The Faces of Believers on the Day of Resurrection Between Radiance and Joy: An Analytical Exegetical Study in Light of the Quranic Context and the Methodologies of Exegetes

Abstract

This research presents an analytical exegetical study of one of the most significant scenes of the Hereafter's retribution, focusing on how the Holy Quran depicts the faces of the blessed, characterized by radiance and delight. The research aims to elucidate the profound connotations of the terms "Nadhrah" (Radiance) and "Suroor" (Joy) within the Quranic context, demonstrating that the beauty of the face on the Day of Resurrection is not merely a physical trait, but a precise reflection of spiritual tranquility and heartfelt satisfaction resulting from faith and righteous deeds. The researcher adopted the inductive methodology to collect relevant verses and the analytical methodology to deduce rhetorical and educational meanings.
The study includes a linguistic and conceptual grounding of "faces," and a precise comparison between the radiant faces of believers and the gloomy faces of disbelievers, focusing on rhetorical devices such as simile and representation used by the Quran to approximate metaphysical meanings to the human mind. Furthermore, the research examines the Quranic context (both general and specific), clarifying the correlation between the verses describing faces and the surrounding scenes of reckoning and bliss, and how the context links worldly rectitude with a blissful outcome in the Hereafter. The research also discusses the methodologies of exegetes in interpreting these verses, distinguishing between the school of Traditional Exegesis (Tafsir bil-Mathur), such as Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, which focused on narration and doctrinal dimensions—particularly the vision of Allah—and the school of Rational Exegesis (Tafsir bi-Ray) and linguistic analysis, such as Al-Zamakhshari, which highlighted rhetorical aesthetics. The study concludes that the depiction of believers' faces combines psychological and sensory dimensions, delivering an educational and ethical message that motivates obedience and deepens certainty in divine reward.