مَّثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ ...

The description of the Paradise which those who have Taqwa have been promised,

meaning its description and qualities;

... تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ ...

Underneath it rivers flow,

these rivers flow in the various parts and grades of Paradise and wherever its people wish they flow and gush forth for them.

Allah also said,

مَّثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِى وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ فِيهَآ أَنْهَارٌ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيْرِ ءَاسِنٍ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِّن لَّبَنٍ لَّمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُ وَأَنْهَـرٌ مِّنْ خَمْرٍ لَّذَّةٍ لِّلشَّـرِبِينَ وَأَنْهَـرٌ مِّنْ عَسَلٍ مُّصَفًّى وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَتِ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ

The description of Paradise which those who have Taqwa have been promised (is that) in it are rivers of water the taste and smell of which are not changed, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of clarified honey, therein for them is every kind of fruit, and forgiveness. (47:15)

Allah said next,

... أُكُلُهَا دَآئِمٌ وِظِلُّهَا ...

its provision is eternal and so is its shade,

for Paradise has foods, fruits and drinks that never end or finish.

It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Abbas narrated in the Hadith about the Eclipse prayer that the Companions said,

"O Allah's Messenger! While you were standing (in prayer), we saw you reach for something with your hand and then you brought it back.''

The Messenger said,

إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الْجَنَّةَ أَوْ أُرِيتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَتَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا عُنْقُودًا، وَلَوْ أَخَذْتُهُ لَأَكَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ مَا بَقِيَتِ الدُّنْيَا

I saw Paradise - or was shown Paradise - and reached for a cluster (of grapes or other fruit), and had I kept it, you would have eaten from it as long as this life remains.

Imam Muslim recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

يَأْكُلُ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ وَيَشْرَبُونَ، وَلَا يَتَمَخَّطُونَ وَلَا يَتَغَوَّطُونَ، وَلَا يَبُولُونَ، طَعَامُهُمْ جُشَاءٌ كَرِيحِ الْمِسْكِ، وَيُلْهَمُونَ التَّسْبِيحَ وَالتَّقْدِيسَ كَمَا يُلْهَمُونَ النَّفَس

The people of Paradise eat and drink, and they do not need to blow their noses, or answer the call of nature, or urinate, for they pass the food excrements in belches, which smell like musk. They will be inspired to praise and glorify (Allah) as spontaneously as they breathe.

Imams Ahmad and An-Nasa'i recorded that Thumamah bin Uqbah said that he heard Zayd bin Arqam say,

"A man from the People of the Scriptures came and said (to the Prophet), `O Abul-Qasim! You claim that the people of Paradise eat and drink'

The Prophet said,

نَعَمْ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ، إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ مِنْهُمْ لَيُعطَى قُوَّةَ مِائَةِ رَجُلٍ فِي الْأَكْلِ وَالشُّرْبِ وَالْجِمَاعِ وَالشَّهْوَة

Yes. By He in Whose Hand is Muhammad's life, a man among them will be given the strength of a hundred men in eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and appetite.

That man asked, `He who eats and drinks needs to relieve the call of nature, but Paradise is pure (from feces and urine).'

The Prophet said,

تَكُونُ حَاجَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ رَشْحًا يَفِيضُ مِنْ جُلُودِهِمْ كَرِيحِ الْمِسْكِ فَيَضْمُرُ بَطْنُه

One of them (residents of Paradise) relieves the call of nature through a sweat that emanates from the skin, with the scent of musk, and the stomach becomes empty again.

Imam Ahmad and An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith.

Allah said in other Ayat,

وَفَـكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ

لاَّ مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلاَ مَمْنُوعَةٍ

And fruit in plenty, whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach. (56:32-33)

and,

وَدَانِيَةً عَلَيْهِمْ ظِلَـلُهَا وَذُلِّلَتْ قُطُوفُهَا تَذْلِيلاً

And the shade thereof is close upon them, and the bunches of fruit thereof will hang low within their reach. (76:14)

The shade of Paradise is everlasting and never shrinks, just as Allah said,

وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَداً لَّهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَنُدْخِلُهُمْ ظِـلاًّ ظَلِيلاً

But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. Therein they shall have pure mates, and We shall admit them to shades wide and ever deepening. (4:57)

Allah often mentions the description of Paradise and the description of the Fire together, to make Paradise appealing and warn against the Fire. This is why, after Allah mentioned the description of Paradise here,

He next said,

... تِلْكَ عُقْبَى الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ وَّعُقْبَى الْكَافِرِينَ النَّارُ ﴿٣٥﴾

this is the end (final destination) of those who have Taqwa, and the end (final destination) of the disbelievers is Fire.

Allah said in another Ayah,

لاَ يَسْتَوِى أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ وَأَصْحَـبُ الْجَنَّةِ أَصْحَـبُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمُ الْفَآئِزُونَ

Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise. It is the dwellers of Paradise that will be successful. (59:20)