َ وَتَذَرُونَ الْآخِرَةَ ﴿۲۱﴾ وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاضِرَةٌ ﴿۲۲﴾ إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ ﴿۲۳﴾ وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَاسِرَةٌ ﴿۲۴﴾

﴾21﴿ Wa tazaroonal Aakhirah
﴾22﴿ Wujoohuny yawma 'izin naadirah
﴾23﴿ Ilaa rabbihaa naazirah
﴾24﴿ Wa wujoohuny yawma 'izim baasirah

﴾21﴿ And you neglect the Hereafter
﴾22﴿ Many faces on that day will be radiant
﴾23﴿ They are seeing their Lord
﴾24﴿ And many faces on that day will be discolored

[22,23] This is a glad tiding for the people of the Hereafter.
“Faces” are mentioned because the first signs of radiance appear on the face, and thus it represents the noblest part—though what is meant is the whole body.
“Nāḍirah” means fresh, bright, and full of light, as seen in Surah Āl ‘Imrān (3:106) and Surah ‘Abasa (80:38).
“Ilā Rabbihā”—this phrase is brought forward because their greatest goal is solely the vision of Allah Almighty.
“Nāẓirah” is derived from “naẓar” (to look), and since its grammatical construction includes “ilā” (toward), the meaning here is actual seeing—not waiting or expecting.
This appears in many verses, such as Surah Tawbah (9:127), Surah Yunus (10:43), Surah ‘Abasa (80:24), and Surah Ahzab (33:19).
Here, the use of “ilā” is proof that “nāẓirah” means “looking,” i.e., beholding.
So, this is explicit proof that the believers in Paradise will see Allah Almighty.
Similarly, the scholars of Hadith have also used Surah al-Muṭaffifīn (83:15) to support this view.
And Ibn Kathir wrote that this matter is confirmed through numerous authentic hadiths in a mutawātir (mass-transmitted) form—so denying it is not possible.
He also mentioned that this belief is agreed upon by the Companions, the Tābi‘īn (Followers), the righteous predecessors, and the leading scholars of Islam.
However, the Mu‘tazilah and Ibāḍīs have denied this issue.
[24,25] This is a warning about the Hereafter.
“Tazunnu” (they assume)—here, ẓann (assumption) means certainty, but when its effects appear on their faces, it becomes clear to them what is about to be done to them.
Also, ẓann is used in contexts where signs and indications make something known.
“Fāqirah”—originally refers to branding the nose of a camel with a hot iron until it reaches the bone, which implies extreme humiliation.
It is also derived from faqār al-ẓahr, meaning the spinal vertebrae—so fāqirah is a calamity that breaks the backbone.
What is meant here is a great punishment and destruction due to eternal entry into the fire of Hell.