Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:85

"So Allah rewarded them for what they said": That is, because of their saying, or by that which they said based on belief. For when a statement is not qualified by the absence of belief, what is intended by it is that which is accompanied by belief, as it is said, "This is the statement of so-and-so," because speech is only issued by its speaker to convey a belief.

It has been said: The "statement" here is a metaphor for opinion, belief, and doctrine. As it is said, for example, "This is the statement of the Great Imam (may Allah be pleased with him)," meaning this is his doctrine and belief. Many exegetes have held that what is meant by this statement is their saying: "And why should we not believe..." and so on.

Abu Hayyan considered it more likely that it refers to their saying: "Our Lord, we have believed." It is reported from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Ata that what is meant is: "So write us down among the witnesses," and their saying: "And we desire that our Lord will admit us..." Al-Tabrisi said: Based on this, "the statement" is in the sense of a petition (request), though this view is debatable.

"Rewarding" (ithaba) is recompense. It is stated in al-Bahr that it is more emphatic than "giving" (i'ta'), because it is specifically for an action, whereas "giving" does not necessitate that. Al-Hasan read it as "Allah gave them" (fa-atahum).

"Gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein": Forever and ever. This is a "predestined state" (hal muqaddara).

"And that": That which was mentioned of this exalted matter, "is the reward of the doers of good": That is, their reward. The noun (al-muhsinin - the doers of good) is used in place of their pronoun to praise them and to honor them with this noble description. It is also possible that it refers to the genus/category, and they are included in it in the primary sense; meaning, the reward for those who have habituated themselves to doing good in all matters.