In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
A man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the two deeds that make entering Paradise or Hell inevitable?
He said: “Whoever dies not associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise, and whoever dies associating anything with Allah will enter Hell.”
Allah Almighty says,
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٤٨[Qur'an, an-Nisa’ 4:48].
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin. (48)
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) explained, in the hadeeth about intercession, the situation of the sinners in Hell, and he explained that no one will be brought out of Hell except those who died believing in Tawheed and uttered the Shahaadah (testimony of faith), and had in their hearts something of faith:
There will be brought out of the Fire anyone who said, Laa ilaaha illa-Allah (there is no god but Allah) and had in his heart goodness equal to the weight of a grain of barley. Then there will be brought out of the Fire anyone who said Laa ilaaha illa-Allah (there is no god but Allah) and had in his heart goodness equal to the weight of a grain of wheat. Then there will be brought out of the Fire anyone who said Laa ilaaha illa-Allah (there is no god but Allah) and had in his heart goodness equal to the weight of a small ant.[Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim]
The believers will be ushered on towards the gates of Paradise. There, they will receive a joyous angelic reception and be congratulated on account of their safe arrival and salvation from Hell.
وَسِيقَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ رَبَّهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْجَنَّةِ زُمَرًا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوهَا وَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَٰبُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ فَٱدْخُلُوهَا خَـٰلِدِينَ ﴿٧٣﴾ وَقَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهُۥ وَأَوْرَثَنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ نَتَبَوَّأُ مِنَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَآءُ ۖ فَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ ٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ ﴿٧٤[Qur'an, Az-Zumar 39:73-74)
But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say, "Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein," [they will enter]. (73) And they will say, "Praise to Allah, who has fulfilled for us His promise and made us inherit the earth [so] we may settle in Paradise wherever we will. And excellent is the reward of [righteous] workers." (74)
يَـٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ﴿٢٧﴾ ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً ﴿٢٨﴾ فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى ﴿٢٩﴾ وَٱدْخُلِى جَنَّتِى ﴿٣٠(Qur'an, Al-Fajr 89:27-30)
(It will be said to the righteous ), "O reassured soul, (27) Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], (28) And enter among My [righteous] servants (29) And enter My Paradise." (30)
The best of the Muslims will enter Paradise first. The most righteous of them will ascend to the highest levels.
وَمَن يَأْتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلدَّرَجَـٰتُ ٱلْعُلَىٰ ﴿٧٥﴾ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ ﴿٧٦[Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:75-76)
But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees [in position]: (75) Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself. (76)
وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ ﴿١١﴾ فِى جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ﴿١٢[Qur'an, Al-Waqi'ah 56:10-12]
And the forerunners, the forerunners - (10) Those are the ones brought near [to Allah] (11) In the Gardens of Pleasure, (12)
The reality of Paradise is something which people will never be able to understand until they actually enter it, but Allah has shown us glimpses of it in the Qur'an.
The Qur'anic description of Paradise gives us a vision of just what a fantastic place it is. An eternal home that will fulfill all our wholesome desires, seduce all our senses, grant us everything we could possibly want and much more besides.
While people in this world experience some delight, they also face much toil and suffering. If one was to scrutinize the life which they live, they will find that the amount of hardship they face is much more than the ease and comfort. As for the life of the Hereafter, there will be neither hardship nor suffering in it, and people will live therein in pure joy and delight. All the causes of sorrow, pain and suffering (money/wealth, sickness, death, social and relationship problems, etc) which people experience in this life will be absent in the Hereafter.
