this point, consists of admonitions, deterrents, and warnings. All of this is a blessing from Allah Most High, because it restrains people from acts of disobedience. This is why He concludes each verse with His words: “So which of your Lord’s favors will you two deny?”
“Whoever fears standing before his Lord will have two gardens (46). So which of your Lord’s favors will you two deny? (47)”
He then mentioned what He has prepared for those who are mindful of Him and fear Him, saying: “Whoever fears standing before his Lord”: that is, standing before his Lord for judgment, and thus abandons sin and desire. It was also said that it means his Lord’s watchfulness over him, as indicated by His words: “Is He, then, who watches over every soul, knowing what it has earned...?” (al-Ra‘d, 33). Ibrahim and Mujahid said: This is the one who contemplates committing a sin, but then remembers Allah and abandons it out of fear of Allah. (1)
“Two gardens.” Muqatil said: The Garden of Everlasting Residence and the Garden of Bliss. (2) Muhammad ibn Ali al-Tirmidhi said: One garden for his fear of his Lord, and one garden for abandoning his desire. (3)
Al-Dahhak said: This is for one who is mindful of Allah in private and in public: whenever something forbidden presents itself to him, he leaves it out of fear of Allah; and whatever good deed he performs, he devotes it to Allah, not wishing anyone to see it.
Qatadah said: The believers feared that standing, so they worked for Allah and strove night and day. (4)
Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Qurashi informed us; Abu Muslim Ghalib ibn Ali al-Razi informed us; Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Yunus narrated to us; Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Musa ibn Isa al-Hulwani informed us; and Muhammad ibn Ubayd al-Hamdani informed us; Hashim ibn al-Qasim informed us, from Abu Aqil—al-Thaqafi—from Yazid ibn Sinan, who said: I heard [Bukayr] (5) ibn Fayruz say: I heard Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, say: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever fears sets out early in the night, and whoever sets out early in the night reaches the destination. Indeed, Allah’s commodity is precious; indeed, Allah’s commodity is Paradise.” (6)
Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn al-Fadl al-Kharaqi informed us; Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Abd Allah al-Taysafuni informed us,