جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ لَهُمْ فِيهَا مَا يَشَآءُونَ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَجْزِى ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ 31
Translations
Gardens of perpetual residence, which they will enter, beneath which rivers flow. They will have therein whatever they wish. Thus does Allāh reward the righteous -
Transliteration
Jannātu 'Adnin yadkhulūnahā tajrī min taḥtihā al-anhār. Lahum fīhā mā yashā'ūn. Kadhālika yajzī Allāhu al-muttaqīn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the reward of the righteous (al-muttaqīn) in Paradise—Gardens of Eternity (Jannāt 'Adn) where they will enter and find rivers flowing beneath them, and everything they desire will be available to them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse emphasizes that Allah's reward for those who practice taqwa (God-consciousness) is comprehensive and transcends worldly imagination, as their every wish will be fulfilled, demonstrating the infinite generosity and justice of Allah.
Revelation Context
Surah An-Nahl is a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period to strengthen the faith of believers facing persecution. This ayah appears within a passage (16:29-31) contrasting the fate of the righteous with the fate of the arrogant, serving to encourage patience and steadfastness among the believers by reminding them of the ultimate divine reward awaiting them.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'In Paradise, there are things that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived' (Sahih Bukhari 3244, from Quran 32:17). Additionally, the Prophet described Paradise with rivers of water, milk, honey, and wine (Sahih Muslim 2794), directly relating to the flowing rivers mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah provides profound hope and motivation for believers to maintain taqwa in their daily lives, knowing that Allah's reward for the righteous surpasses all earthly comprehension and desire. It teaches that true success lies not in material accumulation in this world, but in developing consciousness of Allah, which secures eternal happiness beyond imagination.
Related Ayahs
فِى جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ
In an elevated garden,
حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعْنَـٰبًا
Gardens and grapevines.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِى ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ ۖ نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَىٰ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
O you who have believed, repent to Allāh with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow [on] the Day when Allāh will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will proceed before them and on their right; they will say, "Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent."
مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَّصْفُوفَةٍ ۖ وَزَوَّجْنَـٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِينٍ
They will be reclining on thrones lined up, and We will marry them to fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes.