“OUR LORD GIVE US IN THIS WORLD THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND IN THE HEREAFTER[THAT WHICH IS]GOOD AND PROTECT US FROM THE PUNISHMENT OF THE FIRE”
AL-QURAN: [ 2:201 ].
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN NUMBER ONE:
The Doors of Heaven:
Hadith implies that the heaven has eight doors: Whoever performed a perfect ablution and recited shahadah then all the eight doors of the heaven are thrust open for him–he may enter from whichever door he likes. (Sahih Muslim).
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) has also told us:
When Ramadhan comes round, the doors of the skies are opened. Another tradition has it that the doors of the Heaven are opened and those of the Fire are closed (Sahih Bukhari).
Width of the Doors of Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
By Him in whose hands my soul is, the distance between the two gate posts of paradise is like the distance between Makkah and Himyar or between Makkah and Basra (Bukhari).
Keys of Heaven
Indeed swords are the keys of heaven. (Ibn Abi Sheeba, Kitabul Jihad)
The Width of Heaven
Be you foremost (in seeking) forgiveness from your Lord, and a garden of Bliss the width of whereof is as the width of heaven and earth. (Al-Hadid: 21)
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) has described the width of heaven thus: Harith’s (RA) mother came to the Prophet (SAW), Harith had been martyred during the battle of Badr. She said: “O Prophet of Allah! You know how much I loved him. If his reward is heaven, than I will not cry but if not than you see what I will do before you.” The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said: “Is that just one heaven? There are very many heavens and your son is in the best of them, Al-Firdous Al-Aala.” (Sahih Bukhari)
The Width of Hundred Grades of Heaven and Sublimity of Firdaus
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Indeed, there are hundred grades of the Heaven and the distance between the two grades is as great as between the heaven and earth. Allah has prepared these grades for those who perform Jihad in the way of Allah. (Bukhari)
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said of Firdous:
When you pray ask for Firdous, for it is in the middle of heaven and is higher in grade than the heaven and above Firdous is Allah’s throne, moreover the canals of heaven flow from Firdous. (Bukhari)
Land and Weather of Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
“And then I was showed in the heaven, I saw there were camps made of pearls and the soil was of musk.” (Bukhari)
The Qur’an says of the dwellers of the heaven: They will see there neither the sun’s (excessive heat) nor the moon’s excessive cold.
Trees in Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Indeed, there is a tree in heaven so big that if a person keeps riding on a brisk Madhamar (a specially bred horse) for a hundred years even then he would not reach the end of that tree. (Bukhari)
Each Tree is of Gold
Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
There is no tree in the heaven that does not have a trunk of gold. (Muslim)
A Tree That Will Manufacture Robes
There is a tree in the heaven, which will manufacture robes for the dwellers of the heaven. That tree is called
Tuba.
A hadith has these words about this tree.
Tuba is a tree in the heaven, which spreads out as much as a distance that can be covered in a hundred years. Robes for the dwellers of the heaven will sprout from its buds.
How to Plant Trees in Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
In the night of Isra when I met Ibrahim (AS) he said: O Muhammad (SAW) tell your people that the heaven has pure soil and sweet water but the land is bare. If they want to plant trees in the heaven, they should say Subhan Allah Al-Hamdulillah and Allah Akbar.
Quranic Names of Heaven
Jannat–This name has been used most commonly in the Qur’an and Hadith. (Al-Baqarah: 35, Al-e-Imran: 133, 142, Al-Maidah: 72)
Dar-us-Salam–This means the Home of Peace (Yunus: 25)
Jannat-ul-Khuld–The Eternal Gardens. (Al-Furqan: 15)
Darul-Maqamah–The Home (Fatir: 35)
Jannat-e-Adan–Gardens of Everlasting Bliss (Tauba: 72, Ar-Rad: 23)
Darul-Hywan–But verily the Home in the Hereafter–that is life indeed, if they but knew. (Al-Ankabut: 64)
Jannat-un-Naeem–The Gardens of Delight. (Al-Maida: 65 Yunus: 9 Al-Haj: 56)
Al-Maqam-al-Ameen–The House of Security (Ad-Dukhan: 51)
Jannat-ul-Mawa–Garden of Abode (An-Najm: 15)
Maqad-as-Sidq–Assembly of Truth (Al-Qawr: 55)
Qadam-as-Sidq-Assembly ofTruth (Al-Qawr:55).
Firdous–The Highest Gardens of the Heaven (Al-Kahaf: 107, Al-Muminoon: 11)
Scent of Heaven
According to Ahadith, the scent of the Heaven can be smelled from a distance of 70 years. (Sahih Al-Jame As-sagheer)
Mansions in Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Indeed, there will be a mansion made of pearls for a believer. It will be spread over an area of 60 miles, and in it will be the household of a believer who will visit them but they will not be able to see each other. (Bukhari)
No Sleep in Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Sleep is the sisiter of death and the dwellers of the heaven will not sleep (Silsalatul Ahadith)
The Bazaar of Heaven
It is reported on the authority of Anas bin Malik (RA): The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Indeed, there is a bazaar in the heaven where the dwellers of the Heaven will come on every Friday. The northerly wind will spray scent on them and this will enhance their beauty. And when they will return to their homes, their households will say “By Allah, your beauty has enhanced.” “So has yours,” they will return the compliment. (Muslim)
In short, they will be overwhelmed by Allah’s favours.
And when you look, it is there you will see a bliss and a realm magnificent. (Ad-Dahr: 20)
Gibraeel’s (AS) Impression of Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
When Allah Almighty created the heaven and the hell, He asked Jibraeel to go and take a look at what He has prepared for believers in the Heaven. Jibraeel went and had a look at what was there in the Heaven, and then he came back and expressed himself thus: By your dignity! Whoever will hear of this Heaven will certainly strive for it. Then it was said that the road to the heaven is littered with hardships, and Jibraeel was asked to take another look at the Heaven. He came back and said, “By your dignity I am afraid that nobody will be able to enter it. (Tirmizee)
This means that the heaven is such a magnificent place that whoever knew of it would certainly strive for it, but when Allah Almighty ordained that the Heaven lies in facing trials and tribulations, Gibraeel (AS) thought that nobody might be able to enter it.
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN NUMBER TWO:
The idea and estimate of Heaven, and at that the Paradise which will be given to the Chief of the Prophets, the Pride of the Two Worlds (saw) can be had from this that the lowest man amongst the occupants of Paradise will get a garden ten times bigger than that of this world. Entering Paradise he will glance right and left and seeing the gardens will ask: "For whom are these"? He will be told that they are for him. When he will proceed further, a red ruby or a green emerald will be brought before him in which there will be seventy houses, each having seventy rooms and each room having seventy doors. He will be told: "Go on reciting and climbing," until he reaches his masnad (throne) on which he will sit and recline. Then his houris will come to him. Their condition will be such that one of them will come and sit down before him on the throne. She will be wearing seventy suits of clothes, each of a different colour, and she will be so beautiful that in spite of those clothes her flesh and blood and bones, even bone-marrow, will be visible. This lowly occupant of Paradise will ask her: "Who are you"? She will say: "I am the houri who had been preserved for you till now. Then he will continue making amorous glances at her for forty years and will not withdraw his eves from her.
Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) reports: "We said: O Apostle of Allah! Describe to us how will be the construction of Paradise?” He (saw) said: "There will be bricks of gold and silver and the mortar will be of musk and its gravel will be of garnet and pearls and its dust of saffron.”
Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) reports that there is a tree in Paradise, the trunk of which is of gold and its branches are of emerald and pearl. When the wind blows such a melodious sound is produced that the hearers have not heard a more melodious sound. Similarly, the Holy Prophet (saw) described the trees, canals, fruits, walls, doors, in brief, everything of the Paradise - things which neither any eye has seen nor any ear has heard about nor the thought thereof has passed any mind.
When such wonderful bounties are there for an ordinary occupant of Paradise, what must be there for the near ones, the favourites and the Chief of the Prophets (saw) Wrongdoers like us, through slave-hood to the Holy Prophet (saw) may receive the greatest bounty of his companionship and at that, with such bounties what can be a greater reward than this? May Allah Most High bestow upon us the ability to appreciate these bounties and create room in our hearts for his holiness's auspicious methods! Amen!
A hundred pities that action on these methods, in spite of such great promises, even the greatness of these methods has today departed from the Muslims' hearts! A hundred pities that action on these methods, in spite of such great promises, even the greatness of these methods has today departed from the Muslims' hearts!
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN NUMBER THREE:
If You Ask About Paradise:-
By Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, Rahimahullaah
Ibn al-Qayyim said, in regards to the description of the Paradise and the delights that it contains:
“And if you ask about its ground and its soil, then it is of musk and saffron.
And if you ask about its roof, then it is the Throne of the Most Merciful.
And if you ask about its rocks, then they are pearls and jewels.
And if you ask about its buildings, then they are made of bricks of gold and silver.
And if you ask about its trees, then it does not contain a single tree except that its trunk is made of gold and silver.
And if you ask about its fruits, then they are softer than butter and sweeter than honey.
And if you ask about its leaves, then they are softer than the softest cloth.
