* Description of the People of Paradise and the Delights They Enjoy Therein :~ The people of Paradise will enter in the most perfect and beautiful form, in the image of their father, Adam, peace be upon him, for there is no human form more perfect and beautiful than that of Adam, whom Allah, the Exalted, created very tall. He was as tall as a great palm tree, sixty cubits tall. Muslim reports from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Allah created Adam in his own image, sixty cubits tall... everyone who enters Paradise will be in the image of Adam, sixty cubits tall. People kept getting shorter and shorter after the time of Adam."
~ Their external appearance will be in harmony, and their hearts will be as one. Their hearts and souls will be clean and pure. Muslim reports from Abu Hurayrah a hadith in which the Prophet, peace be upon him, describes people entering Paradise including a group whose light will be like the full moon. He (pbuh) said, "Their form will be that of a single person, after the image of their father Adam, sixty cubits tall."
~ Another aspect of their beauty is that they will have no body hair, and will look as if their eyes are anointed with kohl. Each of them will enter Paradise aged thirty-three, the age of strength, vitality and youth. Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi report from Mu'aadh Ibn Jabal that the Messenger of Allah , peace be upon him, said: "The people of Paradise will enter Paradise hairless, looking as if their eyes are ringed with kohl, aged thirty three."
~ As reported in the hadith narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim, from Abu Hurayrah, the people of Paradise "will not spit, blow their noses or excrete".
~ The people of Paradise will not sleep. Jaabir Ibn Abdullah and Abdullaah Ibn Abi Awfaa reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "Sleep is the brother of death; the people of Paradise will not sleep"
* The Superiority of Paradise Over the Pleasures of This World :
~ The pleasures of this world are tangible and present, whilst the delights of Paradise are as-yet unseen promises. People are readily influenced by what they can see and know instantly; it is hard enough for them to forget something that is in front of them for the sake of something else that is in the future, so how much harder it is if the promise will not be attained until after death! So Allah, the Exatled, drew a comparison between the pleasures of this world and the joys of Paradise, and explained that the delights of Paradise are far superior to this world's pleasures. The Qur'an speaks at length denouncing this world of instant, fleeting pleasures and stating that the rewards with Allah as far better, to encourage man to strive hard for success in the next world:
"And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given them for enjoyment to various groups of them [mushrikeen and kuffaar] the splendour of this life that We may test them thereby. But the provision [good reward in the Hereafter] of your Rabb (Lord) is better and more lasting" (Qur’an, 20:131)
And "Beautified for men is the love of things they covet: women, children, much of gold and silver [wealth], branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world's life but Allah has the excellent return with Him. Say: "Shall I inform you of things far better than those? For al-Muttaqoon there are Gardens with their Rabb (Lord), under which rivers flow. Therein [is their] eternal [home] and Azwaajun mutahharatun [purified mates or wives], and Allah will be pleased with them. And Allah is All-Seer of [His] Slaves" (Qur’an, 3:14-15)
~ There are many reasons why the delights of Paradise are superior to the pleasures of this dunyaa (world); Amongst them:
(i) The Pleasures of this Dunyaa are Fleeting:
"Say: Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is [far] better for him who fears Allah.." (Qur’an, 4:77)
The Prophet, peace be upon him, illustrated the inferiority of this dunyaa by comparing it to what Allah, the Exalted, has prepared in Paradise, "By Allah, this world in comparison with the Hereafter is nothing more than as if one of you put his finger" - and he gestured with his forefinger - "in the sea; let him see how much water he would retrieve". A finger dipped in the ocean would not even pick up one drop; this is how little this world is worth when compared with the Aakhirah (afterlife).
Because these pleasures are so insignificant, Allah has rebuked those who prefer the pleasures of this world to the joys of the Aakhirah:
"O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to go forth in the Cause of Allah [Jihaad] you cling heavily to this earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter" (Qur’an, 9:38)
(ii) The Hereafter is also better from the perspective of quality:
The clothing, food, drink, jewellery and palaces of the people of Paradise 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. Al-Bukhaari and Muslim report from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "The space of a whip in Paradise is better than this world and everything in it".
