جَنّاتِ عَدنٍ مُفَتَّحَةً لَهُمُ الأَبوابُ

The gardens of Eden, whose gates are flung open for them.

EXEGESIS

ʿAdn (Eden): meaning a place of eternity and permanence.^{‎[1]Tibyan, 8/572; Tabari, 23/111; Nemuneh, 19/315.} Some have said it refers to a specific place in heaven that only the prophets and believers of high rank will enter.^{‎[2]Qurtubi, 15/219. He mentions it being a place in heaven with thousands of doors.}

Mufattaḥah (flung open) is the passive participle of iftitāḥ, meaning to open something. In other words, it is something that is opened. The flung open gates of paradise means that when they come to it they will find its gates open, waiting to let them in, without them needing to stop and wait for the doors to open. In a way, it is a statement of welcoming them, like a man may say to his companion, ‘whenever you wish to come visit me, my door is open’.^{‎[3]Tabrisi, 8/750.} This has been expounded to mean that they will not be barred from any of the blessings and pleasures therein.^{‎[4]Mizan, 17/218.}

EXPOSITION

This verse explains what was meant by the good destination in the previous verse. It begins the description of paradise that will continue in the next few verses. We are told it is something prepared and waiting for the God-wary. This description is in strong juxtaposition to the theme of patience that ran through the previous verses. Whilst the God-wary were expected to be patient in this life, in the hereafter they are not kept in wait anymore, but rather heaven awaits them with open doors, ready to welcome them in without delay.

The fickleness and temporality of this world is also in contrast to the eternal Eden that lies in preparation.

We may also note that gardens is in plural, as is gates. Considering the context of the previous verses that spoke of various prophets who held various degrees of esteem and closeness to God, perhaps this is to signify that there are different levels of heaven that a person may attain, which are entered through different doors.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some have said that the flung open gates means that they do not need keys to open them.^{‎[5]Tabrisi, 8/750.} Others have mentioned that they will say to the doors ‘open’ and they will open, and they will say ‘close’ and they will close.^{‎[6]Tabrisi, 8/750; Tabari, 23/112; Qurtubi, 15/219.} Rāzī says it means that when the angels see the people of heaven they will open the doors for them.^{‎[7]Razi, 26/402.}

[1] Tibyan, 8/572; Tabari, 23/111; Nemuneh, 19/315.
[2] Qurtubi, 15/219. He mentions it being a place in heaven with thousands of doors.
[3] Tabrisi, 8/750.
[4] Mizan, 17/218.
[5] Tabrisi, 8/750.
[6] Tabrisi, 8/750; Tabari, 23/112; Qurtubi, 15/219.
[7] Razi, 26/402.