And if you ask about its rivers, then there are rivers of milk who’s taste does not change, and rivers of wine that is delicious to those who drink it, and rivers of honey that is pure, and rivers of water that is fresh.
And if you ask about their food, then it is fruits from whatever they will choose, and the meat of whatever birds they desire.
And if you ask about their drink, then it is Tasneem, ginger, and Kaafoor.
And if you ask about their drinking cups, then they are crystal-clear and made of gold and silver.
And if you ask about its shade, then a fast rider would ride in the shade of one of its trees for a hundred years and not escape it.
And if you ask about its vastness, then the lowest of its people would have within his kingdom and walls and palaces and gardens the distance that would be travelled in a thousand years.
And if you ask about its tents and encampments, then one tent is like a concealed pearl that is sixty miles long.
And if you ask about its towers, then they are rooms above rooms in buildings that have rivers running underneath them.
And if you ask about how far it reaches into the sky, then look at the shining star that is visible, as well as those that are far in the heavens that the eyesight cannot possibly reach.
And if you ask about the clothing of its inhabitants, then they are of silk and gold.
And if you ask about its beds, then its blankets are of the finest silk laid out in the highest of its levels.
And if you ask about the faces of its inhabitants and their beauty, then they are like the image of the Moon.
And if you ask about their age, then they are young ones of 33 years in the image of Adam, the father of humanity.
And if you ask about what they will be hearing, then it is the singing of their wives from among the Hoor al-’Ayn, and better than that are the voices of the Angels and the Prophets, and better than that is the Speech of the Lord of the Worlds.
And if you ask about their servants, then they are young boys of everlasting youth who resemble scattered pearls.
And if you ask about their brides and wives, then they are young and full-breasted and have had the liquid of youth flow through their limbs; the Sun runs along the beauty of her face if she shows it, light shines from between her teeth if she smiles; if you meet her love, then say whatever you want regarding the joining of two lights; he sees his face in the roundness of her cheek as if he is looking into a polished mirror, and he sees the brightness from behind her muscles and bones; if she were to be unleashed upon the World, she would fill what is between the Heavens and the Earth with a beautiful wind, and the mouths of the creation would glorify, praise, and exclaim greatness, and everything between the East and the West would be adorned for her, and every eye would be shut from everything but her, and the light of the Sun would be outshone just as the light of the Sun outshines the light of the stars, and everyone on the face of the Earth would believe in the Ever-Living, the One who Sustains and Protects all the exists.
And the covering on her head is better than the World and all that is in it, and she does not increase with age except in beauty; free from an umbilical cord, childbirth and menses, and pure of mucous, saliva, urine and other filthy things; her youth never fades, her clothing is never worn out, no garment can be created that matches her beauty, and no one who is with her can ever become bored; her attention is restricted to her husband, so she desires none but him, just as his attention is restricted to her so she is the sole object of his desire, and he is with her in utmost safety and security, as none has touched her before of either humans or Jinn.
And if you ask about the Day of Increase (in reward) and the visit of the all-Mighty, all-Wise, and the sight of His Face – free from any resemblance or likeness to anything – as you see the Sun in the middle of the day and the full Moon on a cloudless night, then listen on the day that the caller will call: ‘O People of Paradise! Your Lord – Blessed and Exalted – requests you to visit Him, so come to visit Him!’ So they will say: ‘We hear and obey!’
Until, when they finally reach the wide valley where they will all meet – and none of them will turn down the request of the caller – the Lord – Blessed and Exalted – will order His Chair to be brought there. Then, pulpits of light will emerge, as well as pulpits of pearls, gemstone, gold, and silver. The lowest of them in rank will sit on sheets of musk, and will not see what those who are on the chairs above them are given. When they are comfortable where they are sitting and are secure in their places, and the caller calls: ‘O People of Paradise! You have an appointment with Allaah in which He wishes to reward you!’ So they will say: ‘And what is that reward? Has He not already made our faces bright, made our scales heavy, entered us into Paradise, and pushed us away from the Fire?’
And when they are like that, all of a sudden a light shines that encompasses all of Paradise. So, they raise their heads, and, behold: the Compeller – Exalted is He, and Holy are His Names – has come to them from above them and majestified them and said: ‘O People of Paradise! Peace be upon you!’ So, this greeting will not be responded to with anything better than: ‘O Allaah! You are Peace, and from You is Peace! Blessed are You, O possessor of Majesty and Honor!’ So the Lord – Blessed and Exalted – will laugh to them and say: ‘O People of Paradise! Where are those who used to obey Me without having ever seen Me? This is the Day of Increase!’
So, they will all give the same response: ‘We are pleased, so be pleased with us!’ So, He will say: ‘O People of Paradise! If I were not pleased with you, I would not have made you inhabitants of My Paradise! So, ask of Me!’ So, they will all give the same response: ‘Show us your Face so that we may look at it!’ So, the Lord – Mighty and Majestic – will remove his covering and will majesty them and will cover them with His Light, which, if Allaah – the Exalted – had not Willed not to burn them, would have burned them.
And there will not remain a single person in this gathering except that his Lord – the Exalted – will speak to him and say: ‘Do you remember the day that you did this and that?’ and He will remind him of some of his bad deeds in the Worldly life, so he will say: ‘O Lord! Will you not forgive me?’ So, He will say: ‘Of course! You have not reached this position of yours (in Paradise) except by my forgiveness.’
So, how sweet is this speech to the ears, and how cooled are the righteous eyes by the glance at His Noble Face in the Afterlife…
{Some faces that Day will be shining and radiant, looking at their Lord…} (al-Qiyaamah:22-3)
[from the amazing and beautiful book Haadi al-Arwaah ilaa Bilaad il-Afraah by Ibn al-Qayyim, pg. 193] [Kalamullah.com]
DESCRIPTION OF PARADISE NUMBER FOUR:
Paradise in Islam:-
"And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it as he ought to strive and he is a believer; (as for) these, their striving shall surely be accepted."
[17:19]
Recently I took a trip to see my Dad, who happens to be a non-Muslim, in order for him to meet the latest addition to our family, and in order for me to yet again try to convince him that he should accept Islam. While I was there, however, I found out something about him that I never knew before. My father is a workaholic. This man works seven days a week, sometimes 10-to-12 hours a day. The saddest part being, that his labor is all for nothing, for Allah says,
"(These are) they whose labor is lost in this world's life and they think that they are well-versed in skill of the work of hands."
[18:104]
Now, even though the situation with my Dad threw me for a loop, it really got me thinking. How many of us, Muslims, are in the very same predicament as my father? How many of us are working hard for the life of this world, at the cost of the Hereafter? How many of us are putting in 40-plus hours a week at our jobs, and other recreational activities, while putting in only the smallest amounts of time when it comes to our Deen? Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says that truly Man shall earn what he strives for. The question now is what are we truly striving and working for?
Maybe it's because at the end of the week, we are rewarded with something tangible for our efforts, a check we can see and touch. The Hereafter, although being equally as real, is at the same time, mystifying and ethereal in its nature. It's a delayed gratification, which makes it harder to earn. Our wages for our efforts in the deen will not be paid in full until we exit the life of this world. For Allah says, "Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life). For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception."
[3:185]
Our final destination is the life of the Hereafter. Where we end up, Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannam (Hell-fire) depends on what we worked towards in this life. Paradise is the aim and the hope of every Muslim. But like trying to attain any goal, in order to achieve success, one must have a well-defined plan, and it must be implemented to be successful. Allah says,
"O you who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful."
[5:35]
To prepare for our journey, we need to find out what our destination is like; who are its people, and most importantly, how to get there.
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) told us that within Paradise are things that no eyes have ever seen, nor ears have ever heard, and that things in it are beyond our imagination and comprehension, but we all have our own personal ideas of what eternal bliss would probably be like.
I remember a few years ago, I overheard my niece and my nephew discussing the landscape, and the privileges of living in Jannah. My nephew was telling my niece that in Jannah, they would be able to eat all the candy that they wanted and that there would be streams of chocolate and trees of ice cream. I always tell people, that Paradise for me, would be being able to eat all the cheesecake and chocolate that I wanted, without gaining a pound. But what Allah has in store for the believers is so much more than this. He, in His Book, and through His Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, has given us a clear picture of our goal, so that we can keep it in front of us at all times. By keeping our eyes on the prize, no matter our hardships in this worldly life, we can strive that much harder to attain it.
Allah says, "And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it as he ought to strive and he is a believer; (as for) these, their striving shall surely be accepted."
[17:19]
Allah has also described Paradise in many places in the Qur'an, so let us now take a look at what He has in store for the believers.
Description in the Qur'an of Paradise:-
"The description of Paradise which the Muttaqoon have been promised is that in it are rivers of water, the taste and smell of which are never changed. Rivers of milk the taste of which will remain unchanged. Rivers of wine that will be delicious to those who drink from it and rivers of clear, pure honey. For them will be every kind of fruit and forgiveness form their Lord."