Also narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "The space of the bow of any one of you in Paradise is better than all that the sun rises upon"
The comparison between the women of Paradise and the women of this earth serves to demonstrate the superiority of that which is in Paradise. Al-Bukhaari reports from Anas that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"If a woman from the people of Paradise were to look at this earth, she would light up everything between it and fill it with her fragrance; the veil on her head is better than this world and all that is in it"
(iii) Paradise is free from all the impurities and disappointments of this world:
Eating and drinking in this life results in the need for excretion and its associated unpleasant odours. 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, spit or suffer from catarrh. The wine of Paradise, as described by its Creator, is:
"Crystal-white, delicious to those who drink [thereof], free from intoxication, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom" (Qur’an, 37:46-47)
The water of Paradise does not become brackish, and its milk never changes in flavour:
"..rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes.." (Qur’an, 47:15)
The women of Paradise are pure and free from menstruation, nifaas [postnatal bleeding] and all the other impurities suffered by women in this world, as Allah, the Exalted, says:
"...and they shall have therein Azwaajun Muttaharatun [Purified mates having no menses, urine, stools, etc]" (Qur’an, 2:25)
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:
"...free from any laghw [dirty, false, evil, vague talk], and free from sin" (Qur’an, 52:23)
The only speech that is heard there is good, sincere and pure, free from all the shameful shortcomings of earthly speech:
"No Laghw [dirty, false, evil talk] will they hear therein, nor lying" (Qur’an, 78:35)
"They shall not hear therein any Laghw, but only salaam [salutations of peace]" (Qur’an, 19:62)
"Where they shall hear neither harmful speech nor falsehood" (Qur’an, 88:11)
Paradise is the abode of purity and peace, "No laghw will they hear therein, nor any sinful speech [like backbiting, etc], But only the saying of Salaam! Salaam! [greetings with peace]" (Qur’an, 56:25)
For this reason, when the people of Paradise have been saved from the Fire, they will be detained of a bridge between Paradise and Hell, where they will be purified by settling any wrongs that may be outstanding, so that they may enter Paradise, pure of heart and soul, free from any resentment, envy or other negative emotions of this world. Al-Bukhaari and Muslim report that when the people of Paradise enter Paradise, "There will be no hatred of resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify Allah, morning and evening"
Allah, the Exalted, indeed spoke the truth when He said:
"And We shall remove from their breasts any lurking sense of injury: [they will be] brothers [joyfully] facing each other on thrones [of dignity]" (Qur’an, 15:47)
A "sense of injury" is hatred. It was reported from Ibn Abbaas and Ali ibn Abi Taalib, that when the people of paradise enter Paradise they will drink from one spring, and Allah will remove all sense of injury or hatred from their hearts, then they will drink from another spring, and their faces will become pure and bright. This is probably what is meant by the aayah (verse), "And their Rabb will give them a pure drink" (Qu’ran, 76:21)
~ (iv) The Pleasures of This World are Transient Whilst the Joys of the Hereafter are Lasting and Eternal:
This is why Allah, the Exalted, calls the pleasures of this world "temporary conveniences" because they are enjoyed for a short while, then come to an end, but the joys of Al-Aakhirah (afterlife) have no end:
"What is with you, must vanish, and what is with Allah will endure.." (Qur’an, 16:96)
"[It will be said to them]: This is Our Provision, which will never finish" (Qur’an, 38:54)
"...its provision is eternal and so is its shade.." (Qur’an, 13:35)
Allah (swt) gave an example of how quickly this world will pass away:
"And put forward for them the example of the life of this world, it is like the water [rain] which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But [later] it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is Able to do everything. Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds that last are better with your Rabb for rewards and better in respect of hope" (Qur’an, 18:45-46)
Allah (swt) likened this life to the rain that falls from the sky and causes plants to grow and flower and bear fruit. This lasts for only a short time, before they shrivel and are blown away by the wind. Such are the luxuries of this life, such as youth, wealth, sons, lands and fields. All of this passes away; youth fades, health and vitality are replaced by sickness and old age, wealth and children may disappear, a man may be taken from his family and wealth, but the Hereafter will never vanish or go away:
"...And excellent indeed will be the home of the Muttaqoon, 'Adn Paradise which they will enter, under which rivers flow.." (Qur’an, 16:30-31)
~ (v) Seeking to Enjoy the Pleasures of this World and Neglecting the Hereafter Will be Followed By Regret and Sorrow When One Enters the Fire of Hell:
"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection will you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception [a deceiving thing]" (Qur’an, 3:185)
* The Food and Drink of the People of Paradise :
~ We have already discussed [see “the Description of Paradise’” post] the trees and fruits of Paradise, including the ripe fruits, which hang within easy reach, so that the people of Paradise may pick whichever fruits they desire. The people will also have whatever food and drink they desire:
"Any fruit [any] that they may choose, And the flesh of fowls that they desire" (Qur’an, 56:20-21)
"...there will be there all that the souls could desire, all that the eyes could delight in.." (Qur’an, 43:71)
~ Allah, the Exalted, will permit them to take whatever they want of the good food and drink of Paradise:
"Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!" (Qur’an, 69:24)
~ We have also mentioned that in Paradise there will be a sea of water, a sea of wine, a sea of milk and a sea of honey, and the rivers of Paradise will flow out of these seas. There will be also many springs in Paradise, and its people will drink from these seas, rivers and springs.
