al-Razi clarify. It implies luxury, privacy, and an environment crafted for supreme contentment. The specific choice of *araa'ik* highlights the honor and grand surroundings bestowed upon them.
Perfect Climate, Perfect Light
The verse culminates with a profound promise: «لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا شَمْسًۭا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًۭا» (la yarawna feeha shamsan wala zamhareera), meaning "they will not see in it sun nor *zamhareer*." The use of "not seeing" the sun, as Ibn Ashur notes, is a subtle way to convey its complete absence, and thus the absence of its scorching heat. It's a sensory detail, emphasizing that the very experience of harsh sunlight is removed.
Then comes the word «زَمْهَرِيرًۭا» (zamhareera). Its primary meaning, widely understood in the Hijazi dialect, is "intense cold." So, this part of the verse ensures a perfectly temperate atmosphere, free from both the unbearable heat of the sun and the biting chill of extreme cold. As al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi mention, the air of Paradise is *sajsaj*, a beautiful word meaning "neither hot nor cold."
However, some scholars, including al-Jalalayn and Ibn Ashur, highlight an additional layer of meaning from the Tayy dialect, where *zamhareer* can also mean "the moon." If we consider this, the verse suggests that the inhabitants of Paradise will not experience the sun's harsh daylight nor the moon's dim night. Instead, Paradise has its own unique, perfect light source, distinct from the celestial bodies we know. This dual interpretation, often synthesized by scholars like Ibn Ashur through the concept of *ihtibak* (intertwined ellipsis), paints a complete picture of an environment free from all discomfort, with an ideal temperature and a constant, beautiful illumination. It is a world where every aspect is perfectly designed for the eternal bliss of its residents.
Sources: al-Jalalayn, al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Insan 76:13 is discussed in 5 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Insan 76:13 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.