Gardens beneth which...

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chris4336

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I have a short question. The English translation of the Quran of the description of Paradise is typically (from what I have heard) "Gardens beneth which rivers flow"

I am just wondering if an Arabic speaker or someone who understands better can clear this up for me. Does it mean the rivers are literally under the gardens? Like if you are standing in a garden and then if you dig a little underground you will have a river? Or does beneth mean just running through the garden?

I know we can never fully imagine what Paradise will look like, but I was always curious about this verse because it is repeated over and over, and it never really made much sense to me (in English).

Thank You
 
Okay I found one in Sura 48 verse 5

That He may cause the believing men and the believing women to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow to abide therein and remove from them their evil; and that is a grand achievement with Allah

But I have heard it in a lot of different verses.
 
:sl:

From what I have read, it literally means that the rivers will be underneath the gardens. How does that work? I don't know, but lets hope we will find out one day! :)
 
:wasalamex


I've heard lot's of people question that, and i've thought about it myself. But i was listening to the hereafter series by Imaam Anwar al-Awlaki and he was saying that we just can't imagine the hereafter, because we can only compare things to this world, so we have vertical, horizontal, diagonal - but in paradise, there could be even more dimensions than that.

I think it was Ibn Abbaas [the cousin of the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) and the teacher of Qur'an] he said that things are only similar by name, so when it's mentioned that tree's will have golden trunks, it won't be like the gold of this world. But it has to be described in a way so we know that it's worth something, so we want to strive for it.


We can't understand the structure of the houses there, we don't know what dimensions they'll be in. So maybe we can't understand this because we can only measure according to the limits of this world?

I even think to myself - why is this description repeated so much? Allaah knows best, but if something is repeated continuously - it represents that thing. So whenever 'beneath which rivers flow' is mentioned, i already know that it's paradise. Even though its not clearly stated. The same way whenever the word 'khaalidoon'' [(they will) abide therein] is mentioned, i all of a sudden remember hellfire. Why? Because this is repeatedly used by Allaah to describe that the punishment of hellfire is for a really long time.



You see how Allaah doesn't really explain paradise or hellfire in too much detail, rather it is used alot of times with a similar description. That way we associate this with paradise due to it being repeatedly continuously. The same way a company doesn't keep changing its logo after every month, rather it keeps the same logo so people recognise it still.

The arab's used to live in the desert and they desired to have gardens, rivers etc. Because clans would fight each other for decades just for a well of water. They wanted fruits, and shade etc. So maybe by making this association of gardens and rivers made them think positively about paradise because they longed for something like that, so it was worth striving for. Allaah Almighty knows best.


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There is much in heaven that we simply don't know may G-D grant it to us all insha'Allah... the word Janna (paradise) comes from the word Jinn and jinoon which literally means that which hidden from sight in Arabic... When things are described to us in terms we can relate to it is b/c G-D wants us to have a general idea what is there but in fact Heaven has that which no eyes have seen nor ears have heard or could be conceived by the human heart or mind. But if a term about paradise was used that we didn't understand then it wouldn't make a difference to us and we couldn't really imagine it. When Al kawthar is mentioned in the quran it is followed by a description that it is a river in heaven.. another one mentioned is Tasneem وَمِزَاجُهُ مِن تَسْنِيمٍ {27}
[Pickthal 83:27] And mixed with water of Tasnim,

عَيْنًا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا الْمُقَرَّبُونَ {28}
[Pickthal 83:28] A spring whence those brought near (to Allah)

So that which is mentioned by name is usually followed by a brief description and it would make sense to us since we have an idea what a spring is.

In my own mind I think of heaven as a place where you can finally smile that you are free, and surrounded by your loved ones... Insha'Allah...

p.s sob7an allah I just read bros fi sabilillah's post and he said what I wanted to say in much better terms. I am sorry I didn't mean to repeat...should have read your post first before jumping to answer!
 
Thank you for the explaination of the rivers beneath the gardens...
I just imagined a well that puts forth water, underground springs, or like the spout of waters Yellowstone Park.
It will be a wonder of the heavens.
 

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