Muhammad (Muhammad)

15. The description of Paradise which the pious have been promised [is that] in it are rivers of water the taste and smell of which are not changed, rivers of milk of which the taste never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of clarified honey therein for them is every kind of fruit and forgiveness from their Lord. [Are these] like those who shall dwell forever in the Fire and be given to drink boiling water so that it cuts up their bowels.

Those who keep away from the transient pleasures of the flesh through piety will attain to permanent felicity;

(“the pious have been promised”).

Imam Husayn (as) says

“Divine Forgiveness falling to the share of the people of Paradise is the best bounty for them.”

Then the Noble Imam refers to the Qur’anic verse:

“But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of Allah. That is the supreme success”1 .

The Verse depicts the Paradise awaiting the pious saying that there are four rivers in Paradise for the pious.

Firstly,

“rivers of water”

in which pure and permanent water flows unlike that of the world whose taste and color will not change through stagnation but its purity and taste will be the same. It is this world which is subject to permanent alteration whose elements are at all times in the process of generation and corruption.

The elements of the world to come will not be subject to change since as per the Holy Qur’an

“Verily, the home of the Hereafter - that is the life indeed”2 .

Secondly,

“rivers of milk”

in Paradise,

“whose taste never changes”

resemble water in terms of purity. The milk is not like that of this world that goes sour shortly and becomes useless. The milk, like the water, is incessantly flowing since the milk and water in Paradise spring from the purity of the hearts of the pious.

Thirdly,

“rivers of wine,”

represent all kinds of intoxicant drinks. Unlike the wine in this world, that of Paradise is tasty, delicious, joyful, and invigorating.

Fourthly,

“rivers of clarified honey”

are prepared for the pious in Paradise.

The word:

“clarified”

indicates that heavenly honey is pure and devoid of impurities. It is unlike the honey in this world mingled with wax and other things which is to be purified.

“Therein for them is every kind of fruit and forgiveness from their Lord.”

Heavenly bounties for the pious are not restricted to these four rivers but all kinds of fruit and any imaginable or unimaginable bounty will be prepared for them.

Those aspiring to find such bounties are supposed to know that Divine Favors and heavenly bounties are reserved for the pious in the Hereafter:

(“the pious have been promised”).

It is noteworthy that the seeds of such bounties are to be sown in our hearts in this world so that they bear fruit. In other words, one has to struggle in order to attain to the disposition of piety. The disposition of piety is to be acquired in this world such that it bears fruit in the Hereafter in the form of three rivers. God strikes parables in the Holy Qur’an to express many a meaning and secret of creation without which man may not perceive them through his intellect.

Qur’anic Verses are the mines of secrets and abundant delicacies contained in Their words whose esoteric meaning is solely perceptible to:

“those deeply rooted in knowledge,”

namely the Infallible Imams (as).

According to a recurrently transmitted Prophetic tradition, through performing deeds and prayers of supererogation (nawafil) man attains to a state in which his vision, hearing, and touch turn into those of Truth. The self of such man is annihilated and he is absorbed in God such that he finds everlasting life in Him.

Are such pious believers immersed in the rivers of Mercy and those enjoying His Infinite Bliss are on a par with those whose abode will be Hellfire for good as they are disfavored?

“[Are these] like those who shall dwell forever in the Fire and shall have to drink boiling water so that it shall cut up their bowels.”

Any wise person knows that the pious believer is not on a par with the polytheist and/or the dissimulating disbeliever. The former will immerse in the rivers of Divine Mercy enjoying Divine Infinite Bounties for good and the latter will be disfavored and afflicted with different kinds of torment. How may they stand on a par?