~ (i) The Wine of the People of Paradise:
One of the drinks that Allah, the Exalted, will bestow on the people of Paradise will be wine. The wine of Paradise is free of all the troubles and problems that characterise the wine of this world, which makes people lose their minds, and causes headaches, stomach aches and other physical disorders, or which may have something wrong in the way it is made, or its colour, etc. But the wine of Paradise is free from all such faults; it is pure and beautiful:
"Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine; white, delicious to the drinkers. Neither will they have ghoul [any kind of hurt, abdominal pain, headache, etc] from that, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom" (Qur’an, 37:45-47)
Allah, the Exalted, described the beauty of its white colour, then explained that its drinker enjoy it very much, without is affecting their minds:
"..rivers of wine delicious to those who drink.." (Qur’an, 47:15)
And they will never be adversely affected by drinking it:
"..nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom" (Qur’an, 37:47)
Elsewhere in the Qur'an, Allah, the Exalted, describes the wine of Paradise:
"They will be served by immortal boys, With cups and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine, Wherefrom they will get neither any aching of the head, nor any intoxication" [56:17-19]
Commenting on this passage, Ibn Katheer said, "it does not cause their heads to ache or their minds to be fogged; it is pure, although it still contains the ingredients that make it a delight to the drinker. Ad-Dahhaak narrated that Ibn Abbaas said, "Wine produces four things: drunkenness, headache, vomit and urine. Allah, the Exalted, has mentioned the wine of Paradise, and He has purified it of all these things."
In another part of the Qur'an, Allah (swt) says:
"They will be given to drink pure sealed wine, the last thereof will be the smell of musk.." (Qur’an, 83:25-26)
This wine is sealed or covered, and at the end of it, the drinker will find the scent of musk.
~ (ii) The first food of the people of Paradise:
The first food which Allah, the Exalted, will present to the people of Paradise will be the caudate [extra] lobe of fish-liver. Al-Bukhaari and Muslim report from Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"On the Day of Resurrection, the earth will be like one loaf of bread, which Allah will turn around in His hands, just as any of you prepares bread whilst he is travelling, to offer it as food to the people of Paradise." A Jewish man came and said, "May the Most Merciful bless you, O Abul-Qaasim. [i.e the Prophet (pbuh)] Shall I not tell you what food [nuzul] will be offered to the people of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Of course." The Jew said that the earth would be a single loaf of bread, just as the Prophet (pbuh) has said. The Prophet (pbuh) looked at us and smiled so broadly that his back teeth were visible, then he said, "Shall I not tell you of their food? Balam and noon [a large fish]". They asked, "What is that?" He said, "A bull and noon seventy thousand people will eat from the caudate [extra] lobes of their livers"
An-Nawawi's comments on this hadith may be summarised as follows: "Nuzul is the food prepared for a guest upon his arrival. Turning the bread around in one's hands means kneading it and tossing it from hand to hand, until it is flat and round like a disk. The meaning of the hadith is that Allah will make the earth like a huge loaf of bread to feed the people of Paradise. Noon is a whale or large fish; balam is a Hebrew word that means "bull"; the caudate [extra] lobe of a fish liver is the best part of it."
Muslim reports from Thawban that a Jew asked that the Prophet, peace be upon him, "What will they be presented with when they enter Paradise?" He said, "The caudate [extra] lobe of fish liver." The Jew asked, "What will they eat after that?" The Prophet (pbuh) said, "The bull, which is grazing now in Paradise, will be slaughtered for them." The Jew asked, "What will they drink after that?" He said, "From a spring called Salsaabeel." The Jew said, "You have spoken the truth."
