Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:31

(Gardens of Eden) is a predicate for an elided subject, as chosen by al-Zajjaj and Ibn al-Anbari—meaning: "They are Gardens." It is also permitted that it be a subject whose predicate is elided—meaning: "For them are Gardens"—or that it is the specific subject of praise.

(Which they will enter) is an adjective for "Gardens" according to al-Harfi, based on the premise that "Eden" is indefinite; the same applies to (beneath which rivers flow). Both are states (hal) according to more than one scholar, based on the premise that it is a proper noun. It is also permitted that (Gardens) be a subject and the sentence "they will enter it" be its predicate, while the sentence "beneath which rivers flow" is a state. Zayd ibn Thabit and Abu Abd al-Rahman recited it as Jannatin (in the accusative case) based on al-ishtighal (preoccupation), meaning: "They will enter Gardens of Eden [and] they will enter them." Abu Hayyan said: This recitation strengthens the position that Jannat is in the nominative case as a subject, with the sentence following it as its predicate.

Zayd ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) recited "Wa-la-ni'ma daru al-muttaqin" with a damma on the ta, and "daru" preserved, so "ni'ma" is a subject added to "daru," and "Jannat" is the predicate. Isma'il ibn Ja'far narrated from Nafi' the recitation "yudkhalunaha" (they are entered) with a ya denoting the third person, with the verb in the passive voice; it is also narrated from Abu Ja'far and Shaybah.

(For them therein) meaning: in those Gardens, (what they wish). The first part is a predicate for "what," and the second is a state derived from it; the operator is the meaning of existence and stability inherent in the first part, or it is attached to it for that purpose—meaning: "There is obtained for them therein what they wish of various desirable things." Its precedence is to avoid the false impression that it is attached to "the wishing," or for the reason mentioned more than once: that delaying what ought to be advanced causes the soul to anticipate it, so it becomes more firmly established when it arrives. Some mentioned that the precedence of "therein" is for restriction, and "what" is for generalization by context, implying that a person does not find everything they desire except in Paradise—so reflect upon this. The sentence is in the place of a state, similar to what preceded. It was claimed that "for them" is attached to "beneath which rivers flow" for their benefit, and "therein is what they wish" is a subject and predicate in the place of a state—the state of which is not hidden from those of discernment.

(Thus) like that recompense, (does Allah recompense the righteous).

(Meaning: their genus, thus it encompasses everyone who fears [Allah] from among the polytheists and the disobedient. It is said: from polytheism, and the righteous mentioned earlier are included in a primary sense; it thereby serves as an incitement for others toward righteousness, or [if it refers to] those already mentioned, it serves to grieve the disbelievers. It is said: This sentence supports the view that His—the Exalted—saying: "For those who do good" is a promise. For if that is made a recompense for them, it looks to the promise thereof from Allah the Exalted. And if the content of the statement is not from the speech of the Exalted, it would not be a promise from Him, the Exalted. It is also said: It supports the view that "Gardens" is a predicate for an elided subject, not a specific subject of praise; because if it were a specific subject of praise, it would be as if it were explicit that Gardens of Eden are the recompense for the righteous, making "Thus..." a confirmation, unlike when it is a predicate of an elided subject, for it is not explicitly known that Gardens of Eden are the recompense for the righteous. There is a scrutiny in this, as there is in its predecessor, although in the expression of "support" there is that which mitigates the matter.)