[ 47:15]
"And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient. Reclining on raised thrones, they will see there neither the excessive heat of the sun, nor the excessive bitter cold, (as in Paradise there is no sun and no moon). The shade will be close upon them, and bunches of fruit will hang low within their reach. Vessels of silver and cups of crystal will be passed around amongst them, crystal-clear, made of silver. They will determine the measure of them according to their wishes. They will be given a cup (of wine) mixed with Zanjabeel, and a fountain called Salsabeel. Around them will (serve) boys of perpetual youth. If you see them, you would think they are scattered pearls. When you look there (in Paradise) you will see a delight (that cannot be imagined), and a Great Dominion. Their garments will be of fine green silk and gold embroidery. They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a pure drink."
[76:12-21]
"And those foremost (In Tawheed and obedience to Allah and His Messenger in this life) will be foremost (in Paradise). They will be those nearest to Allah in the Gardens of Delight. A multitude of those (the foremost) will be from the first generation (who embraced Islam) and a few of those (the foremost) will be from the later (generations). They will be reclining, face to face, on thrones woven with gold and precious stones. They will be served by immortal boys, with cups and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine, from which they will have neither any headache, nor any intoxication. They will have fruit from which they may choose, and the flesh of fowls that they desire. There will be Houris with wide, lovely eyes (as wives for the pious), like preserved pearls, a reward for deeds that they used to do. They will hear no vain or sinful speech (like backbiting, etc.) but only the saying of: Salam, Salam, (greetings of peace). And those on the Right Hand, who will be those on the Right Hand? They will be among thorn-less lote-trees among Talh (banana trees) with fruits piled one above another, in long-extended shade, by constantly flowing water, and fruit in plenty, whose season is not limited, and their supply will not be cut off. They will be on couches or thrones raised high. Verily, We have created for them (maidens) of equal age, loving (their husbands only). For those on the Right Hand."
[56:10-38]
"Verily, the dwellers of Paradise that Day, will be busy in joyful things. They and their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones. They will have therein fruits (of all kinds), and all that they will ask for. (It will be said to them): "Salamun" (Peace be on you), a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful."
[36:55-58]
Can you imagine?
Wearing the finest silk clothing and sitting on chairs made of gold and precious stones? Those who disbelieve in the words of Allah, say that this is all a fairy-tale, made up by a would-be prophet. But we know, that Allah is the Truthful and that His Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, spoke only what was revealed to from the Most Truthful. And even though Allah describes Paradise for us in the Qur'an, He still says, "So no soul knows the delights of the eyes which is hidden for them; a reward for what they did."
[32:17]
Apart from the Qur'anic descriptions of Paradise, the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wassalam) would often describe Paradise to his companions. His descriptions were often so vivid and moving, that many-a-companion would hurriedly rush towards it. This was the case, as Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his companions proceeded towards Badr and arrived there before the disbelievers (of Makkah). When the disbelievers arrived, the Messenger of Allah said, "None of you should step forward ahead of me to do anything." Then the disbelievers advanced (towards us), and the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Rise to enter Paradise whose width is equal to the Heavens and the Earth." Umayr Ibnul Humam al-Ansari asked, "O Messenger of Allah, is Paradise equal in width to the heavens and the earth?" He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Yes." Umayr said, "Bak'hin! Bak'hin!" (An Arabic word denoting excitement and astonishment) The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, asked him, "What made you say these words: Bak'hin, Bak'hin?" He said, "Messenger of Allah, nothing but the desire to be amongst its residents." He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "You are surely among its residents." He then took some dates form his bag and began to eat them. Then he said, "If I were to live until I had eaten all of the dates, indeed this life would be too long." Anas then said, "He threw away the remaining dates he had with him. He then fought (the disbelievers) until he was killed."
[Muslim]
What words could have inspired Umair and others like him to long for, and to pay the ultimate price for a place in Paradise? Let's now take a look at what the Messenger of Allah, had to say about Paradise.
Description of Paradise in the Hadith:-
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of lofty mansions (i.e. a superior place in Paradise) in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star, far away in the East or in the West of the horizon. This is because of their superiority over one another (in reward)." One of the people asked, "O Allah's Messenger, are these lofty mansions for the Prophets which no one else can reach?"
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) replied, "No! By Allah, in whose Hands is my life, these are for men who believe in Allah and also believe in the Messenger."
[Bukhari and Muslim]
Abu Musa al-Ash'ari narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Verily, for the believers in Paradise, are tents made of a single hollow pear. The length of which would be sixty miles long from all sides, their wives being therein. The believer will go around them (i.e., visit them) and they will not be able to see each other."
[Sahih al-Jami]
Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "There is not a tree in Paradise, except that its trunk is made of gold."
[Sahih al-Jami]
Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Verily in Paradise there is a market in which (the inhabitants of Paradise) will come to every Friday. The North wind will blow and scatter fragrances on their faces and on their clothes. This will add to their beauty and their attractiveness. They will then go back to their families after having an added luster to their beauty and their attractiveness. Their families will say to them, 'By Allah you have been increased in beauty and loveliness after leaving us,' and they will say, 'By Allah you too have increased in beauty and attractiveness after us.'"
[Muslim]
Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "(I saw in a dream that) I entered Paradise, and behold, there was a palace built of gold. I asked, 'Whose is this palace?' They (the angels) replied, 'For a man from the Quraysh.' So I thought it might be I, so I asked, 'And who is he?' They said, 'Umar Ibnul Khattab.' Nothing stopped me form entering it except your Ghirah (sense of honor)." Umar said, "My Ghirah would never be offended by you, O Messenger of Allah."
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Anas ibn Malik said that Allah's Apostle (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "I entered Paradise and found myself by a river, by its edges were tents of pearls. Then I tapped with my hands where the water was running, and there was then a beautiful smell of Musk. I asked, 'What is this O Gabriel?' He said, 'This is Kawthar (river in Paradise) which Allah has given to you.'"
[Sahih al-Jami]
Who Are the People of Paradise?
We could go on and on, for the ahadith are vast in numbers, about the Prophet's descriptions of Paradise. But a place that has houses built with gold and silver bricks: where its dirt is made of rubies and sapphires and its inhabitants wear only the finest silk garments, sounds like a pretty exclusive neighborhood to me. Who are these people who will be allowed to live in this enchanting place? The Jews say the Jews. The Christians say the Christians. But Allah says, "And they say: 'None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.' Those are their (vain) desires. Say, 'Produce your proof if you are truthful.'
[2:111]
He also says, "(Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying (to them), 'Peace be on you, enter you the Garden, because of (the good) which you did (in the world)."
[16:32]
Always in the Qur'an when Allah mentions those who will attain Paradise, He mentions the believers, not the Muslims. He (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says, "Indeed the Muttaqoon will be amongst the Gardens and water-springs."
[15:45]
He also says, "Verily, the Muttaqoon will be in a place of security, among Gardens and Springs, dressed in fine silk and (also) in thick silk, facing each other. This is how it shall be, and We shall marry them to Houris with wide, lovely eyes. They will request therein for every kind of fruit in peace and security."
[44:51-55]
So who are the believers and how do we become one of them? Allah says, "They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and they strive with one another in hastening to good deeds, and those are among the good."
[3:114]
He (subhanahu wa ta'ala) also says of the believers, "But the Apostle and those who believe with him strive hard with their property and their persons; and these it is who shall have the good things and these it is who shall be successful."
[9:88]
He goes on to say, "Allah has purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain, which you have concluded: that is the achievement supreme."
[9:111]
Of the believers, He also says, "But those who have faith and work righteousness, they are companions of the Garden: Therein shall they abide (forever)."
[2:82]
O slaves of Allah know that being among this illustrious group of people who will live in this place of tranquillity and bliss is not something easily attained. Allah says,
"Or do you think that you shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Apostle and those of faith who were with him cried, 'When (will come) the help of Allah?' Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!"
[2:214]
What Allah and His Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) convey to us is that the people of Paradise are the God-conscious, and the God-fearing. Not everyone, who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, just as not everyone who professes the Shahadah, will enter Paradise.
Only those who fear Allah as He ought to be feared, and are motivated by that fear to do acts of righteousness will attain success. The one who is conscious of His Lord, in every aspect of his life, and turns to Him in true submission, will have purchased for himself safety and security on a day, when there will be none, except with Allah. He does not cause a soul to suffer fear twice, the fear of Him in this world, and the fear on The Day of Judgment. About this, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Allah says, 'I do not combine for my servants two states of fear, or two states of safety. So if he feels safe from Me in this world I will cause him to fear on The Day of Judgment, and if he fears Me in the world, I will cause him to be safe on The Day of Judgment.'"
[Sahih al-Jami]
It is important, therefore, that Muslims know the characters of those who will be the inheritors of Paradise. But it is unfortunate that many of today's Muslims understand that it is enough for one to pronounce the Shahadah by his tongue for him to be entitled to enter Paradise regardless of whether he lived according to Islam or not! But the Shahadah means and requires more than the mere utterance of it. Actually this fact is one of the most mentioned aspects of Islam in the Qur'an and Sunnah. The essence of Eman is deed. Deeds of the heart and deeds of the tongue and other body parts. Deeds that are to be continued till one leaves this world. That was the reason why the Arabs of Makkah refused to pronounce it. They fully appreciated its implication. They knew it concerned authority and understood that they had to govern their deeds and lives with it. Yet many of those who repeat it today lead life styles that do not resemble those described in the Qur'an and practiced by the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, and his companions. The Qur'an warns us that deeds are the basis on which we are to be judged, not only the utterance of the Shahadah, "It is not by your wishes nor the wishes of the People of the Book: whoever does wrong shall be punished for it, and he will find none other than Allah as a protector or helper."