Wealth is something which humans in their very nature desire at any cost, and this desire has been created for a great and wise purpose. When this desire is not satiated, it causes some extent of grief in a person. For this reason, Allah has promised the inhabitants of Paradise that they will have all that they imagined as far as wealth and belongings are concerned, both for those who were extremely poor, experiencing even hunger and thirst, to those well-to-do but who desired even more. Allah Almighty gives us a glimpse of this when He says:
...And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally. (71) [Qur'an, Al-Zukhruf 43:71]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
“They will never fall ill, blow their noses or spit.” [Bukhari]
None will die in Paradise. All shall live eternally enjoying the pleasures therein. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that a caller will call out in Paradise when people enter it:
“Indeed may you be healthy and never be sick again, may you live and never die again, may you be young and never grow feeble again, may you enjoy, and never feel sorrow and regret again.” [Muslim]
The inhabitants of Paradise will never hear any evil or hurting comments or speech in Paradise. They will only hear good words and words of peace. Allah Almighty says:
لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا ﴿٢٥﴾ إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَـٰمًا سَلَـٰمًا ﴿٢٦[Qur'an, Al-Waqi'ah 56:25-26]
They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin - (25) Only a saying: "Peace, peace." (26)
There will be no enmity between people nor ill-feelings:
...وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِى صُدُورِهِم[Quran, Al-A'raf 7:43]
And We will have removed whatever is within their breasts of resentment,...
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
“There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify Allah, morning and evening.” [Bukhari]
People will have the best of companions in the Hereafter, who were also the best people in the world:
وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقًا ﴿٦٩[Qur'an, An-Nisa 4:69]
And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions. (69)
The hearts of the people of Paradise will be pure, their speech will be good, their deeds righteous. There will be no hurtful, upsetting, offensive or provocative talk there, for Paradise is free of all worthless words and deeds. If we were to discuss all the causes for anguish in this life, we would surely find its absence or opposite to be true in Paradise.
The delights of the people of Paradise, such as their clothing, food, drink, jewelry and palaces, will be far superior to their counterparts in this world. There is in fact no room for comparison, as even the smallest space in Paradise is better than this world and all that is in it. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The space of the bow of any one of you in Paradise is better than all that the sun rises upon.”
Paradise is free from all the impurities of this world. Eating and drinking in this life results in the need for excretion and its associated unpleasant odors. If a person drinks wine in this world, he loses his mind. Women in this world menstruate and give birth, which are sources of pain and hurt. Paradise is free from all of these discomforts: its people will not urinate, defecate or spit. The wine of Paradise, as described by its Creator, is:
يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِم بِكَأْسٍ مِّن مَّعِينٍۭ ﴿٤٥﴾ بَيْضَآءَ لَذَّةٍ لِّلشَّـٰرِبِينَ ﴿٤٦﴾ لَا فِيهَا غَوْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ عَنْهَا يُنزَفُونَ ﴿٤٧[Qur'an, As-Saffat 37:46-47]
There will be circulated among them a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring, (45) White and delicious to the drinkers; (46) No bad effect is there in it, nor from it will they be intoxicated. (47)
The water of Paradise does not become brackish, and its milk never changes in flavor:
مَّثَلُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ۖ فِيهَآ أَنْهَـٰرٌۭ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيْرِ ءَاسِنٍ وَأَنْهَـٰرٌۭ مِّن لَّبَنٍ لَّمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُۥ وَأَنْهَـٰرٌۭ مِّنْ خَمْرٍۢ لَّذَّةٍ لِّلشَّـٰرِبِينَ وَأَنْهَـٰرٌۭ مِّنْ عَسَلٍ مُّصَفًّى ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ كَمَنْ هُوَ خَـٰلِدٌ فِى ٱلنَّارِ وَسُقُوا۟ مَآءً حَمِيمًا فَقَطَّعَ أَمْعَآءَهُمْ ﴿١٥(Qur'an, Muhammad 47:15]
Is the description of Paradise, which the righteous are promised, wherein are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey, in which they will have from all [kinds of] fruits and forgiveness from their Lord, like [that of] those who abide eternally in the Fire and are given to drink scalding water that will sever their intestines? (15)
The women of Paradise are pure and free from menstruation, postnatal bleeding and all the other impurities suffered by women in this world, and all are free from stool and feces. Allah Almighty says:
وَلَهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿٢٥ ...[Qur'an, AL-Baqarah 2:25]
... And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. (25)
