al-Qamar

إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَنَهَرٍ

فِي مَقْعَدِ صِدْقٍ عِندَ مَلِيكٍ مُّقْتَدِرٍ

54. Indeed, the God fearing shall be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers.

55. In a place of truth, near the Omnipotent Lord.

The Qur’anic tradition is that it presents righteous good-doers and evil-doers, the good and the bad by comparing them, since differences become more obvious in comparison. Following a reference to the fate of wrong-doing disbelievers, the blessed Verses in question briefly allude to the happy fate of the God fearing saying that the God fearing shall abide amidst Gardens and rivers of Paradise in the expanse of Divine Favors and Bounties. The Arabic nah(a)r denotes abundantly flowing water and at times, it connotes expanse, great favor, and resplendent light. Thus, it may allude to the expanse of divine Favors and Bounties and the light of Paradise and its vastness.

The second blessed Verse in question which is the last Verse of the Chapter further depicts the place of the God fearing: "They abide in a place of truth, near the Omnipotent Lord." The blessed Verse provides an interesting depiction of the place of the God fearing in which two characteristics are being enumerated. Firstly, it is the place of truth. Neither falsehood nor vanity may penetrate it. It is thoroughly true.

All Divine Promises as to Paradise shall be realized there and their veracity shall be made crystal clear. Secondly, it is close to God Almighty. The Arabic word ‘ind ("near, close to") ad hoc connotes spiritual, rather than material, proximity to the Omnipotent Lord. All Favors and Bounties rest in His Sovereignty and Lordship. Thus, He shall not deprive His guests of any Favor. He is the only One Who is All-Aware of what He has prepared for them.

It would be of interest to not that the last twain Verses treat of the Bounties and Rewards of the people of Paradise. Firstly, mention is made of the material Bounties like vast Gardens and Rivers in Paradise and secondly, mention is made of their great spiritual Reward, namely presence at the Threshold of Proximity to the Omnipotent Lord such that man is prepared at different intervals so that his soul soars on high encompassed with vitality and happiness.

Particularly, expressions like Lord, Omnipotent, and place of truth all reflect the permanence and intransience of such spiritual proximity and presence.