And give glad tidings to those who believe and perform righteous deeds that theirs shall be gardens underneath which rivers run The glad tidings of the gardens are included to inform [us] of the blessings that await the general body of believers according to the description which is explained in the tafsīr literature. In addition to these blessings [the verse] alludes to the glad tidings for the elite-immediate blessings that God has granted to them specifically. That which is to come is the gardens of the reward mathwaba while these are the gardens of nearness qurba. Those [for believers] are the meadows of recreation nuzha while these [for the elite] are the meadows of intimacy zulfa. Those are the gardens of favors afḌāl while these are the gardens of communion wiṣāl. Those are the raising of degrees darajāt while these are the refreshment of intimate conversation munājāt. That is the matter of His generosity jūd while this is independence through His existence wujūd. That is the refreshment of mortal beings abshār while this is the promenade of the innermost selves asrār. That is the kindness of giving to the external forms ẓawāhir while this is the unveiling of the covering from the innermost secrets of hearts sarāÌir. That is the kindness of His gifts and favors wa-tilka luṬfu nawālihi wa-afḌalihi while this is the unveiling of His Beauty and Majesty wa-hadhihi kashfu jamālihi wa-jalālihi. whensoever they are provided with fruits therefrom they shall say " This is what we were provided with before " ; they shall be given it in perfect sem- blance; and there for them shall be spouses purified; therein they shall abide. The blessings of the people of the garden will be renewed for them in every moment. They will think that the second [blessings] will be like the first but when they taste it they will find it beyond what came first. Similarly the states of the innermost consciousnesses of the people of realities are forever rising. When one of them has risen from one place he imagines that what he will meet in this [new] breath will be like what came previ- ously. When he tastes it he finds it more than that many times over just as the one who spoke for them said: From your love I kept stopping at a waystation. The bewilderment of the deepest hearts does not stop.
