Sura
55

Sura 55 is one of the best known and loved suras of the Qur'an,

yet we cannot be sure exactly when it was revealed.

Most commentators say it was revealed in Makka,

though Ibn Abbas said that ayat 29 was not revealed until the Messenger was living in Madina.

Then again, there is a minority of commentators

who consider the Sura to be entirely Madinan,

demonstrating once more

the Companions lack of concern about such matters at the time,

hardly surprising considering the scattered nature of the Qur'an's revelation

and communal learning.

The Sura begins with an ayat containing no more than a single Name,

the Name which most muslims use for the Sura,

the Name closest in its essence to the Name Allah

the Fount-of-All-Mercy

The sura then continues to describe

the nature of the Fount-of-All-Mercy, as a teacher and a creator,

and explaining the need for balance and justice in the creation,

and giving examples of some of the works of creation to which that applies.

This first section comes to a close making it clear that all such creations will pass away,

while the Face of their Liege remains,

Majestic and Splendid.

From God's works in the Creation, we are moved on to the Afterlife,

first with a section dealing with those who refuse to accept the bounds of creation,

and describing their approach to Hellfire,

and finally with a lengthy section describing how

those who fear the standing of their Liege

will enter the Garden.

Well, actually more than one Garden,

as the word Jannatain is the dual,

meaning two gardens,

yet the Qur'an quickly goes on to describe two pairs of two.

So commentators suggest that this means

numerous gardens, but existing in pairs,

perhaps reflective of the duality of creation.

And it is suggested that the first two gardens

are for those known as the foremost,

while the second two gardens

are for the Companions of the Right,

but God knows best.

Whoever they are destined for, however,

these gardens have attributes that echo each other.

The first pair has trees and shrubs with a myriad branches,

while the second pair has deep green pastures.

The first has two fountains of running water,

while the second has two fountains gushing water.

The first has two kinds of every fruit,

while the second also contains fruit, with date palms and pomegranates.

Then they move on to describe more emotional and physical pleasures,

with modest partners,

who have no experience of others to compare you to,

all yours.

And in the first gardens they are said to be lovely as rubies and beautiful as coral,

and in the second they are called good natured and lovely.

In the first gardens they lounge on couches of rich brocade,

and in the second on cushions and beautiful rugs,

sheltered in cool pavilions.

And the Sura ends by returning to the Name of your Liege,

Majestic and Splendid,

to make clear that God transcends all dualities,

even with regard to heaven.

And all this ignores the most distinctive aspect of the Sura,

the persistent rhythmic repeated refrain

asking in the dual

which of our Liege's blessings we can deny.

This appears 31 times,

and al-Nasafi points out

that the first eight appear after descriptions of the marvels of the Creation.

The next seven times the phrase is used

it follows ayats related to punishment and the fire,

seven also being the number of doors of Jahannum,

and the fwo related sections describing the gardens have eight each,

eight also being the number of gates to Jannat.

so considering the options

which of the blessings of your Liege will you deny?