Both Paradise and Hell have levels that correspond to one’s deeds in this dunya(earthly life). For example, martyrs will have more blessings than normal worshipers, and those who commit one of the major sins like filial ingratitude will receive more torture than others. Before listing some of the verses that speak about the rewards and punishments, it is worth noting that Almighty God is The Most Merciful and He is never unjust. The Quran says what means:
{He that doeth good shall have ten times as much to his credit: he that doeth evil shall only be recompensed according to his evil: no wrong shall be done unto [any of] them.} (Al-An`am 6:160)
Generally, bad deeds are not viewed in Islam equally; those who make small faults are not like others who commit great sins. We were told by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that some of the great sins are worse than others; here are some hadiths Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stating some of the major sins.
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) when he observed, “Should I not inform you about the most grievous of the major sins?” The Prophet repeated it three times and then said:
“Associating anyone with Allah, disobedience to parents, false testimony or false utterance.” The Prophet was reclining, then he sat up, and he repeated it so many times that we wished that he should become silent. (Muslim)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Regarding the major sins, the Prophet (peace be upon him) observed:
“Associating anything with Allah, disobedience to parents, killing a person and false utterance.” (Muslim)
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) observed:
“Avoid the seven most grievous sins.” [The hearers] asked, “What are they, Allah’s Messenger?” He [the Prophet] replied, “Associating anything with Allah, magic, killing of one whom Allah has declared inviolate without a just cause, devouring the property of an orphan, dealing in usury, fleeing on the day of fighting, and calumniating the chaste, innocent, believing women.” (Muslim)
Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) observed:
“Abusing one’s parents is one of the major sins.” They [the hearers] asked, “Messenger of Allah, does a man abuse his parents?” He [the Prophet] replied, “Yes, one abuses the father of another man, who in turn abuses his father. One abuses his mother and he in turn abuses his [the former’s] mother.” (Muslim)
There are many references speaking about the rewards pious people will get in Paradise and many others speaking about punishments sinners will receive in Hell. Besides verses regarding the organization of Muslims’ lives, relations, rituals, etc., the Quran has many verses that contain promises and threats: promises for good worshipers and threats for those who go astray from the right path.
It might be sufficient to know that every pleasure in Paradise is unparalleled to what is in the worldly life.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The Paradise contains “what no eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and no human heart has ever perceived” (Muslim)
Following are some verses that deal with rewards worshipers will receive in Paradise. The Quran says what means:
{[Here is] a parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised: in it are rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; and rivers of honey pure and clear. In it there are for them all kinds of fruits; and grace from their Lord. [Can those in such bliss] be compared to such as shall dwell forever in the Fire, and be given, to drink, boiling water, so that it cuts up their bowels [to pieces].} (Muhammad 47:15)
In Paradise righteous people will have no grudge against each other; all will live in peace and tranquility. They will never get tired and will not be expelled from Paradise. The Quran says what means:
{The righteous [will be] amid Gardens and fountains [of clear-flowing water]. [Their greeting will be]: “Enter ye here in peace and security.” And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury: [they will be] brothers [joyfully] facing each other on thrones [of dignity]. There no sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they [ever] be asked to leave.} (Al-Hijr 15:45-48)
Another virtue for righteous people is that they will enjoy drinks, food, and companions—a plenty of pleasures. The following verse describes this in words that mean:
{This is a message [of admonition]: and verily, for the righteous, is a beautiful place of [final] return, Gardens of eternity, whose doors will [ever] be open to them; therein will they recline [at ease]: therein can they call [at pleasure] for fruit in abundance, and [delicious] drink; and beside them will be chaste women restraining their glances, [companions] of equal age. Such is the promise made to you for the Day of Account! Truly such will be Our bounty [to you]; it will never fail} (Saad 38:49-54).
Those who believed in God’s signs and were Muslims will be the heirs of Garden and will have beautiful wives and will enjoy Paradise for good. The Quran says what means:
{My devotees! no fear shall be on you that Day, nor shall ye grieve, [being] those who have believed in Our signs and bowed [their wills to Ours] in Islam. Enter ye the Garden, ye and your wives, in [beauty and] rejoicing. To them will be passed round, dishes and goblets of gold: there will be there all that the souls could desire, all that the eyes could delight in: and ye shall abide therein [for aye]. Such will be the Garden of which ye are made heirs for your [good] deeds [in life]. Ye shall have therein abundance of fruit, from which ye shall have satisfaction} (Az-Zukhruf 43:68-73).
As for the ultimate happiness for Paradise inhabitants, it will be looking toward their Lord. The Quran says what means:
{Some faces, that Day, will beam [in brightness and beauty]; looking towards their Lord} (Al-Qiyamah 75:22-23).
The following verse and its tafseer (explanation) were linked to the above verse. The Quran says what means:
{There will be for them therein all that they wish, and more besides in Our presence} (Qaf 50:35)
Anas Ibn Malek (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the “more besides” is looking towards the Lord’s face.
On the other hand, there are plenty of verses that describe the bitter torture disbelievers and sinners will receive in Hell, and here are some of them. Non-believers will be tortured eternally, they will be sorry for not following God’s orders and the messenger’s instructions. The Quran says what means:
{Verily Allah has cursed the non-believers and prepared for them a blazing Fire, to dwell therein forever: no protector will they find, nor helper. The Day that their faces will be turned upside down in the Fire, they will say: “Woe to us! would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the messenger!}(Al-Ahzab 33:64-66).
Those who were disbelievers will be roasted in Fire and when their skins are thoroughly burned, God will replace their skins with new ones to feel the torment. The Quran says what means:
{Those who reject Our signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire; as often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise} (An-Nisaa’ 4:56).
Sinners will have eternal punishment in Hell, the punishment they receive will not be lightened or lessened; they were the cause of this punishment and they were not wronged. They cry to the angel responsible for Hell to let God make them vanish. He will reply negatively; they will stay. The Quran says what means:
{The sinners will be in the punishment of Hell, to dwell therein [for aye]: nowise will the [punishment] be lightened for them, and in despair will they be there overwhelmed. Nowise shall We be unjust to them: but it is they who have been unjust themselves. They will cry: “O Malik! would that thy Lord put an end to us!” He will say: “Nay, but ye shall abide!} (Az-Zukhruf 43:74:77).
In another very touching passage, the Quran describes the situation of those who rejected God’s signs: they will never enter Paradise and will be covered by Hell from every side, from below and above, and this is God’s punishment for those who do wrong. The Quran says what means:
{To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the Garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle: such is Our reward for those in sin. For them there is Hell, as a couch [below] and folds and folds of covering above: such is Our requital of those who do wrong} (Al-A`raf 7:40-41).
Disbelievers will be punished in the Fire; they will not die, nor will their torture be lightened. They will cry and appeal to return to earth to do good deeds, but their cries will be in vain. They lived long enough to be dutiful if they really wanted to; moreover, God sent them messengers to show them the right path, but they rejected God’s signs and messengers, so they have to reap their doings. The Quran says what means:
{But those who reject [Allah], for them will be the Fire of Hell: no term shall be determined for them, so they should die, nor shall its penalty be lightened for them. Thus do We reward every ungrateful one! Therein will they cry aloud [for assistance]: “Our Lord! bring us out: we shall work righteousness, not the [deeds] we used to do!” “Did We not give you long enough life so that he that would should receive admonition? And [moreover] the warner came to you. So taste ye [the fruits of your deeds]: for the wrong-doers there is no helper”} (Fatir 35:36-37).
We ask God to make us among the inhabitants of Paradise and to keep us away from Hell. Ameen.
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