Rivers of Paradise

[11] By the 11th century (Uta Codex) through a long chain of exegesis Gihon was personified as Matthew (and associated with happiness), Tigris as Mark (swiftness), Euphrates as Luke (fertility), Pishon as John (inspiration).

[13] The four rivers of Paradise were frequently used in Christian art in 4th to 6th centuries AD (and later through medieval times, especially during the Carolingian period[11]) in multiple allegorical meanings.

[15] Genesis Rabbah identifies the rivers as four corners of the world: Pishon as Babylonia, Gihon as Media, Hiddekel as Greece, Euphrates as Rome.

[16] Similarly to Judaism,[17] Islam treats the rivers of Paradise (anhār al-janna) as carrying the honey, milk, water, and wine (cf.

[23] In a hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas Tigris is also included into the rivers of Paradise, Sayhān is identified as Hinds, Jayhān as Balkh.

[23] In the hadith of Mi'raj Muhammad witnesses four rivers of water, milk, wine and honey flowing from the base of the Sidrat al-Muntaha tree.