[4:123]
So entering Paradise requires that we live as believers and die as Muslims. That takes knowledge, dedication and determination to see it through to its completion. The fist step is belief in Allah and His Messenger, and the flip side to that is leaving all acts of shirk; this means directing all acts of ibadah to none but Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, whether it be wearing talismans, supplicating to others than Allah or simply showing off. The next step is obeying Allah and His Messenger, avoiding bid'ah and innovations, and carrying out all compulsory acts of worship that He has prescribed. Once we are steadfast and regular in what we must do, we can then proceed to the next level of eman and worship, by doing the things that we have been encouraged to do. By increasing out acts of worship, and remembrance of Allah we will leave off sin and help safeguard ourselves from a Fire, the fuel of which is men and stones.
We Should Also Strive to:-
Protect our minds from thoughts, which are evil, because evil actions begin with evil thoughts.
Protect our eyes by lowering our gazes and not looking at forbidden things.
Protect our ears from lewd or evil speech where there is sin. We should also avoid listening to lies, gossip, music, slander, or blasphemy.
Protect our tongues by saying always what is correct and true, and keeping it moist with the remembrance of Allah, and keeping away from backbiting and other evil speech.
Protect our stomachs by eating the halal and keeping away from the haram. We should beware of eating usury, carrion, and swine or drinking intoxicants or taking drugs.
Protect our hands from taking what does not belong to us, or from doing harm to another Muslim.
Protect our legs from taking us to evil and corruption and an ultimate doom.
Protect our private parts from unlawful sexual intercourse.
Protect our wealth by not squandering it or holding on to it too tightly.
Protect our oaths, witnesses and trusts by not breaching or breaking a contract or pledge knowingly. We should not exceed our agreements, testify to falsehood or break our trusts.
Protect our families and children by keeping them away from the things that may be harmful and that may corrupt their minds and their souls.
Now, it is true that only Allah knows who the believers are, but that should not stop us from striving to be among their numbers. For the believers will have eternal bliss and complete success, because of the things that they did in this life. Allah says, "So no soul knows the delight of the eyes which is hidden for them; a reward for what they did."
[32:17]
We now stand at the start of the race, so let us run forward quickly to the finish line, where the gates of Paradise will be open for those who strive as they should. The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, who said, "Paradise is surrounded by hardship and the Hellfire is surround by wishes and desires," has described the road to eternal bliss.
[Sahih al-Jami]
Despite this, Allah and His Messenger have left breadcrumbs along the path, for us to follow to make our journey easier. All roads may lead to Rome, but not all paths lead to Allah and His Paradise. We must plan our journey by using only the road map given to us by Allah and His Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.
Ways That Lead To Paradise:-
Belief and Righteous Deeds are two of the best routes to Jannah (Paradise). The door of righteous deeds is wide and the ways of obtaining rewards are vast, as Allah says, "And those who believe and do good deeds they are the inhabitants of Paradise, in it they shall abide."
[2:82]
Taqwa is the fear of the Most Merciful, and acting in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. That is, hoping for the reward of Allah and avoiding disobedience of His Guidance and fearing His Punishment. For Allah says, "Surely those of taqwa shall be in the midst of Gardens and fountains."
[15:45]
The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, "The most common thing which leads people to Paradise is taqwa of Allah and good conduct, and the most common thing which leads people to the Hell Fire is the mouth and the private parts."
[at-Tirmidhi]
Obedience of Allah and His Messenger is a sure way to Paradise. Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says, "And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will cause him to enter Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and whoever turns back, He will chastise him with a painful chastisement."
[48:17]
Allah's Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, "All of my followers will enter Paradise except those who refuse." It was asked, "O Messenger of Allah, who would refuse?" He said, "He who obeys me enters Paradise and he who disobeys me has refused."
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
Fighting in the Path of Allah with one's goods and soul. For Allah says, "O you who believe, shall I lead you to a merchandise which may deliver you from a painful chastisement? You shall believe in Allah and His Messenger, and struggle hard in Allah's Cause with your property and your lives; that is better for you, if you but knew! He will forgive you your sins and cause you to enter Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and goodly dwellings in Gardens of perpetuity; that is the mighty achievement."
[61:10-12]
Repentance erases what came before it as the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "The one who repents form sin is like the one who never sinned."
[Sahih Al-Jami]
And Allah says, "Except such as repent and believe and do good, these shall enter the Garden, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly in any way."
[19:60]
There are countless other means, from building a mosque to seeking Islamic knowledge to obeying our husbands and raising righteous children. All it takes is our time and sincere efforts. With all that Allah has described, it may seem daunting to us at times, that we will ever make it. Eman rises and falls, and with it our good deeds. But we should never lose hope in Allah, for the only one who loses hope in Allah is the one who disbelieves.
So even though we may feel that we are at the bottom of the pile, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) gives us hope. He said, "Mousa, alayhes salam, asked his Lord, 'Who amongst the inhabitants of Paradise will be the lowest in rank?' He (subhanahu wa ta'ala) said, 'He is a man who will come after the people have entered Paradise and it will be said to him: Enter Paradise.' He will say, 'How my Lord? Indeed, the people have settled in their apartments and taken their shares.' It will be asked of him, 'Would you be pleased if there was a kingdom for you like the kingdoms of the earth?' He will say, 'I would be pleased, my Lord.' He will say, 'And for you is the like of that, and the like of it, and the like of it.' He will say at the fifth time, 'I am pleased, my Lord.' He will say, 'This is for you and ten times like it, and for you is what you desire for yourself and what is pleasurable to your eye.' He will say, "I am pleased my Lord."
[Muslim]
This is what Allah has for the least among us. But despite all the glorious castles, the beautiful clothes and mates we will posses, inshaAllah, He still has in store for the believers the greatest honor awaiting them in Paradise. Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "When the inmates of Paradise enter Paradise and the inmates of Hellfire will enter Hell, the announcer will say, 'O people of Paradise, verily you have a promise with Allah and He wishes to fulfill His promise to you.' They will ask, 'What is His promise? Has He not made our balances heavy (with good deed), whitened our faces, admitted us into Paradise, and delivered us from the Hellfire?' Then the screen will be removed and they will look towards Him. By Allah He will not give them a thing more beloved to them and more comforting to their eyes, than the gaze of Himself."
[Sahih al-Jami]
We were created in Paradise, we came out of it and we will inshaAllah go back to it. It is our destination and we shall reach it. But we have to do what Allah has asked us to do, for Paradise is not cheap. The price is true eman that is shown in obedience to Allah according to the sunnah of his Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. The companions understood that. Their efforts were all for the life of the Hereafter and they gave only what was necessary to this worldly life. As Muslims, everything we do, can be, and should be worship of Allah. Whether we're working at the office to provide for our families; cooking a meal; raising our children, or simply resting, through remembrance of Allah and supplication, we can transform these earthly necessities into fruits that will bear for us in the life of the Hereafter.
So let us keep our eyes on the prize, and strive hard for it, for Allah says, "And (as for) those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways; and Allah is most surely with the doers of good."
[29:69]
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN NUMBER FIVE:
Sources: Books of hadits by: syaikh ibn Qayyim Al Jauziyyah (Hadiil Arwah), 2 books by tsaniyatun mudarrisun: Husain bin Audah Al Awayisyah and Ali Hasan al Halabi al Atsari.
- The principle in reading this is ibn Abbas ra (shahaba) words "IN HEAVEN EVERYTHING IN IT IS SAME ONLY IN THE NAMES."
· They eat, drink and Jima'
From Zaid bin Arqam Radhiyallaahu 'anhu who said an ahli kitab came to Rasulullah Shalallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam while saying "Yaa Abul Qasim (Muhammad), do you say that the denizens of Jannah will eat and drink? He spoke "Yes, by Dzat who Muhammad soul in His hand. Verily that the denizens of Jannah are being given the power of 100 males in eating, drinking and jima' (sexual intercourse)."
That man said "Every people who eat and drink will excrete, isn't in Jannah (Heaven) there is nothing dirty?"
He spoke "Their excrement is their sweat which flow from the skin like drops of Misik, so their stomach become empty". (HR.Ahmad, Nasa'i, and Thabrani, with shahih sanad, Shahih Targhib wa Tarhib (3739).
· The similar hadits in HR.Ibn Hibban and Hakim. Look Shahih Mawarid Azh-Zham'an (2230)
I Look this hadits in Husain bin 'Audah Al 'Awayisyah's book about Qiyamat, Hellfire and Heaven.
And about "the sound from the mouth who has full stomach" in the book by Ali bin Hasan Al Halabi Al Atsari, I've forget where the book is now.
