فِيهَا عَيْنٌ جَارِيَةٌ 12
Translations
Within it is a flowing spring.
Transliteration
Fīhā 'aynun jāryah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes one of the blessings of Paradise, referring to 'a flowing spring' or 'running water' within it. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that this flowing water (ain jāriyah) represents pure, fresh, and continuously flowing springs—a symbol of abundance and perpetual provision in Paradise. The emphasis on water flowing by itself highlights the effortless nature of rewards in the afterlife, contrasting sharply with the labors of worldly life.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ghashiyah is a Meccan surah that vividly describes the Day of Judgment and contrasts the states of the blessed in Paradise with the punished in Hell. This particular ayah appears in the section (88:8-16) describing the delights prepared for the righteous believers (Al-Abrar), emphasizing the sensory and material pleasures that await them.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'In Paradise, there are rivers of water that does not become stale, rivers of milk whose taste does not change, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink it, and rivers of honey purified' (Sahih Bukhari 3326). This hadith expands upon Quranic descriptions of paradisiacal waters and springs.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the rewards of obedience to Allah far exceed worldly comforts, offering eternal abundance and ease. It encourages patience through life's hardships by focusing on the perpetual blessings that await the faithful in the Hereafter.