«زَي قُبُورِ الْكُفَّارْ مِنْ فُوقْ جِنِينَهْ وِمِنْ تَحْتْ نَارْ»

Applied to a person or thing whose attractive, well-tended surface conceals something wretched or harmful beneath. The picture rests on a religious belief: the grave of an unbeliever looks like a small green garden above, while its occupant is imagined suffering in fire below. The pleasant exterior is not merely shallow but actively misleading.

The word jinīna, a little garden, is a diminutive linked to janna, which means both garden and paradise. The surface therefore hints at bliss while the depth holds fire. In the Arabic, kuffār and nār rhyme, binding the opening comparison to the closing image of flames.

Used to condemn someone who appears charming, generous or devout while hiding bad character or harmful intentions, or an object or place that looks polished but is rotten inside. Its label for unbelievers carries a sectarian judgment, so it can offend, especially in mixed or interfaith settings.