II. They will have palaces from Ya'qut and pearls, it' s all types of emeralds and pearls and diamonds.
III. They will have palaces from gold and silver
IV. They will have many trees from saying "Laa haula wa laa quwwata illa billah", and "MasyaAllah,laa haula wa laa quwwata illa billaah," when they are fil ardhi.
V. The clothes will be make from the fruits of the trees.
VI. In there there will be horses from Yaqut that could fly.
VII. Mukminin and syahid will be in inside the stomach of birds which fly around Jannah. They dwell in there before doomsday
VIII. The first that will be eaten by them are a cow and the flesh that is in the heart of a whale.
IX. In the day of Resurrection, everyone who are ahli Qur'an, will be given eternity and glory and will be given to their parents :the crown.
Irji'i Ila Rabbiki Raadhiyyatam Mardhiyyatan
· In Hadits, there is a description about the palace from emeralds and diamonds, inside that palace there is 70 doors. In each doors there are another palaces made from red emeralds and diamonds.
For someone who like to fill Jum'at with 'ibadat, will be given to them a shade in the hereafter which is the day of Jum'at himself, which is white and there are two person watching them. Look at Silsilah Hadits Ash Shahihah no.3.
And off course, Muslmin will never forget the ZIYADAT meant by Qur'an verse, because watching Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala where He will ask us to talk to Him, said in a Hadits will be as the most undescribeable of all that are in Jannatul ma'wa.
See Mukhtashar 'Al 'Uluw of Adz Dzahabi by Abu Abdurrahman Muhammad Nashiruddin Al Albani bin Nuh Najati, where one of the hadits in there said that the denizens of Jannatu 'adn see a lot of KARAMAH, when seeing ALLAHU TABARAKA TA'ALA.
From Hadits in Ali bin Hasan Al Halabi Al Atsari's book there are hadits which tell us:
In 'Adn, the denizens will do DZIKIR like as they are breathing. It's done because it's in Heaven and because they love Allahu Ta'ala so much.
Actually there is no divorce there at all, and the men have many wives as minimum of two, hadits said.
I personally hold the opinion that why they have a lot of wives is because Allah wants them to have 2 in the earth but they couldn't do it on earth and because Allah's knowledge of what's best for Muslimin.
For your information, choose the best Muslim and marry him and never divorce with him and never marry again, unless thy found better husband. WHY??? Because HADITS said that the last husband (na'am: fid dunya) will be the HUSBAND in Jannatu 'Adn.
Actually to clear it all, in there we could change our looks. It was narrated in Hadiil Arwah, from Rasulullah Shalallahu 'AW, that there will be market in Jannatun na'im where the denizens could buy anything. The story goes where one of the denizen buy a painting and want himself to look alike as the guy in the painting, and suddenly he look as that guy.
And every men in there getting a wind from the NORTH and they become handsomer every time they get it.
While the wives become prettier also, but it is not known how.
Read HADIIL ARWAH by Syamsuddin ibn Qayyim Al Jauziyyah, Husain bin Audah Al Awayisyah's book and Ali bin Hasan Al Halabi's book about Barzakh, Qiyamah, Jannah wan Naar.
FEW POINTS ABOUT HOURI IN PARADISE:-
1. A houri is a most beautiful young woman with a transparent body. The marrow of her bones is visible like the interior lines of pearls and rubies. She looks like a red wine in a white glass.
2. She is of white colour, and free from the routine physical disabilities of an ordinary woman such as menstruation, menopause, urinal and offal discharge, child-bearing, and the related pollution.
3. She is a woman characterized by modesty and flexing glances; she never looks at any man except her husband, and feels grateful for being the wife of her husband.
4. A houri is a young woman, free from odium and animosity. Besides, she knows the meaning of love and has the ability to put it into practice.
5. A houri is an immortal woman, who does not age. She speaks softly and does not raise voice at her man; she is always reconciled with him. Having been brought up in luxury, she is a luxury herself.
6. A houri is a girl of tender age, having large upright breasts. Houris dwell in palaces of splendid surroundings Now, add to this description of houris, what Mishkat, volume three says on pages 83-97
7. If a houri looks down from her abode in heaven onto the earth, the whole distance shall be filled with light and fragrance.
8. A houri's face is more radiant than a mirror, and one can see one's image in her cheek. The marrow of her shins is visible to the eyes.
9. Every man who enters paradise shall be given seventy-two houris; no matter at what age he had died, when he enters paradise, he will become a thirty-year-old, and he will not age any further.
Praise be to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa’ Ta’aalaa):-
Intoduction to hoors of Jannah (Paradise):-
Definition of Houris (also called: hoor al-Ayn/hur ul-Ayn/hoors/hurs) from Noble Quran:
“Very fair females created by Allah as such not from the off-spring of Adam, with intense black irises of their eyes and intense white scleras”. [Noble Quran; Glossary; Houris]
The Houris (hoors/hoor al-Ayn) have variously been described as being “chaste females”, “restraining their glances”, “modest gaze”, “wide and beautiful/lovely eyes”, “untouched / with hymen unbroken by sexual intercourse”, “like pearls”, “virgins”, “voluptuous/full-breasted”, “with large, “non-menstruating/urinating/defecating and childfree”, round breasts which are not inclined to hang”, “companions of equal age”, “transparent to the marrow of their bones”, “eternally young”, “hairless” , “pure”, “beautiful”, “white”, “revirginating”, “splendid beauty”.
Now you can read some verses of the Holy Quran mentioning the attributes of Houris (Hoor al-ayn/Hurs):-
“And with them will be chaste females, restraining their glances (desiring none except their husbands), with wide and beautiful eyes; (Delicate and pure) as if they were (hidden) eggs (well) preserved.” [Sura As-Sâffât (37):40-48]
“And beside them will be chaste females (virgins) restraining their glances only for their husbands, (and) of equal ages.” [Sura Sâd (38):52]
“So (it will be), and We shall marry them to Houris (female fair ones) with wide, lovely eyes.” [Sura Ad-Dukhân (44):51-55]
“They will recline (with ease) on thrones arranged in ranks. And We shall marry them to Houris (female, fair ones) with wide lovely eyes.” [Sura At-Tûr (52):20]
“Wherein both (gardens) will be those (maidens) restraining their glances upon their husbands, whom no man or jinn yatmithhunna (has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse) before them. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny? (In beauty) they are like rubies and coral.” [Sura Ar-Rahmân (55):56-58]
“Therein (gardens) will be fair (wives) good and beautiful; …Houris (beautiful, fair females) restrained in pavilions; …Whom no man or jinn yatmithhunna (has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse) before them.” [Sura Ar-Rahmân (55):70,72,74]
“And (there will be) Houris (fair females) with wide, lovely eyes (as wives for the pious), Like unto preserved pearls.” [Sura Al-Wâqi'ah (56):22-23]
Verily, We have created them (maidens) of special creation. And made them virgins; Loving (their husbands only), equal in age. [Sura Al-Wâqi'ah (56):37-40]
And young full-breasted (mature) maidens of equal age; [Sura An-Naba' (78):33]
Now you can read some Hadiths regarding the attributes of Houris (Hur ul-ayn/Hoors):-
Allâh (SWT) says in the Holy Quran:
“Houris (beautiful, fair females) restrained in pavilions
…With Whom no man or jinn “yatmithhunna” (has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse) before them.” [Sura Ar-Rahmân (55):72,74]
“The statement of Allah in above mentioned ayah, Beautiful fair females restrained in pavilions. Narrated Qaisi, Allah’s Apostle said, ‘In Paradise there is a pavilion made of a single hollow pearl sixty miles wide, in each corner there are wives (houris) who will not see those in the other corners; and the believers (Muslims) will visit and enjoy them.’” [Al-Bukhari vol.6:402 and prior p.374]
According to Ibn Kathir (died 1373 CE) in his Holy Quranic commentary (Tafsir) of the above mentioned Surah Al-Rahman (55), verse 72: “The Prophet Muhammad(saw) was heard saying: ‘The smallest reward for the people of paradise is an abode where there are 80,000 servants and 72 wives (houris), over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine, and ruby, as wide as the distance from Al-Jabiyyah [a Damascus suburb] to Sana’a [Yemen]’.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]
The Prophet (saw) said, “If a houri looks down from her abode in heaven onto the earth, the whole distance (space) shall be filled with light and fragrance. A houri’s face is more radiant than a mirror, and one can see one’s image in her cheek. The marrow of her shins is visible to the eyes.” [Mishkat, volume 3,pg 83-97]
Maidens of Paradise:-
The temporary life of this word is a great test for man. Temptations are many and man is weak. Of all the temptations, the temptation relating to the opposite sex is the highest. If the sexual urge of a man is left unchecked and unregulated, there will be total anarchy and mischief in the world.
To control and regulate this desire any form of illicit affiliation with the opposite sex is strictly forbidden. To maintain a high level of morality, Islam has ordained very strict laws and many restrictions to curtail the unlawful, carnal desires of man.
All of these strict restrictions weigh heavily on the ‘Nafs’ – the Self of Man. The nafs constantly seeks gratification and indulgence of its desires. To control these wild desires is not an easy task. There is a constant struggle that exists between man and his desires in this word. For the young, the struggle is even more intense and great.
