On the opposite side of what was being described in the previous verse, these verses describe the bliss that Allah (swt) has promised to the believers, men and women. Undoubtedly, ‘promising of Gardens’ is good news for the future. The balance of life is only maintained between promising and warning, between the manifestation of reward and the manifestation of punishment. If this balance is disrupted, and the promise comes in place of the warning; as, if the one who does not act good is rewarded, and the one who does evil is punished, then the global system becomes corrupted. As a fact that every person seeks benefit for oneself, so there must be a good tiding to encourage striving and working good, and there must be a threatening to prevent a person from doing corruption, hoping that it would make him reflect and refrain.

(وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ…) (Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow,): Jannah (gardens) is a term that encompasses beautiful places filled with trees and flowers. It is a place that all believers will enjoy.

…خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا…  (wherein they abide eternally,): There is no reflection of the idea of immortality the worldly life, as blessings may vanish, pleasures may disappear such that a successful person might experience a material catastrophe, suffer significant losses in his business, or face health issues. However, in Paradise, blessings never cease, and its dwellers are not deprived of them because there are not afflicted by changes or death.

…وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً…  (and pleasant dwellings): These dwellings are in addition to the afore-mentioned Paradise. In this context, Allah (swt) promises every believer with a private paradise where he will have a pleasant dwelling. There is nothing harmful or annoying in it. Everything within it fills the soul with joy and delight. Sahl bin Sa’d Al-Sa’idi reported: I was in the company of the Prophet (saws). He gave a description of Jannah and concluded with these words:

“There will be bounties which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart has ever perceived.[1]

Vocabularies can only express meanings that have passed through the eyes, ears, or thoughts. While the Paradise, although already exists but has not been perceived, therefore, any language is completely incapable of expressing what exist in the Hereafter’s Paradise, as mentioned by the Prophet (saws) in his narration. In this regard, Allah (swt) says:

  مَّثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ 

(The description of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised) (Ar-Ra’d: 35)

…فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ ۚ…)) (in gardens of perpetual residence,): The Arabic word translated as (perpetual residence) is derived from the Arabic stem word that means to establish residence in a place. Therefore, this term refers to gardens of permanent residence. For there is a difference between dwelling in a temporary place and establishing oneself permanently. 

…وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ..  (But the pleasure of Allah is the greatest bliss.): It The greatest bliss is the looking at the countenance of Allah (swt). The Prophet (saws) said:

“Allah will say to the people of Paradise, ‘O the people of Paradise!’ They will say, ‘Labbaik, O our Lord, and Sa`daik!’ Allah will say, ‘Are you pleased?” They will say, ‘Why should we not be pleased since You have given us what You have not given to anyone of Your creation?’ Allah will say, ‘I will give you something better than that.’ They will reply, ‘O our Lord! And what is better than that?’ Allah will say, ‘I will bestow My pleasure and contentment upon you so that I will never be angry with you after for-ever.’[2]

…ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ  (It is this which is the greatest achievement.): The greatest achievement is: The gaining of pleasure of Allah (swt) and the great gift of looking at His Majestic Countenance.

[1] Sahih Muslim: The Book of Paradise, and the Descriptions of its Blessings and Dwellers, Hadith no. 2825

[2] Sahih al-Bukhari: The Book of Riqaq, Chapter: The Description of Paradise and Hellfire, Hadith no. 6183.