Quran Garden

Session 294

Chapter 2 Al-Baqarah

English Quran Tafsir Verse 266

Would any of you like to have a garden of palm trees and vines, graced with streams flowing from underneath and all kinds of produce, which, when you are afflicted with old age and feeble offspring, is struck by a fiery whirlwind and burnt down? In this way God makes His messages clear to you, so that you may ponder. (Chapter 2: Verse 266)

In the previous verses, Allah gave us examples of those who give money to charity out of faith and sincerity, and of those who give to brag and feel superior to others.  In the verse under study, Allah gives you yet another example.  However, in this instance, He makes you part of the story, so you can live the emotions of giving first and then wasting your gift. 

Have you dreamt about owning a great piece of land? Would you like your land to have palm trees and grape vines? Do you want your large property to have its own rivers and wells? What type of fruit and crop would you grow? Close your eyes for a moment and picture the perfect land and how you and your family would enjoy it. 

Let’s look at how Allah described this land.  He started with: ‘Would any of you like to have a garden of palm trees and vines.’  Allah mentioned palm trees and grape vines in particular because they are cherished by growers and farmers.  He says:

Tell them the example of two men: to one of them We gave two gardens of grape vines, surrounded them with date palms, and put fields in between; both gardens yielded fruit and did not fail in any way; We made a stream ?ow through them, and so he had abundant fruit. One day, while talking to his friend, he said, ‘I have more wealth and a larger following than you.’ He went into his garden and wronged himself by saying, ‘I do not think this will ever perish, or that the Last Hour will ever come- even if I were to be taken back to my Lord, I would certainly find something even better there.’  (18:32-36)

The gardens mentioned in the verses above had many types of plants, but Allah specified two in particular: date palms, and grapevines. 

Allah continues the description: “with streams flowing from underneath.”  This phrase is usually mentioned in the Quran in a couple of variations with subtle differences.  Let’s examine the differences.  God says describing paradise:

God has prepared for them Gardens graced with rivers flowing from underneath, and there they will stay. That is the supreme triumph. (09:89)

And in another verse, He says:

The forerunners – the first of the immigrants and those who supported them – and those who have followed them in doing good: Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. He has prepared Gardens for them with rivers flowing underneath them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. That is the great victory. (09:100)

Take note that in the first verse, Allah says: ‘with rivers flowing from underneath,’ while in the second He says:  ‘rivers flowing underneath them,’ omitting the preposition ‘from.’  What is the difference, you may ask? We answer that when the preposition ‘from’ is used, it suggests that the source of the spring or river is located on the property, making it fully self-sufficient.  It is more enjoyable to see springs gushing from the ground. 

When the phrase ‘with rivers flowing underneath them’ is mentioned without the preposition ‘from,’ it means that the springs of these rivers are located somewhere else, not on the property.  However, do not think that the flow of the rivers would ever be interrupted in paradise.  Allah is just describing different levels of pleasure and enjoyment. 

This brings us back to the verse, God says:

Would any of you like to have a garden of palm trees and vines, graced with streams flowing from underneath and all kinds of produce, which, when you are afflicted with old age and feeble offspring, is struck by a fiery whirlwind and burnt down? In this way God makes His messages clear to you, so that you may ponder. (Chapter 2: Verse 266)

Remember that perfect piece of land you dreamed about?  You worked very hard all your life for this property.  You secured water for irrigation, grew crops for food, and fruits for enjoyment.  But you are getting older and weaker by the day.  Now, you rely on the yield of this garden more than ever before; not only for yourself but also for your weak children.  This represents the height of dependence on this piece of land.  It is your family’s security blanket: Two vulnerable generations are living off of it.

How would you feel, in your weak old age, if a storm hits the land that is supporting your helpless children? How would you feel if your crops were burned to the ground from thunder strikes?  Would you feel extreme sadness? Anger? Desperation?  This is exactly how you would feel if you gave money to charity and then wasted the immense rewards by bragging, hurtful words and harm.  High hopes come crashing down on bad intentions. 

Thus, every time you spend to help others, you should pause and think about your true motivation.   Imagine that perfect piece of land, and do not do anything to destroy it.