Allah reward you for seeking more knowledge about His religion; this is what we all strive for in order to gain Allah’s pleasure.
I will tell you ahead of time that I will not have a definitive answer since we are talking about the unseen; no one has ever gone and lived in Paradise (Jannah) and returned to tell us how it really is.
All we know is what Allah mentioned in the Quran and what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us, which is very limited in scope; what we are sure about is that Paradise is beyond comprehension. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) has mentioned the following:
It is reported on the authority of al-Mughira bin Shuba that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said:
“Moses asked his Lord: Who amongst the inhabitants of Paradise is the lowest to rank? He (Allah) said: The person who would be admitted into Paradise last of all among those deserving of paradise who are admitted to it.
It would be said to him: Enter Paradise. He would say: O my Lord! How (should I enter) while the people have settled in their apartments and taken the shares (portions)? It would be said to him: Would you be pleased if there be for you like the kingdom of a king amongst the kings of the world? He would say: I am pleased my Lord. He (Allah) would say: For you is that, and like that, and like that, and like that, and that. He would say at the fifth (point): I am well pleased, my Lord. He (Allah) would say: It is for you and, ten times like it, and for you is what your self desires and your eye enjoys. He would say: I am well pleased, my Lord.
He (Moses) said: (Which is) the highest of their (inhabitants of Paradise) ranks? He (Allah) said: They are those whom I choose. I establish their honor with My own hand and then set a seal over it (and they would be blessed with Bounties) which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human mind has perceived: and this is sub-satiated by the Book of Allah, Exalted and Great:”So no soul knows what delight of the eye is hidden for them; a reward for what they did.” (Al-Sajdah, Chapter 32, Verse 17). – (Muslim)
The above hadith and the embedded Quranic verse summarize most of the doubts. The most important of which is that no one knows what they will receive in Paradise; it will be the greatest surprise!
Moses only received the answer for the person who will have the lowest rank in Paradise; while the reward of the highest in rank cannot be explained in a way that we comprehend.
Similarly, it will be difficult to explain all the rewards in Paradise, since we will not have the same physical body nor will we have any of the unwanted attributes of people of this earth, such as illness, envy and jealousy; we will also not sleep since Paradise is about continuous pleasure and it is continuously enlightened with Allah’s light, therefore no day and night. What is forbidden in this world will not be forbidden in Paradise; it is surely not meant to be a monastery, and definitely not a place of torture.
In summary, we will be in the most perfect body at an extremely perfect place to enjoy utmost pleasure that will go on forever.
We cannot compare Paradise to our earthly life, since it is completely different. Allah, the most Generous, will make everyone who enters it satisfied to the utmost, so that they will never complain or desire anything more. Therefore everyone’s wish is granted:
{Thou seest the wrong-doers fearful of that which they have earned, and it will surely befall them, while those who believe and do good works (will be) in flowering meadows of the Gardens, having what they wish from their Lord. This is the great preferment.} – (As-shura, Chapter 42, Verse 22)
And in another verse:
{Say: Is that (doom) better or the Garden of Immortality which is promised unto those who ward off (evil)? It will be their reward and journey’s end. Therein abiding, they have all that they desire. It is for thy Lord a promise that must be fulfilled.} – (Al-Furqan, Chapter 25, Verses 15-16)
So Paradise is a dwelling of continuous pleasure for both men and women:
{So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), “Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be it male or female. You are (members) one of another, so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will expiate from them their evil deeds and admit them into gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards.} – (Al-Imran, Chapter 3, Verse 195)
To make us eager to enter Paradise, Allah mentions what men in general desire most, which is women, while He mentions jewelry and finest garments, which is what women in general desire most.
The most pleasurable thing that dwellers of Paradise, both men and women will receive is looking at Allah, the Exalted. Also every time a couple looks at each other, they will say to each other that you have increased in beauty; so we may add continuous beauty to our list.
These are only examples to draw us closer to Him so we may earn His pleasure and be admitted in His Paradise. Allah mentions what is translated as:
{Lo! as for those who believe and do good works – Lo! We suffer not the reward of one whose work is goodly to be lost. As for such, theirs will be Gardens of Eden, wherein rivers flow beneath them; therein they will be given armlets of gold and will wear green robes of finest silk and gold embroidery, reclining upon throne therein. Blest the reward, and fair the resting-place!} – (Al-Kahf, Chapter 15, Verses 30-31)
Note that “those who believe” are both men and women. Gold and silk are not really the things that men desire most, it is rather women who desire those things most.
What is also extremely important is what good deeds have we done to deserve Allah’s Paradise. Once a man asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he desires to enter the Paradise, the Prophet’s response was: “What have you prepared for it?”
We must first remove any doubts that we have about Allah’s religion since those could be the barrier between us and Paradise.
Once a professor of mine asked me about reward in Islam, so I explained about Paradise and Hellfire, an eternal life in bliss or in agony and that there is nothing in between.
I further said that to attain Paradise, you must do good deeds and follow God’s commands. Being an atheist, he said why should I waste my time doing all this, knowing that it might not be true, so I said what if it is true, then your loss will be extremely great, and if it is false, there is nothing to lose; what you call a waste of time is only your misconception; most people get extreme satisfaction from doing good. The real waste of time will be the time you were not able to enjoy in Paradise. He nodded his head and happily agreed.
May Allah grant us the opportunities to do good deeds and attain the highest level of Paradise (Al-Firdous).
No comments:
Post a Comment