They said: It appeared ambiguous to the people of Paradise only because that which returned was identical to that which was plucked and eaten, in all its meanings. They said: That is why Allah, Exalted be His praise, said: {and they are given thereof in resemblance}, due to the resemblance of all of it in all its meanings.

And some of them said: Rather, they said, "This is what we were provided with before," because of its resemblance to what preceded it in color, even if it differed from it in taste.

• Mention of those who said that:

518- Al-Qāsim ibn al-Ḥusayn narrated to us, He said: Al-Ḥusayn ibn Dāwūd narrated to us, He said: A Sheikh from al-Maṣṣīṣa narrated to us, from al-Awzāʿī, from Yaḥyā ibn Abī Kathīr, He said: One of them is brought a bowl and eats from it, then he is brought another and says, "This is what we were brought before." So the angel says, "Eat, for the color is one and the taste is different." (1)

This Interpretation is the view of whoever interpreted the verse in this way. However, its correctness is negated by the apparent wording of the recitation. What indicates its correctness according to the apparent wording of the verse and confirms its validity is the statement of those who said: The meaning of that is, "This is what we were provided with before in the world." That is because Allah, Exalted be His praise, said: {Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom}, so He, Exalted be His praise, informed that it is part of the statement of the people of Paradise whenever they are provided with a provision from the fruit of Paradise to say, "This is what we were provided with before." He did not restrict that to being their statement on some occasions rather than others. Since He, Exalted be His mention, informed that this is their statement for everything they are provided with of its fruit, there is no doubt that this is their statement for the very first provision they are provided with of its fruits, brought to them after their entry into Paradise and their settlement in it, prior to which no fruit had preceded it for them. Since there is no doubt that this is their statement for the first of it, just as it is their statement for the middle of it and what follows it (2)—it is known that it is impossible for their statement regarding the first provision they are provided with of the fruits of Paradise to be: "This is what we were provided with before this of the fruits