سورة الواقعة

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [Neither intercepted nor forbidden] means that it is neither cut off nor is anyone forbidden from plucking it.

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Then Imam Rida (peace be upon him) said: "O Sulayman! Does Allah know all that is in Paradise and Hell?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Allah's knowledge of them does not necessitate the cutting off of the world of the Hereafter, for Allah knows and then adds more and does not cut it off from them. Allah says: وَ فاکِهَةٍ کَثِیرَةٍ لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [And abundant fruit, neither intercepted nor forbidden]. He knows this and does not cut off the increase from them. Tell me: what the people of Paradise eat and what they drink — is it not the case that a substitute and replacement is placed in its stead?" Sulayman said: "Yes!" His Eminence (peace be upon him) said: "Then would Allah be such as to cut it off from them while He has placed a substitute and replacement in its stead?" Sulayman said: "No!" His Eminence (peace be upon him) said: "So likewise is everything that is in Paradise, and the abundant fruits which never come to an end and are not forbidden." Sulayman said: "Yes! He cuts it off from them and does not increase it for them." Imam Rida (peace be upon him) said: "In that case, whatever is in them would perish, and this, O Sulayman, is the annulment of eternity and contrary to the Book of Allah, for Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: وَ فاکِهَةٍ کَثِیرَةٍ لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [And abundant fruit, neither intercepted nor forbidden]."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): When I entered Paradise, I saw the Tuba tree. Its root was in the house of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). The fruits of the people of Paradise hang from that tree, and the food of each person hangs in his own home from its branch, and on each branch of that tree there are a hundred colours of fruit, part of whose colours he has never seen in the world. وَ فاکِهَةٍ کَثِیرَةٍ لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [And abundant fruit, neither intercepted nor forbidden].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Nasr ibn Qabus said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about these verses: ظِلٍّ مَمْدُودٍ * وَ ماءٍ مَسْکُوبٍ * وَ فاکِهَةٍ کَثِیرَةٍ * لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [Extended shade, and outpoured water, and abundant fruit, neither intercepted nor forbidden]. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "O Nasr! By Allah, these verses are not as the people think. It is knowledge itself and what issues from it."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): No seed or fruit is plucked from it but that Allah restores it to its original form, and this is the word of Allah who says: لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [Neither intercepted nor forbidden].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The Paradise that Allah has prepared for the pious dazzles the eyes; in it are varying degrees. The dwellings are lofty and exalted, its bounty does not end, its adornment does not perish, and its joy and delight are not cut off. The bounty is continuous for them in streams of unchanging water, وَ فاکِهَةٍ کَثِیرَةٍ لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [and abundant fruit, neither intercepted nor forbidden].

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): The roots of the date-palm that is in Paradise are of red gold, and its trunk and stem are of green zabarjad, and its clusters are of white pearl, and its leaves are green garments, and its dates are whiter than pearl and sweeter than honey and softer than butter. In them there is no hardness or stone. The length of its cluster is twelve cubits, arranged and set from top to bottom. No seed or fruit is plucked from it but that Allah restores it to its original form, and this is the word of Allah who says: لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [Neither intercepted nor forbidden]. Its dates are large like earthen jars, and its bananas and pomegranates are the size of buckets. The combs of the people of Paradise are of gold and their incense-burners are of pearl.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Indeed I have been informed that Tuba is a tree in Paradise whose root is in the house of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), and this tree is for him and his followers. Upon this tree are chests, in each of which are splendid garments of sundus and istabraq (fine and thick silk brocade), and for every servant there are a thousand thousand chests, in each of which are a hundred thousand garments, the colour of each differing from the other — except that the colour of them all is green, of sundus and istabraq. So this is the highest part of the tree. Its middle is the shade of the tree: if a swift rider were to gallop in the shade of that tree, it would take a hundred years to traverse it. Its lowest part is the fruit of the tree, which is close to their houses; each of its branches is like a stick upon which a hundred kinds of fruit have grown, from fruits you have seen or have not seen until now. Allah the Exalted says: لا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَ لا مَمْنُوعَةٍ [Neither intercepted nor forbidden].