Regarding His words, “Allah would never wrong them,” although He inflicted upon them the punishment that He did. “Rather, they wronged themselves” by daring to disobey Him, defying their messengers, and following the command of every obstinate tyrant.
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(71–72) “The believing men and women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, establish prayer, give zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those are the ones upon whom Allah will have mercy. Indeed, Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. * Allah has promised the believing men and women gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever, and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of everlasting residence. But Allah’s pleasure is greater. That is the supreme triumph.”
Having mentioned that the hypocrites are allies of one another (1), He then mentioned that the believers are allies of one another and described them in terms opposite to those in which He described the hypocrites. He said: “The believing men and women”—that is, their males and females—“are allies of one another” in mutual love and allegiance, shared identity, and support.
“They enjoin what is right”—a comprehensive term for everything recognized as good, including sound beliefs, righteous deeds, and noble character. They themselves are the first to be included in what they enjoin. “And they forbid what is wrong”—everything that opposes and contradicts what is right, including false beliefs, evil deeds, and vile character.
“And they obey Allah and His Messenger”—that is, they continually adhere to obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
“Those are the ones upon whom Allah will have mercy”—that is, He will admit them into His mercy and encompass them with His kindness.
“Indeed, Allah is Almighty, All-Wise”—that is, He is powerful and irresistible; yet despite His might, He is wise. He places everything in its proper place and is praised for all that He creates and commands.
He then mentioned the reward Allah has prepared for them, saying: “Allah has promised the believing men and women gardens beneath which rivers flow,” comprising every bliss and joy and free of every harm and sorrow. Abundant rivers flow beneath their palaces, homes, and trees, watering beautiful gardens whose goodness and blessings are known to Allah Most High alone.
“Abiding therein forever,” never wishing to leave, “and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of everlasting residence.” They have been adorned, beautified, and prepared for Allah’s pious servants. They are pleasing to behold and delightful as residences and resting places. They contain every amenity of lofty dwellings, beyond anything anyone could wish for. Indeed, Allah Most High has prepared for them chambers of the utmost purity and beauty, whose exteriors can be seen from within and whose interiors can be seen from without.
These are the beautiful dwellings in which souls may rightly find repose, toward which hearts incline, and for which spirits yearn, for they are in Gardens of everlasting residence—that is, a permanent abode from which they will neither depart nor move away.
“And the pleasure of Allah” that He bestows upon the people of Paradise “is greater” than the bliss they enjoy. Their bliss is made truly delightful only by seeing their Lord and by His being pleased with them. Moreover, this is the goal toward which the worshippers directed themselves and the ultimate end toward which those who love Him strove. The pleasure of the Lord of the earth and the heavens is therefore greater than the bliss of the gardens.
“That is the supreme triumph,” for they attained everything desired, every feared thing was removed from them, and all their affairs became good and delightful. We ask Allah, out of His generosity, to place us among them.