(15–19) “Indeed, those mindful of Allah will be amid Gardens and springs, * taking what their Lord has given them. Before that, they were doers of good. * They used to sleep but little of the night, * and before dawn they would seek forgiveness, * and in their wealth was a due share for the beggar and the deprived.”
Allah Most High mentions the reward of those mindful of Him and the deeds that brought them (1) to ⦗809⦘ that recompense: “Indeed, those mindful of Allah”—those for whom mindfulness of Allah was their hallmark and obedience to Him their mantle—“will be amid Gardens” containing every [kind] of tree and fruit, some with counterparts in this world and others without: things the like of which no eyes have ever beheld, no ears have ever heard, and which have never entered the hearts of His servants (2); “and springs” flowing freely, from which those gardens drink and from which Allah’s servants drink, making them gush forth abundantly.
“Taking what their Lord has given them” may mean that their Master has granted the people of Paradise everything they desire from every kind of bliss. They receive it contentedly; their eyes are delighted and their souls rejoice. They neither seek any substitute for it nor desire to move elsewhere. Each of them has attained such bliss that he seeks no increase beyond it.
It may also describe those mindful of Allah in this world: they accept what Allah has given them in the form of commands and prohibitions. That is, they welcome them gladly and open-heartedly, submitting to what Allah has commanded by complying with it in the most complete manner, and to what He has prohibited by refraining from it for Allah’s sake in the most complete manner. The commands and prohibitions Allah has given them are the finest gifts and deserve to be received with gratitude [to Allah] and submission.
The first interpretation accords more closely with the context, for He then mentions their character and deeds in this world by saying: “Before that”—before the time when they attained bliss—“they were doers of good.” This encompasses their excellence in worshipping their Lord: they worship Him as though they see Him, and although they do not see Him, He sees them. It also encompasses their kindness toward Allah’s servants by extending benefit and benevolence through wealth, knowledge, influence, sincere counsel, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, or any other form of benevolence (3) and avenue of goodness.
This even includes kind words and gentle speech, as well as kindness toward enslaved persons and toward animals, whether owned or not (4). Among the finest forms of excellence in worshipping the Creator is prayer at night, which indicates sincerity and harmony between heart and tongue. Thus He says: “They”—the doers of good—“used to sleep but little of the night.” That is, their sleep at night was brief; for most of the night they remained devout before their Lord, engaged in prayer, recitation, remembrance, supplication, and humble entreaty.
“And before dawn”—shortly before daybreak—“they would seek forgiveness” from Allah Most High. They prolonged their prayer until the pre-dawn hours, then sat at the conclusion of their night vigil seeking Allah Most High’s forgiveness as a sinner seeks forgiveness for his sin. Seeking forgiveness before dawn possesses a merit and distinction not found at other times, as Allah Most High says in His description of the people of faith and obedience: “and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.”
“And in their wealth was a due share”—both obligatory and recommended—“for the beggar and the deprived”; that is, for the needy who ask people and those who do not ask them (5).