It allows one to relax and establishes a mood of happiness...

It allows one to relax and establishes a mood of happiness, a state of restfulness. "Reclining on them, facing one another." Reclining upon the couches, the near ones are not troubled, they are relaxed. Mutaqabilin (facing one another) is from taqabala to meet, to be face to face. They see their reflection in each other. They see others who are like them. They see repeat performances, holograms.

Its root is qabala to receive; qibla, from the same root, is that to which one turns; qabila is a midwife, the one who faces and receives the baby. 17 Round about them shall go youths never altering in age, 18 With goblets and ewers and a cup of pure drink; 19 They shall not be affected with headache thereby, nor shall they get exhausted; 20 And fruits such as they choose, 21 And the flesh of fowl such as they desire. This realm of experience, the janna (garden) is timeless.

Man can only understand it from the reference point of his present existence which is based on existential needs, one person serving another. The mithal (metaphor) of the eternally youthful servants implies that in the non-time zone of the next life that state is no longer subject to decay. The mentioning of meat in the garden is significant. It has been given its prominent position in this life because it is regarded as an important aspect of diet.

It contains much of what man needs in terms of amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Traditionally, the practices of Islam encouraged the Muslims to eat it once or twice a week. Today, modern dieticians recommend that meat should only be eaten twice and fish once a week, the rest of the diet being composed of grains and vegetables. Traditionally, people ate animals that could be caught locally within the appropriate season.

Today one finds people eating large quantities of meat and fat in places such as the Arabian peninsula where the temperature is exceedingly hot. Eating foods out of location and season only causes sickness. The aya describing the availability of meat in the garden is a mithal and does not mean that there are hunting parties in the garden. The indication is that the nourishment is of the highest and subtlest values.

22 And pure, beautiful ones, 23 The like of the hidden pearls: 24 A reward for what they used to do. The hur (virgins of paradise) are described as pearls, maknun, hidden, kept, highly treasured; from the word kanna, to conceal, shelter. They are forever preserved in that translucency and purity.