“Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds—We certainly do not allow the reward of anyone who does good to be lost. They will have Gardens of perpetual residence, beneath which rivers flow. There they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and will wear green garments of fine silk and brocade, reclining therein upon couches. Excellent is the reward, and good is the resting place. Set forth for them the parable of two men: for one of them We made two gardens of grapevines, which We surrounded with date palms, and between them We placed crops.” (30–32)

Regarding His saying, exalted is He, “Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds—We certainly do not allow the reward of anyone who does good to be lost”: If it is asked, “Where is the predicate of His saying, ‘Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds’?”

The answer is: Its predicate is His saying, “They will have Gardens of perpetual residence, beneath which rivers flow.” As for His saying, “We certainly do not allow,” it is a parenthetical statement. (1)

It was also said that there is an implied meaning: Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds, We do not allow their reward to be lost; rather, We recompense them. He then mentioned the recompense, saying: (2) “They will have Gardens of perpetual residence”—that is, gardens of abiding. One says, “So-and-so took up residence in a place,” when he remained there. They are called Adn because the believers will abide therein forever. “Beneath which rivers flow. There they will be adorned with bracelets of gold.” Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: Each one of them will be adorned with three bracelets: one of gold, one of silver, and one of pearls and rubies. “And they will wear green garments of fine silk,” meaning the delicate kind of brocade, “and brocade,” meaning its heavier kind. The heaviness of the garments of Paradise refers to their fine workmanship. Abu ‘Imran al-Jawni said: Fine silk is brocade woven with gold. “Reclining therein,” in the gardens, “upon couches,” which are beds within curtained pavilions; the singular is a couch. “Excellent is the reward,” that is, excellent is the recompense, “and good are the gardens as a resting place,” that is, as a place of sitting and permanent abode.

“Set forth for them the parable of two men”—the verse. It was said that it was revealed concerning two brothers from the Makhzum clan among the people of Mecca. One of them was a believer: Abu Salama, Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Asad ibn Abd Yalil (3)—and he was the husband of Umm Salama before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.