Ar-Rahman: (62) And beneath them are two gardens.

When the reward was mentioned, two other gardens were mentioned immediately after it. This is like His saying, the Exalted: ~~{For those who do good is the best [reward] and even more.} (Yunus: 26)

Regarding His saying, the Exalted: {Beneath them} (dūnahumā), there are two interpretations:

1. Beneath them in honor/rank. This is the view chosen by the author of Al-Kashshāf (Al-Zamakhshari). He argues this based on the descriptions:
   • The first two gardens are described as {possessing branches/boughs} (dhawātā afnān) (Ar-Rahman: 48), whereas these are described as {over-flowing springs} (ʿaynān naḍḍākhātān), compared to the first two which were {two springs flowing} (ʿaynān tajriyān) (Ar-Rahman: 50). Flowing (jary) is superior to bubbling/gushing forth (naḍkh).
   • The first two gardens have {every kind of fruit in pairs} (min kulli fākihah zawjān) (Ar-Rahman: 52), while these have {fruit, palm trees, and pomegranates} (Ar-Rahman: 68).
   • The furnishings of the first two gardens are {cushions whose linings are of fine silk brocade} (furush baṭāʾinuhā min istabraq), where the outer coverings (the ẓahāʾir) are omitted due to their supreme loftiness, which the intellect cannot fully grasp. In contrast, these gardens have {green cushions} (rafruf khuḍr) (Ar-Rahman: 76).

However, one might argue that this view is weak because the gifts of the Hereafter are successive; nothing is given after another unless the assumption is that it is either the same or better.

This can be answered to support Al-Zamakhshari’s view by suggesting that the two gardens "beneath" the first two are for their offspring and followers whom God has joined with them. God made these two gardens for them as a favor, meaning: "These other two gardens are for you; settle therein whomever you wish."

2. Beneath them in physical location. This means they are in two gardens, and from above, they look down upon two other gardens situated below them. This is supported by His saying, the Exalted: {For them are chambers above chambers} (Az-Zumar: 20), and so on. The high chambers have branches/boughs, and the chambers beneath them have verdant ground. Based on this interpretation, there are subtle points (laṭāʾif) in the verses:

• The First Point: For the first two gardens, it says {possessing branches/boughs} (dhawātā afnān), but for these two, it says {deep green} (mudhāmmatān), meaning intensely green. The word idhmām means to become black, but it is not used for everything. When the earth becomes intensely green, it tends toward blackness. It is also possible that uncultivated land is called "whiteness of land," while cultivated land is called "blackness of land," just as one says "the population/heart of the city" (sawād al-balad). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Adhere to the greatest body [of people]... and whoever is the majority of a people, he is one of them." The reality is that the beginning of colors is white, and the end is black. The white accepts every color, but the black accepts none. This is why the disbeliever (kāfir) is metaphorically associated with blackness and not another color. Since uncultivated land is characterized by whiteness and cultivated land by blackness, this indicates that these two gardens are physically below the first two. Thus, when they look up, they see the branches shading them, and when they look down, they see the intensely green earth.

• His saying, the Exalted: {In them are two springs gushing forth} (fīhimā ʿaynān naḍḍākhātān): This means their water is moving upwards. As for the two springs mentioned previously, they flow towards the believers. Thus, the movement of the water in both cases is towards the location of the people of faith. As for the statement of the author of Al-Kashshāf that naḍkh (gushing) is less than jary (flowing), this is not necessary, as it is possible that the flowing is slight and the gushing is strong and abundant. Rather, naḍkh implies movement upwards, while the springs in the believers' location have their water moving towards them, hence they are described as flowing (jary).

[But His saying, the Exalted:

! 7 < {In them are fruit, and palm trees, and pomegranates. * Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?} . > 7

~~<