For those people who restrain and control the desires of the nafs in this world, Allah has promised immense rewards in the hereafter. Man sometimes forgets these rewards and becomes inclined in sin. If he is reminded about these rewards, his resolve to control the nafs becomes stronger and more vigorous. It becomes easier to sacrifice the desires in view of these great rewards in the hereafter.
In this article, some of the rewards of the hereafter and specially those relating to the the Hurs (Maidens) of Jannah are mentioned. By pondering about the beauties of Jannah and its beautiful maidens, the youth will feel a renewed vigour to fight their carnal desires and strive for the pleasure of Allah by doing righteous deeds. Furthermore, the beauty of the woman of this world will appear pale and insignificant before the beauty of those stunning damsels in Jannah.
Allah has put in every human being the natural desire and inclination for gold, silver, money, transportation, land and other items of this world. Similarly, Allah has placed in every person the natural desire for the opposite sex, and out of the desires of a person, the greatest test for a Muslim is how he fulfils this desire. He can either fail this test by unlawful satisfying this desire, or pass this test by fulfilling this desire lawfully through marriage.
In order to motivate us to pass this test, it is very important for us to understanding the reward for controlling one’s desires and staying away from evil.
Jannah is a place where a person will have all that he desires, and he will live a perfect and everlasting life. Each pleasure at Jannah will be far more superior than the pleasure found in this world.
Similarly, the women in Jannah will be far more superior to the women of this world. Once a person gets to know of this, it will become very easy for him to stay away from evil and corruption and it will become easy for him to work towards the Hereafter.
This article contains a detailed description of these women based on the verses of the Holy Qur’an, Tafseer, Hadith and stories of the Prophets (saw).
Those celestial women specially created for the people of Jannah are known as Huree-ayn. A Hur is young, gorgeous, wide-eyed beauty, a fair skinned woman with intensely dark eyes. The meaning of ‘ayn’ is a woman with big, attractive eyes, which is also considered a sign of beauty.
The following is a narration of two Sahabas, it is narrated from Ibn Abbas, Anas, Abu Salman and Mujahid that the hurs will be created from ‘saffron’. When the present creation of mankind which is created from sand has the best of forms and beauty, then you can imagine the beauty of women created from saffron.
Allah Taa’la says:
“And they will have pure wives in Jannah and they will stay there forever.”
Qatada mentions that these women will be pure from all external impurities such as menstruation, urine excreta and saliva. They will also be free from all evil and internal qualities such as malice, hypocrisy, swearing etc. Thus they will not have within them the smallest amount of disobedience to their husbands.
Allah Taa’la says:
“And they will have fair females with big, lovely eyes who will be like hidden pearls.”
The women of Jannah will be like fresh pearls because of their cleanliness and fair skin colour.
Anas (ra) narrates that Rasullullah(saw) said:
“Definitely, the inhabitants of Jannah will visit a market every Friday. A northly wind will blow and it will spread goodness upon their faces and clothes causing them to increase in beauty. They will then return to their wives after having become more beautiful than they were before. Their wives will say to them, “We swear by Allah, you have definitely increased in beauty”. They will also say to their wives, “We swear by Allah, you have also increased in beauty.”
A human being has his own understanding of beauty which is confined to his limited and deficient knowledge. Allah, in his infinite knowledge and wisdom had described the women of Jannah as beautiful. So we cannot comprehend how beautiful these women must actually be!
May Allah grant us the ability to strive for His pleasure in this world and grant us death with Imaan.
Ameen!
AL-QURAN: [ 2:201 ].
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN NUMBER ONE:
The Doors of Heaven:
Hadith implies that the heaven has eight doors: Whoever performed a perfect ablution and recited shahadah then all the eight doors of the heaven are thrust open for him–he may enter from whichever door he likes. (Sahih Muslim).
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) has also told us:
When Ramadhan comes round, the doors of the skies are opened. Another tradition has it that the doors of the Heaven are opened and those of the Fire are closed (Sahih Bukhari).
Width of the Doors of Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
By Him in whose hands my soul is, the distance between the two gate posts of paradise is like the distance between Makkah and Himyar or between Makkah and Basra (Bukhari).
Keys of Heaven
Indeed swords are the keys of heaven. (Ibn Abi Sheeba, Kitabul Jihad)
The Width of Heaven
Be you foremost (in seeking) forgiveness from your Lord, and a garden of Bliss the width of whereof is as the width of heaven and earth. (Al-Hadid: 21)
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) has described the width of heaven thus: Harith’s (RA) mother came to the Prophet (SAW), Harith had been martyred during the battle of Badr. She said: “O Prophet of Allah! You know how much I loved him. If his reward is heaven, than I will not cry but if not than you see what I will do before you.” The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said: “Is that just one heaven? There are very many heavens and your son is in the best of them, Al-Firdous Al-Aala.” (Sahih Bukhari)
The Width of Hundred Grades of Heaven and Sublimity of Firdaus
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Indeed, there are hundred grades of the Heaven and the distance between the two grades is as great as between the heaven and earth. Allah has prepared these grades for those who perform Jihad in the way of Allah. (Bukhari)
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said of Firdous:
When you pray ask for Firdous, for it is in the middle of heaven and is higher in grade than the heaven and above Firdous is Allah’s throne, moreover the canals of heaven flow from Firdous. (Bukhari)
Land and Weather of Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
“And then I was showed in the heaven, I saw there were camps made of pearls and the soil was of musk.” (Bukhari)
The Qur’an says of the dwellers of the heaven: They will see there neither the sun’s (excessive heat) nor the moon’s excessive cold.
Trees in Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Indeed, there is a tree in heaven so big that if a person keeps riding on a brisk Madhamar (a specially bred horse) for a hundred years even then he would not reach the end of that tree. (Bukhari)
Each Tree is of Gold
Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
There is no tree in the heaven that does not have a trunk of gold. (Muslim)
A Tree That Will Manufacture Robes
There is a tree in the heaven, which will manufacture robes for the dwellers of the heaven. That tree is called
Tuba.
A hadith has these words about this tree.
Tuba is a tree in the heaven, which spreads out as much as a distance that can be covered in a hundred years. Robes for the dwellers of the heaven will sprout from its buds.
How to Plant Trees in Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
In the night of Isra when I met Ibrahim (AS) he said: O Muhammad (SAW) tell your people that the heaven has pure soil and sweet water but the land is bare. If they want to plant trees in the heaven, they should say Subhan Allah Al-Hamdulillah and Allah Akbar.
Quranic Names of Heaven
Jannat–This name has been used most commonly in the Qur’an and Hadith. (Al-Baqarah: 35, Al-e-Imran: 133, 142, Al-Maidah: 72)
Dar-us-Salam–This means the Home of Peace (Yunus: 25)
Jannat-ul-Khuld–The Eternal Gardens. (Al-Furqan: 15)
Darul-Maqamah–The Home (Fatir: 35)
Jannat-e-Adan–Gardens of Everlasting Bliss (Tauba: 72, Ar-Rad: 23)
Darul-Hywan–But verily the Home in the Hereafter–that is life indeed, if they but knew. (Al-Ankabut: 64)
Jannat-un-Naeem–The Gardens of Delight. (Al-Maida: 65 Yunus: 9 Al-Haj: 56)
Al-Maqam-al-Ameen–The House of Security (Ad-Dukhan: 51)
Jannat-ul-Mawa–Garden of Abode (An-Najm: 15)
Maqad-as-Sidq–Assembly of Truth (Al-Qawr: 55)
Qadam-as-Sidq-Assembly ofTruth (Al-Qawr:55).
Firdous–The Highest Gardens of the Heaven (Al-Kahaf: 107, Al-Muminoon: 11)
Scent of Heaven
According to Ahadith, the scent of the Heaven can be smelled from a distance of 70 years. (Sahih Al-Jame As-sagheer)
Mansions in Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Indeed, there will be a mansion made of pearls for a believer. It will be spread over an area of 60 miles, and in it will be the household of a believer who will visit them but they will not be able to see each other. (Bukhari)
No Sleep in Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Sleep is the sisiter of death and the dwellers of the heaven will not sleep (Silsalatul Ahadith)
The Bazaar of Heaven
It is reported on the authority of Anas bin Malik (RA): The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
Indeed, there is a bazaar in the heaven where the dwellers of the Heaven will come on every Friday. The northerly wind will spray scent on them and this will enhance their beauty. And when they will return to their homes, their households will say “By Allah, your beauty has enhanced.” “So has yours,” they will return the compliment. (Muslim)
In short, they will be overwhelmed by Allah’s favours.
And when you look, it is there you will see a bliss and a realm magnificent. (Ad-Dahr: 20)
Gibraeel’s (AS) Impression of Heaven
The Prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
When Allah Almighty created the heaven and the hell, He asked Jibraeel to go and take a look at what He has prepared for believers in the Heaven. Jibraeel went and had a look at what was there in the Heaven, and then he came back and expressed himself thus: By your dignity! Whoever will hear of this Heaven will certainly strive for it. Then it was said that the road to the heaven is littered with hardships, and Jibraeel was asked to take another look at the Heaven. He came back and said, “By your dignity I am afraid that nobody will be able to enter it. (Tirmizee)
This means that the heaven is such a magnificent place that whoever knew of it would certainly strive for it, but when Allah Almighty ordained that the Heaven lies in facing trials and tribulations, Gibraeel (AS) thought that nobody might be able to enter it.