~ (iii) The food and drink of the people of Paradise does not produce any impure excrement:
It might cross one's mind that the food and drink of Paradise might produce the same as the food and drink of this world, namely excrement, urine, mucus, saliva, and so on. But this is not the case. Paradise is a place that is free from all impurities, and its people are free of all the blemishes of people of this world. A hadith reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, clearly rejects such a nation: the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The first group to enter Paradise will be as beautiful as the full moon; they will not spit or blow their noses."
This does not only apply to the first group to enter Paradise, all those who enter will be similarly pure. Muslim reports from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "The first group of my ummah (nation) to enter Paradise will be as beautiful as the full moon and those that come after them will be like the brightest shining star, and those that follow them will be ranked according to their status. They will not defecate, urinate or blow their noses or spit."
It might be asked where will the waste produces go? This question was posed to the Prophet (pbuh) by his Sahabah (companions) and he replied, "[It will come out as] burps which are like musk.". Other parts the excretions will be turned into sweat like musk that will come out of their bodies.
~ (iv) Why Will the People of Paradise Eat and Drink and Comb their Hair?:
If the people of Paradise are to abide there forever, and it is free form all discomfort, pain and sickness, if there is no hunger or thirst there, and no impurities or dirt, then why will the people of Paradise eat and drink, and wear perfume and comb their hair?
Al-Qurtubee answered this question in At-Tadhkirah: "The luxuries and clothing of the people of Paradise will not be for the purpose of warding off potential pains; they will not eat because of hunger or drink because of thirst, or wear perfume because of some offensive odour, because Paradise is a never-ending succession of delight and joy. Do you not remember the words of Allah, the Exalted, to Aadam, peace be upon him?
"Verily you have [a promise from Us] that you will never be hungry therein nor naked. And you [will] suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun's heat." (Qur’an, 20:118-119)
The wisdom behind it [food and drink, etc] is so that Allah (swt) will introduce Paradise to them in ways similar to the good things that they enjoyed on earth, but He will increase it in ways known only to Him."
* The Vessels and Cups of the People of Paradise :
~ The vessels from which the people of Paradise will eat and drink will be of gold and silver. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"Trays of gold and cups will be passed round them.." (Qur’an, 43:71) i.e. cups of gold.
And Allah (swt) says, "And amongst them, will be passed round vessels of silver and cups of crystal, crystal-clear, made of silver. They will determine the measure thereof according to their wishes." (Qur’an, 76:15) i.e it will combine the purity of crystal with the whiteness of silver.
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim reported from Abu Musaa al-Ash'ari, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "The believer in paradise will have a tent made of a hollowed out pearl.. and two gardens of silver, their vessels and everything in them, and two gardens of gold, their vessels and everything in them."
~ Among the vessels from which they will drink will be cups and jugs and glasses:
"They will be served by immortal boys, with cups, and jugs and a glass from the flowing wine." (Qur’an, 56:17-18)
The "cup" [koob] is something that has no handle or spout, the "jug" [ibreeq] has a handle and a spout and the "glass" [kaa's] is a cup that is filled with drink.
* The Clothing, Jewellery and Incense-Burners Of the People of Paradise :
~ The people of Paradise will wear the most luxurious clothes, amongst other things, garments of silk and bracelets of gold, silver and pearls. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"And their recompense will be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient." (Qur’an, 76:12)
"...wherein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments will be of silk." (Qur’an, 22:23)
"'Adn Paradise they will enter, therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments there will be of silk." (Qur’an, 35:33)
"...They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Rabb will give them a pure drink." (Qur’an, 76:21)
~ Their clothes will be colourful, including garments of green silk and brocade:
"..They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good the recompense! How beautiful a couch to recline on." (Qur’an, 18:31)
"Their garments will be of fine green silk, and gold embroidery. They will be adorned with bracelets of silver.." (Qur’an, 76:21)
~ Their clothing will be far superior to any man-made garment. Al-Barraa Ibn Aadhib (ra) said, "A silken garment was brought to the Messenger, peace be upon him, and we began to admire its beauty and softness." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "The handkerchiefs of Sa'd Ibn Mu'aadh are better than this [i.e. in Paradise]"
~ The Prophet (pbuh) also told us that the people of Paradise will have combs of gold and silver, and that they will perfume themselves with 'Ud at-Teeb, even though the scent of musk will be emanating from their pure bodies. Al-Bukhaari narrates from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said of those who will enter Paradise:
"Their vessels will be of gold and silver, their combs will be of gold and the coals of their incense-burners will be of aloe-wood [Abul-Yaman said, "of 'Ud at-Teeb] and their sweat will be musk."