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) answered a person when they asked how the people of Paradise will relieve themselves:
“They relieve themselves by perspiring through their skins, and its fragrance will be that of musk, and all stomachs will have become lean.” (ibn Hibbaan)
What we have mentioned has been a mere comparison in order to understand the nature of Paradise, but as Allah said, its delights are truly hidden:
فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أُخْفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٧[Qur'an, As-Sajdah 32:17]
And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do. (17)
There is nothing like Paradise:
“It is sparkling light, aromatic plants, a lofty palace, a flowing river, ripe fruit, a beautiful wife and abundant clothing, in an eternal abode of radiant joy, in beautiful soundly-constructed high houses”. (Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan)
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) about the buildings of Paradise and he replied with a wonderful description:
“Bricks of gold and silver, and mortar of fragrant musk, pebbles of pearl and sapphire, and soil of saffron. Whoever enters it is filled with joy and will never feel miserable; he will live there forever and never die; their clothes will never wear out and their youth will never fade.” [Tirmidhi]
Allah Almighty says,
وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيْتَ نَعِيمًا وَمُلْكًا كَبِيرًا ﴿٢٠﴾ عَـٰلِيَهُمْ ثِيَابُ سُندُسٍ خُضْرٌۭ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٌ ۖ وَحُلُّوٓا۟ أَسَاوِرَ مِن فِضَّةٍ وَسَقَىٰهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ شَرَابًا طَهُورًا ﴿٢١[Qur'an, Al-Insan 76:20-21]
And when you look there [in Paradise], you will see pleasure and great dominion. (20) Upon the inhabitants will be green garments of fine silk and brocade. And they will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a purifying drink. (21)
ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ أَنتُمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُكُمْ تُحْبَرُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾ يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِم بِصِحَافٍ مِّن ذَهَبٍ وَأَكْوَابٍ ۖ وَفِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيهِ ٱلْأَنفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ ٱلْأَعْيُنُ ۖ وَأَنتُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿٧١﴾ وَتِلْكَ ٱلْجَنَّةُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٧٢﴾ لَكُمْ فِيهَا فَـٰكِهَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِّنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ ﴿٧٣[Qur'an, Al-Zukhruf 43:70-73]
Enter Paradise, you and your kinds, delighted." (70) Circulated among them will be plates and vessels of gold. And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally. (71) And that is Paradise which you are made to inherit for what you used to do. (72) For you therein is much fruit from which you will eat. (73)
As well as physical delights, Paradise will also give its residents a state of emotional and psychological bliss, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
Whoever enters Paradise is blessed with a life of joy; he will never feel miserable, his clothes will never wear out, and his youth shall never fade away. The people will hear a Divine call: ‘I grant you that you will be healthy and never fall sick, you will live and never die, you will be young and never age, you will be joyful and never feel miserable.’[Muslim]
Each believer will have a most beautiful, pious and pure spouse, wearing exquisite clothing; And there will be so much more in a new world of eternal, radiant joy.
What Allah has kept hidden from us the delights of Paradise is beyond our ability to comprehend. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that Allah said:
“I have prepared for My slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart can imagine.” Recite if you wish:
فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أُخْفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٧
And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do. (17) [Qur'an, As-Sajdah 32:17]
In another report:
“Never mind what Allah has told you; what He has not told you is even greater.” (Muslim)
Ultimately, the thing that will most delight the eyes will be the Countenance of Allah Himself. For the true believer, to see this blessed vision of Allah is to have won the ultimate prize.
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ ﴿٢٣﴾ وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بَاسِرَةٌ ﴿٢٤﴾ تَظُنُّ أَن يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٌ ﴿٢٥[Qur'an, Al-Qiyamah 75:22-23-25]
[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, (22) Looking at their Lord. (23) And [some] faces, that Day, will be contorted, (24) Expecting that there will be done to them [something] backbreaking. (25)
This is the Paradise, the eternal home and final destination of the righteous believer. May Allah make us worthy of it and grant us the highest Paradise without reckoning. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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