مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَّصْفُوفَةٍ ۖ وَزَوَّجْنَـٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِينٍ 20
Translations
They will be reclining on thrones lined up, and We will marry them to fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes.
Transliteration
Muttakiʾīna ʿalā surur masfūfah wa-zawwajnāhum bi-ḥūr ʿīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the residents of Paradise reclining upon arranged couches and being united with beautiful, pure companions (al-ḥūr al-ʿīn). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this represents one of the supreme rewards for the righteous—both the comfort of the seating and the companionship promised reflect the holistic nature of Paradise. The word 'zawwajnāhum' (We paired/married them) indicates divine arrangement and blessing, emphasizing that these blessings are gracious gifts from Allah rather than earned entitlements.
Revelation Context
Surah At-Tur is a Meccan surah revealed during a period of intense persecution of early Muslims, serving to encourage believers through vivid descriptions of Paradise's rewards. This ayah appears in the latter part of the surah within a broader passage (52:17-28) describing the blessings awaiting the righteous in the Hereafter, contrasting the trials of worldly life with eternal comfort.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) described Paradise's blessings in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 4879): 'In Paradise there are things that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever conceived.' Additionally, Tirmidhi (Hadith 2687) records the Prophet's description of the inhabitants of Paradise entering a state of eternal peace and joy.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the rewards of righteous living extend beyond material comfort to encompass emotional peace, meaningful companionship, and spiritual fulfillment—all graciously provided by Allah. For contemporary Muslims, it encourages patient endurance of worldly hardships by fixing one's vision on eternal blessings, while emphasizing that true happiness comes through submission to Allah's will.