~ Their jewellery will include crowns. At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah report from Al-Miqdaam Ibn Ma'd Yak rib that among the honours bestowed upon the martyr will be: "..there will be placed upon his head a crown of dignity, one ruby of which is better than this world and all that is in it."
~ The clothing and jewellery of the people of Paradise will never wear out or fade. Muslim reports from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever enters Paradise is blessed, and will never be miserable, his clothes will never wear out and his youth will never fade away."
* The Couches of the People of Paradise :
~ The palaces of Paradise have been prepared, and in their gardens are places to sit and recline, beautiful couches of delightful colours and high beds whose interiors are lined with silk brocade, let alone how magnificent their outward appearance must be. There are cushions and splendid carpets laid out in the most delightful fashion. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"Therein will be thrones raised high, And cups set at hand, and cushions set in rows, and rich carpets [all spread out]" (Qur’an, 88:13-16)
"They will recline [with ease] on thrones arranged in ranks. And We shall marry them to Houris [female fair ones] with wide lovely eyes." (Qur’an, 52:20)
"A multitude of those [foremost] will be from the first generations [who embraced Islaam] and a few of those [foremost] will be from the later time [generations]. [They will be] on thrones woven with gold and precious stones,reclining thereon, face to face." (Qur’an, 56:13-16)
This reclining on those thrones and couches will be one of the luxuries that the people of Paradise will enjoy when they gather together, as Allah, the Exalted, says:
"And we shall remove from their breasts any lurking sense of injury; [they will be like] brothers [joyfully] facing each other on thrones [of dignity]." Qur’an, 15:47)
"Reclining on green cushions and rich beautiful mattresses" (Qur’an, 55:76)
"Reclining upon the couches lined with silk brocade" (Qur’an, 55:54)
* The Servants of the People of Paradise :
~ The People of Paradise will be served by boys whom Allah, the Exalted, will create to serve them and who will be most beautiful and perfect in form:
"They will be served by immortal boys, With cups, and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine." (Qur’an, 56:17-18)
"And round about them will [serve] boys of everlasting youth. If you see them, you would think them scattered pearls." (Qur’an, 76:19)
Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Boys of eternal youth will go around to serve people of Paradise, boys who remain in that youthful form forever, never changing or advancing in age. It was said that they will be wearing earrings, to emphasise their youth, because such a thing is appropriate for young people, but it does not befit those who are older. And Allah, the Exalted, said (Qur’an, 76:19) i.e. if you saw them going around to attend to the needs of their masters, with their beautiful faces and splendid colourful clothes and jewellery, you would think that they were scattered pearls. There is no more beautiful description than the picture of pearls scattered in a place of beauty."
Some scholars suggested that these boys are the children of the Muslims and Mushrikeen who die in childhood, but this was refuted by Al-Allaamah Ibn Taymiyyah, who explained that these boys of eternal youth are part of the creation of Paradise: "..they are not the children of this world. When the children of this world enter Paradise, they will do so in a perfect form, like all the other people of Paradise, in the form of their father, Adam."
* The Market of the People of Paradise :
~ Muslim reported from Anas Ibn Maalik, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"In Paradise there is a market to which the people will come every Friday, then a wind will come from the north and blow on their faces, and clothes, and they will increase in beauty. Then they will return to their wives, who will also have increased in beauty. Their wives will say to them, "By Allah, you increased in beauty after you left us." And they will say, "And you too, by Allah, you have increased in beauty since you left us."
An-Nawawi, commented on this hadith, "What is meant by a market is a gathering place where the people will come together, just as they gather in marketplaces in this world. Gathering together every Friday means that they will meet once a week, or what approximates to once a week; there will be no real weeks there, as there will be no sun or moon or days. The wind of Paradise was described specifically as being the north winds, because for the Arabs this is the wind that brings rain, coming from the direction of Syria, so they always hoped for a wind coming from the north. In the hadith this wind is called al-Mutheerah, i.e. something that carries things, because it will blow the sand or dust of Paradise into their faces, which is musk."
