2:25  And give glad tidings to those who believe and do good, that for them are Gardens, beneath which flow the rivers! every time they are provided from these with fruit as a provision, they say: “This is what we were provided with in the past”; for, they are given it in resemblance.  And they have in them pure companions, and they therein abide.

2:25 Mere verbal declaration of faith bears no meaning unless the faith is demonstrated through lifelong righteous actions. This principle points out: (a) no form of religious lethargy or superficial religious identity would serve the desired objective, and (b) every person is sole determinant of his or her ultimate destiny. The phrase gardens beneath which flows the river is frequently used (3:15; 13:35; 14:23; 22:14; 25:10; 47:15; etc.) as parable to describes some of the tangible rewards for the believers. Heavenly rewards are often described in context of arid, barren topography of the Arabia and in terms that desert Arabs at the time of revelation could easily relate and understand. When fruits will be provided as provision (rizk) in the heaven, the beneficiaries would recognize the fruits as something that they were promised during their life on the earth as reward for leading a righteous life. Various exegetes described the fruits with speculative details, however, the fruits are only part of the parable; the true nature of the fruits is unknown and they would be given in resemblance of what is currently narrated. The term pure companions is historically interpreted in androcentric context, however azwāj (pl. lit. couple, pair) is indicative of one of the spouse that can be male or female (see 37:48; also 36:56; 44:54; 52:20). The reward mentioned in this verse or elsewhere is for all believers irrespective of whether they are men or women.