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN NUMBER TWO:
The idea and estimate of Heaven, and at that the Paradise which will be given to the Chief of the Prophets, the Pride of the Two Worlds (saw) can be had from this that the lowest man amongst the occupants of Paradise will get a garden ten times bigger than that of this world. Entering Paradise he will glance right and left and seeing the gardens will ask: "For whom are these"? He will be told that they are for him. When he will proceed further, a red ruby or a green emerald will be brought before him in which there will be seventy houses, each having seventy rooms and each room having seventy doors. He will be told: "Go on reciting and climbing," until he reaches his masnad (throne) on which he will sit and recline. Then his houris will come to him. Their condition will be such that one of them will come and sit down before him on the throne. She will be wearing seventy suits of clothes, each of a different colour, and she will be so beautiful that in spite of those clothes her flesh and blood and bones, even bone-marrow, will be visible. This lowly occupant of Paradise will ask her: "Who are you"? She will say: "I am the houri who had been preserved for you till now. Then he will continue making amorous glances at her for forty years and will not withdraw his eves from her.
Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) reports: "We said: O Apostle of Allah! Describe to us how will be the construction of Paradise?” He (saw) said: "There will be bricks of gold and silver and the mortar will be of musk and its gravel will be of garnet and pearls and its dust of saffron.”
Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) reports that there is a tree in Paradise, the trunk of which is of gold and its branches are of emerald and pearl. When the wind blows such a melodious sound is produced that the hearers have not heard a more melodious sound. Similarly, the Holy Prophet (saw) described the trees, canals, fruits, walls, doors, in brief, everything of the Paradise - things which neither any eye has seen nor any ear has heard about nor the thought thereof has passed any mind.
When such wonderful bounties are there for an ordinary occupant of Paradise, what must be there for the near ones, the favourites and the Chief of the Prophets (saw) Wrongdoers like us, through slave-hood to the Holy Prophet (saw) may receive the greatest bounty of his companionship and at that, with such bounties what can be a greater reward than this? May Allah Most High bestow upon us the ability to appreciate these bounties and create room in our hearts for his holiness's auspicious methods! Amen!
A hundred pities that action on these methods, in spite of such great promises, even the greatness of these methods has today departed from the Muslims' hearts! A hundred pities that action on these methods, in spite of such great promises, even the greatness of these methods has today departed from the Muslims' hearts!
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN NUMBER THREE:
If You Ask About Paradise:-
By Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, Rahimahullaah
Ibn al-Qayyim said, in regards to the description of the Paradise and the delights that it contains:
“And if you ask about its ground and its soil, then it is of musk and saffron.
And if you ask about its roof, then it is the Throne of the Most Merciful.
And if you ask about its rocks, then they are pearls and jewels.
And if you ask about its buildings, then they are made of bricks of gold and silver.
And if you ask about its trees, then it does not contain a single tree except that its trunk is made of gold and silver.
And if you ask about its fruits, then they are softer than butter and sweeter than honey.
And if you ask about its leaves, then they are softer than the softest cloth.
And if you ask about its rivers, then there are rivers of milk who’s taste does not change, and rivers of wine that is delicious to those who drink it, and rivers of honey that is pure, and rivers of water that is fresh.
And if you ask about their food, then it is fruits from whatever they will choose, and the meat of whatever birds they desire.
And if you ask about their drink, then it is Tasneem, ginger, and Kaafoor.
And if you ask about their drinking cups, then they are crystal-clear and made of gold and silver.
And if you ask about its shade, then a fast rider would ride in the shade of one of its trees for a hundred years and not escape it.
And if you ask about its vastness, then the lowest of its people would have within his kingdom and walls and palaces and gardens the distance that would be travelled in a thousand years.
And if you ask about its tents and encampments, then one tent is like a concealed pearl that is sixty miles long.
And if you ask about its towers, then they are rooms above rooms in buildings that have rivers running underneath them.
And if you ask about how far it reaches into the sky, then look at the shining star that is visible, as well as those that are far in the heavens that the eyesight cannot possibly reach.
And if you ask about the clothing of its inhabitants, then they are of silk and gold.
And if you ask about its beds, then its blankets are of the finest silk laid out in the highest of its levels.
And if you ask about the faces of its inhabitants and their beauty, then they are like the image of the Moon.
And if you ask about their age, then they are young ones of 33 years in the image of Adam, the father of humanity.
And if you ask about what they will be hearing, then it is the singing of their wives from among the Hoor al-’Ayn, and better than that are the voices of the Angels and the Prophets, and better than that is the Speech of the Lord of the Worlds.
And if you ask about their servants, then they are young boys of everlasting youth who resemble scattered pearls.
And if you ask about their brides and wives, then they are young and full-breasted and have had the liquid of youth flow through their limbs; the Sun runs along the beauty of her face if she shows it, light shines from between her teeth if she smiles; if you meet her love, then say whatever you want regarding the joining of two lights; he sees his face in the roundness of her cheek as if he is looking into a polished mirror, and he sees the brightness from behind her muscles and bones; if she were to be unleashed upon the World, she would fill what is between the Heavens and the Earth with a beautiful wind, and the mouths of the creation would glorify, praise, and exclaim greatness, and everything between the East and the West would be adorned for her, and every eye would be shut from everything but her, and the light of the Sun would be outshone just as the light of the Sun outshines the light of the stars, and everyone on the face of the Earth would believe in the Ever-Living, the One who Sustains and Protects all the exists.
And the covering on her head is better than the World and all that is in it, and she does not increase with age except in beauty; free from an umbilical cord, childbirth and menses, and pure of mucous, saliva, urine and other filthy things; her youth never fades, her clothing is never worn out, no garment can be created that matches her beauty, and no one who is with her can ever become bored; her attention is restricted to her husband, so she desires none but him, just as his attention is restricted to her so she is the sole object of his desire, and he is with her in utmost safety and security, as none has touched her before of either humans or Jinn.
And if you ask about the Day of Increase (in reward) and the visit of the all-Mighty, all-Wise, and the sight of His Face – free from any resemblance or likeness to anything – as you see the Sun in the middle of the day and the full Moon on a cloudless night, then listen on the day that the caller will call: ‘O People of Paradise! Your Lord – Blessed and Exalted – requests you to visit Him, so come to visit Him!’ So they will say: ‘We hear and obey!’
Until, when they finally reach the wide valley where they will all meet – and none of them will turn down the request of the caller – the Lord – Blessed and Exalted – will order His Chair to be brought there. Then, pulpits of light will emerge, as well as pulpits of pearls, gemstone, gold, and silver. The lowest of them in rank will sit on sheets of musk, and will not see what those who are on the chairs above them are given. When they are comfortable where they are sitting and are secure in their places, and the caller calls: ‘O People of Paradise! You have an appointment with Allaah in which He wishes to reward you!’ So they will say: ‘And what is that reward? Has He not already made our faces bright, made our scales heavy, entered us into Paradise, and pushed us away from the Fire?’
And when they are like that, all of a sudden a light shines that encompasses all of Paradise. So, they raise their heads, and, behold: the Compeller – Exalted is He, and Holy are His Names – has come to them from above them and majestified them and said: ‘O People of Paradise! Peace be upon you!’ So, this greeting will not be responded to with anything better than: ‘O Allaah! You are Peace, and from You is Peace! Blessed are You, O possessor of Majesty and Honor!’ So the Lord – Blessed and Exalted – will laugh to them and say: ‘O People of Paradise! Where are those who used to obey Me without having ever seen Me? This is the Day of Increase!’
So, they will all give the same response: ‘We are pleased, so be pleased with us!’ So, He will say: ‘O People of Paradise! If I were not pleased with you, I would not have made you inhabitants of My Paradise! So, ask of Me!’ So, they will all give the same response: ‘Show us your Face so that we may look at it!’ So, the Lord – Mighty and Majestic – will remove his covering and will majesty them and will cover them with His Light, which, if Allaah – the Exalted – had not Willed not to burn them, would have burned them.
And there will not remain a single person in this gathering except that his Lord – the Exalted – will speak to him and say: ‘Do you remember the day that you did this and that?’ and He will remind him of some of his bad deeds in the Worldly life, so he will say: ‘O Lord! Will you not forgive me?’ So, He will say: ‘Of course! You have not reached this position of yours (in Paradise) except by my forgiveness.’
So, how sweet is this speech to the ears, and how cooled are the righteous eyes by the glance at His Noble Face in the Afterlife…
{Some faces that Day will be shining and radiant, looking at their Lord…} (al-Qiyaamah:22-3)
[from the amazing and beautiful book Haadi al-Arwaah ilaa Bilaad il-Afraah by Ibn al-Qayyim, pg. 193] [Kalamullah.com]
DESCRIPTION OF PARADISE NUMBER FOUR:
Paradise in Islam:-
"And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it as he ought to strive and he is a believer; (as for) these, their striving shall surely be accepted."
