Surah Ar-Rahman, Ayah 47

The Delight of Those Who have Taqwa in Paradise

Allah the Exalted said,

وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ

(But for him who fears the standing before his Lord,) on the Day of Resurrection,

وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى

(And restrained himself from the desires.) (79:40), and does not indulge nor prefer this worldly life. He who knows that the Hereafter is better and more lasting, so he fulfills what his Lord ordered him and stays away from His prohibitions, then he will earn two gardens from his Lord on the Day of Resurrection. Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah bin Qays said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«جَنَّتَانِ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ آنِيَتُهُمَا وَمَا فِيهِمَا، وَجَنَّتَانِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ آنِيَتُهُمَا وَمَا فِيهِمَا، وَمَا بَيْنَ الْقَوْمِ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَنْظُرُوا إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَّا رِدَاءُ الْكِبْرِيَاءِ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فِي جَنَّةِ عَدْن»

The Delight of the Righteous in Paradise

The foregoing verses spoke of the horrible punishments to be faced by the disbelievers. In the current set of verses we are told about the rewards and bounties reserved for the righteous believers. The verse 46 speaks of two Gardens that are exclusively reserved 'for those who are fearful of having to stand before their Lord'. This phrase refers to those fortunate believers who are, at all times, concerned about reckoning on the Day of Judgment and, as a result, keep away from all sorts of sins under all circumstances. Obviously, these are the people who enjoy special nearness to Allah. In verse [ 62] below we read: وَمِن دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ (And lesser than these two, there are two other gardens... 55:62) This verse does not specify the class of righteous believers who will receive these gardens. However, the phrase مِن دُونِهِمَا min dunihima ('and lesser than these two' ) indicates that the Gardens mentioned in verse [ 62] are for the general body of believers who are lesser in their spiritual attainment than the foremost believers who are granted special nearness to Allah.

Denial and arrogance are always caused by an absence of the fear of God. When the terrible moment of Doomsday arrives, the guilty will shed their arrogance. The Truth which they were not ready to accept, in spite of the strong arguments in its favour in the present world, will be accepted by them on Doomsday without dispute. But, acceptance at that time will be of no avail. Acceptance of God’s powers is valid only at the unseen stage and not after their open manifestation.