Surah Ar-Rahman, Ayah 68

These two gardens are lower, in virtue and in status than the two before them, as supported in the Qur'an.

Allah said:

وَمِن دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ

(And below these two, there are two other Gardens.) We previously mentioned the Hadith stating that there are two gardens made of gold, their vessels and all they contain, and there are two gardens made of silver, their vessels and all they contain. The first two are for the near believers (Muqarribin) and the latter two are for those on the right (Ashab Al-Yamin). Abu Musa commented, "There are two gardens made of gold for the Muqarribin and two gardens made of silver for Ashab Al-Yamin." There are several proofs that the former two gardens in Paradise are better in grade than the latter. Allah mentioned the former two gardens before the latter two, thus indicating their significance, then He said,

مُدْهَامَّتَانِ (both dark green!...55:64). This is one word verse, and it means 'dark green with foliage'. The word is derived from idhimam signifying, for a meadow or garden, to become of dark green hue inclining to black by reason of abundance of moisture or irrigation. This description is not assigned to the first two Gardens. This does not necessarily imply that they do not have this quality. The former Gardens are described as ذَوَاتَا of 'having lot of branches'. This comprehends the quality of 'dark green' as well.

There are two classes of paradise. The Paradise with two gardens mentioned in these verses is that of the first category. In this Paradise, royal fare will be provided. Such bounties will be available to those who were so overwhelmed by thoughts of God that in the present world itself they made themselves stand, as if in the august presence of God. They related to God on the level of Ehsan, that is, experiencing the presence of God in this world itself.