* The Gatherings and Conversations of the People of Paradise :
~ The people of Paradise will visit one another, in delightful gatherings where they will remember their lives in this world and how Allah, the Exalted, has blessed them by admitting them to Paradise. Allah described the gatherings of the people of Paradise:
"And We shall remove from their breasts any lurking sense of injury, [they will be like] brothers, [joyfully] facing each other on thrones [of dignity]." (Qur’an, 15:47)
Allah has also described some of the kinds of conversation that will take place in their gatherings:
"And some of them draw near to others, questioning, saying, "Aforetime we were afraid with our families [of the punishment of Allah], but Allah has been gracious to us, and has saved us from the torment of the Fire. Verily, we used to invoke Him [Alone and none else] before. Verily He is Al-Barr, the All-Merciful." (Qur’an, 52:25-28)
* The Wishes of the People of Paradise :
~ Some of the People of Paradise will wish for things that will be fulfilled in the strangest ways, unlike anything that happens in this world. The Messenger, peace be upon him, told of some of these and how they will be fulfilled:
Abu Hurayrah, said that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was speaking and a bedouin man was present. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "A man from the people of Paradise will ask his Rabb (Lord) for permission to grow things. Allah will ask him, "Do you not have what you want?" He will say, "Of course, but I love to grow things." So he will sow the seeds and in the blinking of an eye the plant will grow and its fruit will ripen and become like mountains. Allah, the Exalted, will say, "Here it is. O son of Aadam nothing satisfies you!" The Bedouin said, "By Allah! you wont find him except he is from Quraysh or the Ansaar for these are the people that love to grow things. As for us, we don't grow anything!" The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) laughed."
* The Greatest Delight: Ridwaan Allah and Looking At His Face :
"Some faces that Day will be Nadhirah [shining, radiant], Looking at their Rabb." (Qur’an, 75:22-23)
Ibn Al-Itheer, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Seeing Allah is the ultimate joy in the Hereafter, the most precious gift of Allah. May Allah, the Exalted, help us reach that goal."
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that "Allah will say to the people of Paradise, "O People of Paradise! They will say, "We are at Your Worship, our Rabb, and all goodness is in Your hand." He will say, "Are you content?" They will say, "Why should we not be content, O Rabb, when you have given us what you have not given to anyone else of Your Creation?" He will say, "Shall I not give you better than that?" They will say, "O Rabb, what could be better than that?" He will say, "I grant you My pleasure and I will never be displeased with you after that."
Muslim and At-Tirmidhi, reported from Suhayb Ar-Rumi, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah will say: "Do you want anything more?" They will say, "Have You not made our faces white [i.e. honoured us]? Have You not admitted us to Paradise and saved us from the Fire?" Then the veil will be lifted, and they will never have been given anything more dear to them than looking at their Rabb".
One report adds, "Then the Prophet (pbuh) recited the aayah (verse), "For those who have done good is the best [reward i.e. Paradise] and even more [i.e. the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allah]..." (Qur’an, 10:26)
Thus seeing the Face of Allah was interpreted as part of the "more" [mazeed] which Allah has promised to al-Muhsinoon [those who have done good]:
"There they will have all that they desire - and We have more [for them, i.e. a glance at the All-Mighty, All-Majestic." (Qur’an, 50:35)
* The Conclusion Of Their Prayer Will Be Al-Hamdulillaahi Rabbil-Aalameen :
"And they will say, "All praise and thanks be to Allah, Who has removed from us [all] grief. For Our Rabb is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate [good deeds and recompense] Who out of His Grace, has lodged us in a home that will last forever, there, toil will not touch us, nor will weariness touch us" (Qur’an, 35:34-35)
"And they will say, "All the praises and thanks be to Allah Who Has fulfilled His promise to us and has made us inherit [this] land. We can dwell in Paradise where we will; how excellent a reward for the [pious good] workers!" And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne [of Allah] from all around, glorifying the praises of their Rabb. And they [all the creatures] will be judged with truth, and it will be said, "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Rabb of the Aalameen" (Qur’an, 39:74-75)
~ And the conclusion of their prayer will be al-Hamdulillaahi Rabbil Aalameen:
"Their prayer will be Glory to You, O Allah! and their greeting therein will be Peace, and the conclusion of their prayer will be, "Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds"
* Source: http://www.kalamullah.com/ (Based on the Book by Dr. Umar Sulaiman al-Ashqar).
* Image: http://www.wallnew.com
