وَزَرابِيُّ مَبثوثَةٌ
And carpets spread out.
EXEGESIS
Mabthūthah is from baththa, which is to spread out or unfold, but also to disperse, disseminate, and scatter, as used in 56:5. Because of these various meanings for baththa, carpets spread out has also been interpreted as: carpets scattered everywhere for whoever would like to enjoy them.
EXPOSITION
This is the seventh and final outwardly sensual pleasure of paradise listed in this surah.
These rugs or carpets are described as being innumerable, of many types and colours, plush, of the highest quality, value, and comfort, and beyond what man could ever imagine, just like all the other comforts and pleasures of paradise. Makārim Shīrāzī notes that it is clear from how these verses read that these descriptions are only meant to be a few examples of what awaits the faithful in paradise.
For Ibn Arabi, because carpets are below cushions and couches and at the feet of those who enjoy them, the carpets allude to the stations of the divine manifestation of actions that are below the stations of attributes (ṣifāt), like, for example, trust in God (tawakkul) (as a station of actions) is below contentment (riḍā) (as a station of attributes). Spread out thus implies spread out below them.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Not every exegete seems to agree that zarābī are carpets. Qummī, for example, reports: ‘For everything that Allah has created in paradise there is an example in this world, except zarābī, for it is unknown.’ If by this Qummī means the carpets or rugs given to the righteous as a reward in the hereafter have no likeness in this world then that is acceptable because we know that for the elite amongst the faithful, No one knows what has been kept hidden for them of comfort as a reward for what they used to do (32:17).
But if by this Qummī means zarābī is a term whose meaning is unknown then this is an example of reports that cast doubt on the Prophet not having explained all matters of the Quran fully, as well as there being someone after the Prophet who inherited that knowledge of the Quran from him. Other examples of such reports are those that claim the Prophet passed away before he could explain the verses on usury (see the Review of Tafsīr Literature for 2:278) and the meaning of abban in 80:31 (see the Review of Tafsīr Literature for 80:31).
No importance should be given to such dubious reports that suggest some verses in the Quran were revealed but not meant to be known and should be left unexplained. They stand in opposition to clear verses such as, We did not send down the book to you except that you may clarify for them what they differ about, and as a guidance and mercy for a people who have faith (16:64), and Today I have perfected your religion for you and I have completed My blessing upon you (5:3).
Furthermore, if the Quran was revealed to guide and benefit man (2:185, 17:9) it would seem illogical that God would reveal in it verses that He intentionally does not want man to understand or ask about.
In condemning theologians who pass personal judgements because they believe the Prophet left matters unexplained, Imam Ali (a) delivered a sermon in part of which he said:
‘When a problem is put before any one of them he passes judgement on it from his own imagination. When exactly the same problem is put before another of them he passes an opposite verdict. Then these judges go to the chief who had appointed them and he confirms all the verdicts, although their Allah is one, their Prophet is one, and their book is one.
‘Is it that Allah ordered them to differ and they obeyed him? … Or Allah sent an incomplete faith and sought their help to complete it? … Or is it that Allah, the glorified, sent a perfect faith but the Prophet (s) fell short of conveying it and handing it over [to the people]? The fact is that Allah, the glorified, says: We have not neglected anything in the book [6:38].’
[1] Ibn Kathir, 8/378.
[2] Thaalabi, 5/583.
[3] Nemuneh, 26/424-425.
[4] Ibn Arabi, 2/428.
[5] Qummi, 2/418.
[6] Nahj, sermon 18.