لا تَسمَعُ فيها لاغِيَةً
Wherein they will not hear any vain talk.
EXEGESIS
Lā tasmaʿu (they will not hear) can be, grammatically, both feminine singular third-person and masculine singular second-person. Therefore, it is understood here as either still referring to the faces in verse 8 (using the third-person feminine singular) to mean: they will not hear, or, as an address to the Prophet (or any ready listener) to mean: you will not hear. The common assumption that whenever the Quran uses the second-person singular pronoun it always addresses the Prophet primarily, even if the verse’s import applies to all, is not always true. Often the addressee is the individual reader or listener of the verse(s). This seems obvious in verses such as this one and 76:19-20 (that also describe paradise) but especially true when moral advice is offered or there is an admonition, such as in the set of verses, Do not set up another god besides Allah … until … or you will sit blameworthy, regretful (17:22-29).
Others have offered a variant reading of the word lā tasmaʿu in the passive, as lā tusmiʿu, to mean: no vain talk is heard therein.
The word lāghiyah (vain talk) is from laghw (nonsense, foolish talk) as given in 19:62 and other verses. This term was first explained under the Exegesis of 2:225.
EXPOSITION
Most exegetes understand vain talk to refer to foolish talk, lies, cursing, swearing falsely, and even speech that is purposeless and without benefit.
Many have also noted that the residents of paradise will often speak to each other of God’s blessings on them, expressing gratitude to their Lord for having attained an eternal life of peace and joy.
Rāzī points out that improper speech is absent in paradise also because of the sacredness of its space. Just as one does not utter foul speech in a place of honour in this world, so is paradise – the neighbourhood of God – always untouched by foul language and nonsense. The more honourable a space is, the greater the speech therein will be respectful and honourable.
This does not, however, mean the faithful are bereft of any sense of humour in paradise or will lack the ability to engage in playful conversations with their friends and family; rather, the interactions and communication between them do not breed hatred, enmity, backbiting, hypocrisy, and all the inappropriate speech that results in much of the conflict and suffering in this world.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Ibn Arabi interprets the words Wherein they will not hear any vain talk to imply that the speech of the inhabitants of paradise will always accompany wisdom, divine knowledge, and the glorification and praise of God, perhaps because, to the mystic, any speech devoid of God’s remembrance or serving His purpose is in vain. His understanding may be inspired by the fact that the faithful avoid vain talk even whilst in this world (23:3). It is one of their primary identifying qualities. Those who possess this attribute, along with the descriptions given in 23:2-9, It is they who will be the inheritors, who shall inherit paradise, and will remain in it [forever] (23:10-11). Hence, Ibn Arabi seems to be arguing that the faithful are already above the habits of employing foul language and lies. So, vain talk here refers to any speech devoid of God’s remembrance rather than nonsense; and wherein they will not hear any vain talk implies the speech heard therein, from its inhabitants, will always be infused with wisdom and an awakened state of God-consciousness.
But this may be the case for the elite faithful only because the Quran repeatedly and explicitly mentions the absence of lies and sinful speech in paradise (52:23, 56:25, 78:35), along with the absence of vain talk; and these are contrasted with calls of ‘Peace!’ (salām) heard therein (19:62, 33:44, 56:26). Furthermore, firdaws – the paradise mentioned in 23:10-11 – is understood to be of the highest places in the hereafter reserved for those closest to God.
We must therefore assume that foul speech is not the habit of the faithful even in this world, but is especially absent amongst those of higher ranks. For the rest of the faithful in whom vain talk may be present, the traces of imperfection left in their hearts that cause such base speech inadvertently, will have this removed: We will remove whatever rancour there is in their breasts (7:43) so that, collectively, paradise is free of any speech (and for that matter, action) that disturbs the soul’s sense of complete inner peace and tranquillity.
[1] Nasr, 88:11.
[2] Qummi, 2/418; Safi, 5/321.
[3] Thalabi, 10/189.
[4] Mizan, 20/274.
[5] Razi, 31/142.
[6] Ibn Arabi, 2/428. Nawawi, 2/625, alludes to this as well.