Adh-Dhaariyat (The Winnowing Winds)

15. Indeed, the God fearing shall be in the midst of Gardens and [beside] Springs,

16. Receiving what their Lord has granted them. Indeed, they were formerly the good-doers [in this world].

Turning away from transient pleasures entails permanent ones. Besides gardens and springs, the people of Paradise receive new Bounties at any moment. It is worthy of note that what they receive befits Divine Lordship and all Bounties in Paradise will be granted to the God fearing by the Sacred Essence of God Almighty.

Following a depiction of those who have immersed in the mire of ignorance and the manner of their dire fate, God Almighty depicts the state of the good-doers and the Bounties and Blessings granted to them. The Qur’anic depiction of the state of disbelievers and evil doers and their dire fate follows precedes or follows the state of believers and the God fearing.

We expect the same since God Almighty has glorified His Messenger (S) and called him ‘bearer of glad tidings and a warner.’ Furthermore, the perfect man is supposed to know God Almighty by all Divine Beauteous Names and be aware that He bestows many Blessings at the time of Mercy and is severely Revengeful at the time of Wrath.

Thus, the God fearing are supposed to be in a state between fear and hope at all times, rather than be proud of their piety, worship, and fearing God Almighty or lose their hope of Divine Mercy. As a consequence, the Qur’anic Verses treat of the state of disbelievers and their torments inflicted upon them in Hellfire preceding or following a treatment of the state of the God fearing and those obedient to Divine Commands deriving pleasure in Gardens and beside Springs in Paradise.

The Arabic word jannat the plural form of jannat which may not only allude to the point that they will enjoy different kinds of Paradise but it may also make a reference to the point that they will enjoy physical and spiritual Paradises and Springs without bounds. The Arabic word ‘uyun is the plural form of ‘ayn which may refer to different kinds of Springs to be enjoyed by the God fearing.

The blessed Verse proceeds with some of the attributes of the God fearing including the receipt of what their Lord bestows upon them out of Mercy and Graciousness;

(“Receiving what their Lord has granted them”). The relative ma (“that, what”) in “what their Lord has granted them” (ma ata-hum rabbu-hum)

designates generality connoting innumerable Bounties. It may also allude to their exalted state, namely they are so close to God Almighty that they immediately receive Bounties from Him.

A similar motif is attested elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an¹ that it seems as if the hand of the poor is likened to His:

“Know they not that Allah Accepts repentance from His servants and takes the alms and that Allah Alone is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, the Most Gracious?”

The blessed Verse makes a reference to the exalted state of the God fearing by which they receive Divine Bounties from His Hand; in other words, they heavenly soul shall receive many a Bounty from its Origin.

The clause

“Indeed, they were formerly the good-doers [in this world]”

refers to the point that the God fearing believers attained to such exalted state of receiving Divine Bounties immediately from the Origin of Such Bounties owing to their piety and fearing God in their mundane life.

Qur’anic exegets maintain that:

“formerly” (qabla dhalik)

may refer to mundane life and reflect that the Reward of their doing righteous good deeds is that their pure souls receive Bounties from the Lord and they also receive Divine Blessings in their worldly life.