"Estates with rivers flowing beneath them" -- why "beneath" and not "across"?
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Hi everyone!
In the Qur'an God promises the believers "estates with rivers flowing beneath them." This description of what awaits the believers in Heaven is repeated over and over in chapters such as 225, 2266, 315, 3195, 4122, 512....etc.
My question is specifically concerning the phrase "with rivers flowing beneath them" -- why would the rivers be flowing "beneath" the estates and not "through" or even "across" as they do on Earth?
Is this wording solely due to the poor translation of the Arabic language/grammar which in fact means "rivers flowing through the estates" or "across the estates" or is this what is says in Arabic as well? If so, what's the significance of the position of the "rivers" relative to the "estates" that they are "beneath" them? is God trying to tell us something about Heaven by intentionally using the word "beneath"? I'm assuming that there is some significance since this phrase is repeated over 40 times in the Qur'an.Thank you )
HS
PS-- I understand that any description of Heaven is highly symbolic since we cannot comprehend its contents with our present level of comprehension. Therefore, i'm fully aware that the words "rivers" and "estates" might not necessarily be actual rivers and estates that we see on Earth. Nevertheless, I still find it puzzling that they're flowing beneath the estates and not how they naturally would; through or across, whatever they may be.
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Where rivers flow beneath = '( except the smily should be like this ...) with a happy mouth.
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In Worldly conditions ground is getting water from surface with rain and snow. In normal conditions, lands without rain/rivers are lacking from water and resulting deserted places.
If we imagine a land all year green (say Heaven) without everyday rain climate or grueling watering efforts from surface, what kind of a solution should be accomplished?
It's maybe that determination of "beneath" is due to Heaven's climatic conditions. It seems like there will be natural underground rivers which supplies water for gardens all time those prevents to every day raining climatic conditions. Which means dry but planted ground and wet underground. It's just maybe.
It doesn't mean there will not be rivers on the surface or there will not be rain and snow.
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Salam,
The statement in Arabic indicates that the estates/gardens are on a high ground, thus the rivers flow beneath them.
A garden is on a ground. And the river/stream does not flow underneath it. Stream and river flows having their own bed which is lower than the adjacent land. The adverb used reflects comparitively lower place than the other one but distinct and separate from it. Its translation "beneath" will be the best only when we use it to say that something is beneath the table which reflects it is lying on something else and not on the lower surface of the top of table.
"where streams flow on the lower side by it"
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Wakas and exodus, very good points! I agree with both of you. And Layth, thank you for your explanation.
It's just something that I noticed recently, that particular phrase. It struck me as having some significance simply because it's repeated so many times. And I was just wondering if anyone else caught it and what they thought about it (if anything).
HS
