The Event: (12) In the Gardens of Bliss (Jannāt al-Na'īm)

There are several issues concerning this:

The latter verse refers to one of the Foremost (al-Sābiqūn), who is granted a garden from these gardens. This implies a definite garden (known through its possessor, the Foremost), yet it is indefinite there. What is the difference?

Answer: The difference is both linguistic and semantic.

Linguistically:

1. In the phrase concerning the Foremost (al-Sābiqūn), the definite article (al-) is used, encompassing their entire category, thus making the place definite because the people are definite.
2. In the other instance, it is indefinite because the context is: "If he is one of those brought near (al-Muqarrabūn)" (56:88). This refers to an individual instance, hence the place is indefinite. It is permissible for a person to be definite while their station is indefinite, just as Allah says: "Indeed, the righteous will be in gardens and springs" (51:15) and "Indeed, the righteous will be in gardens and rivers" (54:54). The reverse is also possible.

Semantically:

1. When mentioning the general category of the Righteous (al-Muttaqūn), the plural form "gardens" (jannāt) is used elsewhere (e.g., 51:15).
2. The Foremost (al-Sābiqūn) are a specific type of the Righteous; there are Righteous people who are not Foremost.
3. The stations of the Foremost are the highest, above which there are no other stations. These stations become definite because they are the utmost limit, known to all as being unparalleled.
4. As for the rest of the Righteous, each has a rank, and above it is another rank. They are in gardens commensurate with their stations, and these gardens are not contained in a single expanse due to the variation in their ranks.
5. The gardens of the Foremost are on one level in the highest degree (‘Illiyyīn), known to everyone. As for the individual station of one of the Foremost, it is situated among these highest stations, and not everyone knows specifically which station belongs to which Foremost person, hence it is not specified (indefinite in that sense). However, their collective gardens are known to everyone to belong to the Foremost. The gardens of the general Righteous are not known in this specific manner.

Answer: It is the genitive construction of place to what occurs in that place, similar to "House of Hospitality" (Dār al-Ḍiyāfah), "House of Invitation" (Dār al-Da‘wah), or "House of Justice" (Dār al-‘Adl).

Its benefit: In this world, a garden might be for enjoyment, or it might be for labor and sustenance through selling its fruits. In contrast, the Garden in the Hereafter is exclusively for bliss (na‘īm) and nothing else.

It can be interpreted in two ways:

First Interpretation: It is a secondary predicate (khabar ba‘da khabar). The structure would be: "Those brought near (al-Muqarrabūn) are in gardens," similar to the structure in "{The Owner of the Glorious Throne is the Doer of whatever He wills}" (85:15-16).

• Its benefit: This clarifies the physical enjoyment of their bodies and the honor of their souls. They are brought near to Allah, thus they are in the utmost pleasure, and they are in gardens, meaning their bodies are in the utmost comfort. This contrasts with those brought near to worldly kings; they enjoy proximity but their bodies are often in toil from standing and fulfilling duties. This is why the text specifies "in Gardens of Bliss" and did not stop at just "Gardens."

Second Interpretation: It is a single predicate (khabar wāḥid). The implied structure is: "Those brought near are from the Gardens of Bliss bestowed by Allah," similar to saying, "He is the chosen one near the King in this city."

• Its benefit: This distinguishes them from the Angels. The ones brought near in our current time in the heavens are the Angels. The Foremost brought near will be in the Garden. Therefore, those brought near outside of that context (i.e., in this description) are the Angels.
• A subtle point here: The proximity of the Angels is like that of the King's close attendants who are occupied with duties. They are not in ease, although they are in great delight, and they remain fearful, standing at the door of Allah, receiving commands, and their obligation (taklīf) is never lifted. The Foremost, however, have proximity like the King's companions who have no duties and receive no commands; thus, they enjoy proximity and delight in ease.

Then Allah, the Exalted, said: