Tafsir of Ar-Rahman 55:63-64

This is an adjective for the two gardens [mentioned previously]. The interposition of the verse {Which then of the bounties of your Lord will you both deny?} serves as an admonition that the denial of both the described and the adjective is worthy of rejection and rebuke. Alternatively, it is the predicate of an omitted subject, meaning: "They are both mudhammatan (dark green)."

It is derived from al-duhmah, which, according to al-Raghib, is originally the blackness of the night, and it is used to describe the blackness of a horse. It is sometimes used to denote a complete, intense greenness, just as greenness is used to describe it when it is not complete, due to their proximity in color. It is said: idhamm, idhimamam, mudhamm (on the scale of mif'al) when something turns black or its greenness intensifies.

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ibn Jubayr, Ikrimah, Ata’ bin Abi Rabah, and a group [of scholars] interpreted it here as "intensely green." In fact, al-Tabarani and Ibn Marduyah recorded from Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about the words of the Exalted: {Mudhammatan}, and he replied: 'Intensely green.'"

The intended meaning is that they are deeply green, and when greenness intensifies, it leans towards blackness. This is due to being saturated with water, as has been narrated from Ibn Abbas, Ibn al-Zubayr, and Abu Salih.

It has been said that describing these two gardens with what was mentioned indicates that they are primarily composed of plants and aromatic herbs spread across the surface of the earth, just as the description of the previous two as {dhawatā afnān} (possessing branches) indicates that they are primarily composed of trees. Indeed, trees are described as possessing branches, and plants are described as having intense greenness. Limiting each of them to one of these two descriptions points to what was mentioned. Based on this, it is established that these two gardens are lower in status and rank than the first two. How could it be otherwise, when a garden with abundant shade and fruit is higher and more precious than a garden with less shade and fruit?

As for those who argue for the superiority of these two gardens, they note that the description of intense greenness is specific to plants, and being a plant is more prevalent than the description of trees. You often hear people say when praising a garden, "Its trees are green and lush," which is more expressive than praising it for having fruit, as in "possessing branches." It also implies an abundance of water, careful cultivation, and protection from drying out and decay.