And those who believed are joined with the houris, meaning we have paired them with the houris and with those who believed, meaning: with their companions and friends among them. As Allah, the Most High, said: "Brothers on thrones facing each other." They enjoy playing with the houris at times and at other times they enjoy the company of their believing brothers. And their offspring followed them. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "Indeed, Allah raises the rank of the believer's offspring in his degree even if they are below him, due to their closeness to him." [Narrated by Al-Bazzar, Ibn Adi, Abu Nu'aym in Al-Hilya, Ibn Mardawayh, and Al-Thalabi through the chain of Qais ibn al-Rabi' from Amr ibn Murrah from Sa'id ibn Jubair from Ibn Abbas, raised. Al-Bazzar said that Qais was unique in raising it. Al-Thawri narrated it as a statement of Amr ibn Murrah.] Then he recited this verse. Allah gathers for them types of joy through their happiness in themselves, through their marriage to the houris, through the companionship of their believing brothers, and through the gathering of their children and offspring with them. Then He said: "By faith, We have joined with them their offspring," meaning because of a great and high faith, which is the faith of the fathers, We have joined their offspring with their ranks even if they do not deserve it, as a favor to them and to their fathers, to complete their joy and fulfill their bliss. If you say: What is the meaning of the indefinite article in 'faith'? I say: Its meaning indicates that it is a specific faith of great status. It may also refer to the faith of the lower offspring: as if it said: with a little faith, which does not qualify them for the rank of their fathers, We have joined them with them. And it is recited: "And their offspring followed them" and "Their offspring followed them." And their offspring: and it is recited: "Their offspring," with a broken dhāl. Another interpretation is that "And those who believed" is a subject and its predicate is "By faith, We have joined with them their offspring," and what is between them is an interruption. And what We have not diminished for them, meaning: We have provided for them all that we mentioned of reward and favor, and We have not diminished for them from the reward of their deeds anything. It is said that its meaning is: And We have not diminished for them from their reward anything that We give to the children so that they may be joined with them; rather, We have joined them with them as a favor. It is recited: "We have diminished for them," and it is from two forms: from 'alā' (to diminish) and from 'alā' (to be diminished), like 'amā' (to cause to die). And "We have diminished for them" is from 'alā' (to diminish), like 'āman' (to believe). And "We have diminished for them" is from 'lā' (to be diminished). And "We have diminished for them" is from 'walā' (to turn away). And their meanings are the same. Every person is held accountable for what he has earned, meaning he is bound, as if the soul of the servant is bound to Allah by the righteous deeds he is required to perform, just as a man binds his servant by a debt upon him. If he does good, he frees it; and if not, he destroys it. And We have increased them at times after times, they dispute, they engage and exchange with their companions from their relatives and brothers a cup of wine, with no idle talk in it while drinking and no sin, meaning they do not speak during drinking with idle talk and what has no benefit, like the actions of those who call each other in this world in their foolishness and drunkenness, nor do they do what would make them sinful, meaning: they are attributed to sin if they did it in the abode of obligation, such as lying, cursing, and immoralities. Rather, they speak with wisdom and good words, enjoying that, because their minds are stable and not fleeting, and they are wise scholars. And it is recited: "No idle talk in it and no sin." Youths for them, meaning servants belonging to them, specifically for them, concealed in shells, because it is moist, better and purer. Or stored because only precious and valuable things are stored. And it was said to Qatadah: This servant, so how about the served? He said: The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, the superiority of the served over the servant is like the superiority of the moon on the night of its fullness over all other stars." [Narrated by Abdul Razzaq, who reported to us from Ma'mar from Qatadah, he mentioned it, and Al-Thalabi narrated it from the narration of Al-Hasan as a mursal.] And from him, peace be upon him: "The lowest of the people of Paradise in rank is one who calls his servant from among his servants and a thousand respond to him at his door: 'Here I am, here I am.'" [Narrated by Al-Thalabi from the narration of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz al-Basri from Yusuf ibn Abi Taybah from Waki' from Hisham from his father from Aisha, similar.]