Origin of Springs of Paradise
The divine knowledge and Marifat (knowledge of spiritual truth) that give life to believers’ heart, appear in the form of rivers in Paradise (Verse 15 of Surah Muhammad).
The question is whether the Quran points out where these rivers originate from.
We read in Surah Hud, when it talks about the creation of heavens and earth, that “His Throne was upon the waters.” (Verse 7).
Obviously, the divine Throne that has a truth in Malakut cannot rest on a material creation. So the origin of the rivers of paradise should be in the divine Throne and this has been pointed out in some Hadiths as well.
We read in Verse 6 of Surah Al-Insan: “A fountain from which the servants of Allah shall drink; they make it to flow a (goodly) flowing forth.”
It can be said that this water is from the divine Throne and special servants of God can make these rivers flow.
Now the question is who these special individuals are? What follows in Surah Al-Insan, gives us some clues, referring to a historical event: “And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the orphan and the captive.” (Verse 8)
Many Quran interpreters from both Islamic schools of thought have narrated that once Imam Hassan (AS) and Imam Hussein (AS) got ill and people told the two boys’ father, Imam Ali (AS) to make a Nazr (vow to do something) after they get well. Imam Ali (AS) and Hazrat Zahra made a Nazr to fast for three days. They did so when the two boys got well and the boys fasted too. On the first day, when the time of Iftar (breaking the fast) came, a poor person knocked on their door and asked for something to eat. The household (family) of the Prophet (PBUH) gave what they had to the poor man. On the second and third days an orphan and a captive came and asked for something and they gave what they had to them and went to bed hungry themselves for three days.
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On the fourth day, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) saw them and got sad. At that time, Jibril (Gabriel) came and revealed this chapter (Surah Al-Insan).
This Hadith has been narrated in Shia and Sunni books by the Sahaba (companions) and Tabi’un (the generation of Muslims who followed the companions).
