لَكِنِ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ غُرَفٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهَا غُرَفٌ مَبْنِيَّةٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ لَا يُخْلِفُ اللَّهُ الْمِيعَادَ ﴿۲۰﴾ أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ حُطَامًا إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَذِكْرَى لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿۲۱﴾ أَفَمَنْ شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَى نُورٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَوَيْلٌ لِلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ ﴿۲۲﴾ اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُتَشَابِهًا مَثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ ﴿۲۳﴾

﴾20﴿ Laakinil lazeenat taqaw Rabbahum lahum ghurafum min fawqihaa ghurafum mabniyyatun tajree min tahtihal anhaar; wa'dal laah; laa yukhliful laahul mee'aad
﴾21﴿ Alam tara annal laaha anzala minas samaaa'i maaa'an fasalakahoo yanaabee'a fil ardi summa yukhriju bihee zar'am mukhtalifan alwaanuhoo summa yaheeju fatarahu musfarran summa yaj'aluhoo hutaamaa; inna fee zaalika lazikraa li ulil albaab
﴾22﴿ Afaman sharahal laahu sadrahoo lil Islaami fahuwa 'alaa noorim mir Rabbih; fa wailul lilqaasiyati quloobuhum min zikril laah; ulaaa'ika fee dalaalim mubeen
﴾23﴿ Allahu nazzala ahsanal hadeesi Kitaabam mutashaa biham masaaniy taqsha'irru minhu juloodul lazeena yakhshawna Rabbahum summa taleenu julooduhum wa quloo buhum ilaa zikril laah; zaalika hudal laahi yahdee bihee mai yashaaa'; wa mai yudlilil laahu famaa lahoo min haad

﴾20﴿ But those who fear their Lord, for them are lofty chambers above which are other chambers, built firmly beneath which rivers flow. Allah, the Almighty, has promised them. Allah does not break His promise
﴾21﴿ Have you not seen that Allah, the Almighty, sends down water from the sky, then makes it flow as springs in the earth, then brings forth with it crops of various colors? Then they dry up, and you see them turning yellow, then He reduces them to fragments. Indeed, in this is a lesson for those who possess pure understanding
﴾22﴿ Is the one whose chest Allah, the Almighty, has expanded for Islam, so that he is upon a light from his Lord, like the one who is hardened in heart, Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. They are in clear misguidance
﴾23﴿ Allah, the Almighty, has sent down the best of speech—a Book that is consistent and oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord tremble from it, then their skins and hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah. This is the guidance of Allah; He guides whom He wills. And whomever Allah leads astray, there is no guide for him

[21] From this verse until verse 42, it is the second section. In it, the third rational proof is presented, followed by repeated contrasts between the two groups, along with encouragement toward the Qur’an and warnings of punishment in the Hereafter, then worldly warnings, again urging toward the Qur’an, and giving examples to illustrate the states of both groups. This is followed by contrast through warnings and glad tidings, consolation to the Messenger, mention of the two groups again, a fourth rational proof based on confessional acknowledgment, a refutation of shirk in divine control, declaration of disassociation, and further encouragement toward the Qur’an with mention of both groups.
In verse 21, after stating the creatorship of Allah the Exalted, His lordship (rubūbiyyah) is described. The means of nurturing (tarbiyah) are two: water and vegetation. Both are under the control and authority of Allah the Exalted. This also alludes to the temporary nature of the world, as a reminder of the Hereafter, which was mentioned in the previous verse.
(فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ) — meaning, He causes the rainwater to penetrate the earth, turning it into springs, like veins in a body, which then spread throughout the earth like channels.
[22] In this verse, the contrast between the two groups is mentioned, and the reason for benefiting from the proof mentioned in the previous verse is explained—that reason is the expansion of the chest (sharḥ al-ṣadr).
What is meant by sharḥ al-ṣadr is turning back to Allah (inābah) in order to accept Islam—meaning, Allah the Exalted removes doubts and stubbornness from the person’s heart, so he accepts Islam. After accepting Islam, he comes to understand through the Qur’an.
What is meant by nūr is the light of the Qur’an. Through this light, the person becomes firm and steadfast in Islam.
Some commentators have narrated a report here that the signs of sharḥ al-ṣadr are three:
1. Turning toward Paradise,
2. Detachment from the world,
3. Preparing for death before it arrives.
So, the signs of qaswat al-qalb (hardness of the heart) are the opposite of these.
[23] This verse affirms the truth of the Qur’an and encourages turning to it, as a means of removing the hardness of heart (qaswat al-qalb) mentioned in the previous verse. In it, seven attributes of the Noble Qur’an are highlighted:
1. (أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ) — The Qur’an is called “the best of speech.” The word ḥadīth is used for any spoken discourse, and in five other verses of the Qur’an, this term is applied to it. It is “the best” both in form and content. In form, because of its unmatched eloquence and fluency, which brings delight to the reciter and listener—even though it is not poetry. In meaning, it is free from contradiction and falsehood, and its reports of the past and future are always true. Its wonders never cease.
2. (مُتَشَابِهًا) — Meaning all of its verses and chapters are consistent in beauty, eloquence, and clarity, even though it was revealed over 23 years. If it were the word of a created being, great differences and inconsistencies would have emerged over that period.
3. (مَثَانِيَ) — Meaning its stories, rulings, promises and warnings are repeated often. Likewise, it is recited repeatedly and the hearts never grow weary of it.
4. (تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ) — Iqshi‘irār refers to the hair on the body standing on end out of fear. Since this is a physical reaction, julūd (skins) is mentioned. This state arises from the khashyah (awe and reverence) of the heart, so yakhshawn (those who fear) is also mentioned.
5. (ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ) — After this trembling out of fear, a sense of peace and love follows, softening the skin and heart. The hair settles, and the limbs are then inclined toward obedience to Allah. Faith strengthens and grows in the heart.
In Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī, Baḥr al-Muḥīṭ, Ibn Kathīr, and Sirāj al-Munīr, a criticism is recorded against certain Sufis who, during dhikr, fall into states of unconsciousness, dance, or jump—calling this "jadhbah" (ecstatic attraction) and considering it a spiritual virtue.
But if such behavior were a mark of virtue, Allah would have mentioned it among the traits of the Companions and believers in this verse. It is reported from Asmā’ (RA) and Sa‘īd ibn ‘Abd al-Raḥmān that such “jadhbah” is from Shayṭān.
And from Ibn Sīrīn (may Allah have mercy on him), it is reported: if someone sits on the edge of a roof or near a well, and the entire Qur’an is recited to him, and he falls unconscious—then that might be true jadhbah. Otherwise, it is not.