Soothing Ginger




"And amongst them will be passed round vessels of silver and cups of crystal—crystal-clear, made of silver. They will determine the measure thereof (according to their wishes). And they will be given to drink there of a cup (of wine) mixed with zanjabeel (ginger), a spring there called salsabeel. And round about them will serve boys of everlasting youth. If you see them, you would think them scattered pearls. And when you look there (in Paradise), you will see a delight (that cannot be imagined), and a great dominion." [76:15-20]












Ginger is another soothing herb to contemplate. It is actually the stem of a plant that grows downward—below ground. Peeling the brown outer skin reveals a juicy food that has a distinctive taste and emanating fragrance. Curiously, ginger is mentioned in the Quran in the chapter 76 (titled al-Insan or Man) as camphor. While the two herbs are pungent and strong in characteristic, they have complimentary and contrary properties for the same soothing effect. While camphor is cooling, ginger is warming. Both come from a gushing spring, and will both be mixed to form a drink in Paradise that is served in an elegant cup as a reward for those that were righteous and patient. According to the Quran commentator, Ibn Katheer, salsabeel will run continuous with a flowing, rich current; its warmth is to make the drink balanced with the contrasting coolness of the camphor (Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, 2003). The servants mentioned in these verses are youthful, with an array of colors, fine clothing, and ornaments. Since there is nothing more beautiful than seeing pearls in a place that is dazzling beyond our imagination, let's take some time to ponder ginger in this life as we know it.