[17:19]
Recently I took a trip to see my Dad, who happens to be a non-Muslim, in order for him to meet the latest addition to our family, and in order for me to yet again try to convince him that he should accept Islam. While I was there, however, I found out something about him that I never knew before. My father is a workaholic. This man works seven days a week, sometimes 10-to-12 hours a day. The saddest part being, that his labor is all for nothing, for Allah says,
"(These are) they whose labor is lost in this world's life and they think that they are well-versed in skill of the work of hands."
[18:104]
Now, even though the situation with my Dad threw me for a loop, it really got me thinking. How many of us, Muslims, are in the very same predicament as my father? How many of us are working hard for the life of this world, at the cost of the Hereafter? How many of us are putting in 40-plus hours a week at our jobs, and other recreational activities, while putting in only the smallest amounts of time when it comes to our Deen? Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says that truly Man shall earn what he strives for. The question now is what are we truly striving and working for?
Maybe it's because at the end of the week, we are rewarded with something tangible for our efforts, a check we can see and touch. The Hereafter, although being equally as real, is at the same time, mystifying and ethereal in its nature. It's a delayed gratification, which makes it harder to earn. Our wages for our efforts in the deen will not be paid in full until we exit the life of this world. For Allah says, "Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life). For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception."
[3:185]
Our final destination is the life of the Hereafter. Where we end up, Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannam (Hell-fire) depends on what we worked towards in this life. Paradise is the aim and the hope of every Muslim. But like trying to attain any goal, in order to achieve success, one must have a well-defined plan, and it must be implemented to be successful. Allah says,
"O you who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful."
[5:35]
To prepare for our journey, we need to find out what our destination is like; who are its people, and most importantly, how to get there.
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) told us that within Paradise are things that no eyes have ever seen, nor ears have ever heard, and that things in it are beyond our imagination and comprehension, but we all have our own personal ideas of what eternal bliss would probably be like.
I remember a few years ago, I overheard my niece and my nephew discussing the landscape, and the privileges of living in Jannah. My nephew was telling my niece that in Jannah, they would be able to eat all the candy that they wanted and that there would be streams of chocolate and trees of ice cream. I always tell people, that Paradise for me, would be being able to eat all the cheesecake and chocolate that I wanted, without gaining a pound. But what Allah has in store for the believers is so much more than this. He, in His Book, and through His Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, has given us a clear picture of our goal, so that we can keep it in front of us at all times. By keeping our eyes on the prize, no matter our hardships in this worldly life, we can strive that much harder to attain it.
Allah says, "And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it as he ought to strive and he is a believer; (as for) these, their striving shall surely be accepted."
[17:19]
Allah has also described Paradise in many places in the Qur'an, so let us now take a look at what He has in store for the believers.
Description in the Qur'an of Paradise:-
"The description of Paradise which the Muttaqoon have been promised is that in it are rivers of water, the taste and smell of which are never changed. Rivers of milk the taste of which will remain unchanged. Rivers of wine that will be delicious to those who drink from it and rivers of clear, pure honey. For them will be every kind of fruit and forgiveness form their Lord."
[ 47:15]
"And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient. Reclining on raised thrones, they will see there neither the excessive heat of the sun, nor the excessive bitter cold, (as in Paradise there is no sun and no moon). The shade will be close upon them, and bunches of fruit will hang low within their reach. Vessels of silver and cups of crystal will be passed around amongst them, crystal-clear, made of silver. They will determine the measure of them according to their wishes. They will be given a cup (of wine) mixed with Zanjabeel, and a fountain called Salsabeel. Around them will (serve) boys of perpetual youth. If you see them, you would think they are scattered pearls. When you look there (in Paradise) you will see a delight (that cannot be imagined), and a Great Dominion. Their garments will be of fine green silk and gold embroidery. They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a pure drink."
[76:12-21]
"And those foremost (In Tawheed and obedience to Allah and His Messenger in this life) will be foremost (in Paradise). They will be those nearest to Allah in the Gardens of Delight. A multitude of those (the foremost) will be from the first generation (who embraced Islam) and a few of those (the foremost) will be from the later (generations). They will be reclining, face to face, on thrones woven with gold and precious stones. They will be served by immortal boys, with cups and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine, from which they will have neither any headache, nor any intoxication. They will have fruit from which they may choose, and the flesh of fowls that they desire. There will be Houris with wide, lovely eyes (as wives for the pious), like preserved pearls, a reward for deeds that they used to do. They will hear no vain or sinful speech (like backbiting, etc.) but only the saying of: Salam, Salam, (greetings of peace). And those on the Right Hand, who will be those on the Right Hand? They will be among thorn-less lote-trees among Talh (banana trees) with fruits piled one above another, in long-extended shade, by constantly flowing water, and fruit in plenty, whose season is not limited, and their supply will not be cut off. They will be on couches or thrones raised high. Verily, We have created for them (maidens) of equal age, loving (their husbands only). For those on the Right Hand."
[56:10-38]
"Verily, the dwellers of Paradise that Day, will be busy in joyful things. They and their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones. They will have therein fruits (of all kinds), and all that they will ask for. (It will be said to them): "Salamun" (Peace be on you), a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful."
[36:55-58]
Can you imagine?
Wearing the finest silk clothing and sitting on chairs made of gold and precious stones? Those who disbelieve in the words of Allah, say that this is all a fairy-tale, made up by a would-be prophet. But we know, that Allah is the Truthful and that His Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, spoke only what was revealed to from the Most Truthful. And even though Allah describes Paradise for us in the Qur'an, He still says, "So no soul knows the delights of the eyes which is hidden for them; a reward for what they did."
[32:17]
Apart from the Qur'anic descriptions of Paradise, the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wassalam) would often describe Paradise to his companions. His descriptions were often so vivid and moving, that many-a-companion would hurriedly rush towards it. This was the case, as Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his companions proceeded towards Badr and arrived there before the disbelievers (of Makkah). When the disbelievers arrived, the Messenger of Allah said, "None of you should step forward ahead of me to do anything." Then the disbelievers advanced (towards us), and the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Rise to enter Paradise whose width is equal to the Heavens and the Earth." Umayr Ibnul Humam al-Ansari asked, "O Messenger of Allah, is Paradise equal in width to the heavens and the earth?" He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Yes." Umayr said, "Bak'hin! Bak'hin!" (An Arabic word denoting excitement and astonishment) The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, asked him, "What made you say these words: Bak'hin, Bak'hin?" He said, "Messenger of Allah, nothing but the desire to be amongst its residents." He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "You are surely among its residents." He then took some dates form his bag and began to eat them. Then he said, "If I were to live until I had eaten all of the dates, indeed this life would be too long." Anas then said, "He threw away the remaining dates he had with him. He then fought (the disbelievers) until he was killed."
[Muslim]
What words could have inspired Umair and others like him to long for, and to pay the ultimate price for a place in Paradise? Let's now take a look at what the Messenger of Allah, had to say about Paradise.
Description of Paradise in the Hadith:-
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of lofty mansions (i.e. a superior place in Paradise) in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star, far away in the East or in the West of the horizon. This is because of their superiority over one another (in reward)." One of the people asked, "O Allah's Messenger, are these lofty mansions for the Prophets which no one else can reach?"
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) replied, "No! By Allah, in whose Hands is my life, these are for men who believe in Allah and also believe in the Messenger."
[Bukhari and Muslim]
Abu Musa al-Ash'ari narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Verily, for the believers in Paradise, are tents made of a single hollow pear. The length of which would be sixty miles long from all sides, their wives being therein. The believer will go around them (i.e., visit them) and they will not be able to see each other."
[Sahih al-Jami]
Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "There is not a tree in Paradise, except that its trunk is made of gold."
[Sahih al-Jami]
Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Verily in Paradise there is a market in which (the inhabitants of Paradise) will come to every Friday. The North wind will blow and scatter fragrances on their faces and on their clothes. This will add to their beauty and their attractiveness. They will then go back to their families after having an added luster to their beauty and their attractiveness. Their families will say to them, 'By Allah you have been increased in beauty and loveliness after leaving us,' and they will say, 'By Allah you too have increased in beauty and attractiveness after us.'"
[Muslim]
Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "(I saw in a dream that) I entered Paradise, and behold, there was a palace built of gold. I asked, 'Whose is this palace?' They (the angels) replied, 'For a man from the Quraysh.' So I thought it might be I, so I asked, 'And who is he?' They said, 'Umar Ibnul Khattab.' Nothing stopped me form entering it except your Ghirah (sense of honor)." Umar said, "My Ghirah would never be offended by you, O Messenger of Allah."
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Anas ibn Malik said that Allah's Apostle (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "I entered Paradise and found myself by a river, by its edges were tents of pearls. Then I tapped with my hands where the water was running, and there was then a beautiful smell of Musk. I asked, 'What is this O Gabriel?' He said, 'This is Kawthar (river in Paradise) which Allah has given to you.'"
[Sahih al-Jami]
Who Are the People of Paradise?
We could go on and on, for the ahadith are vast in numbers, about the Prophet's descriptions of Paradise. But a place that has houses built with gold and silver bricks: where its dirt is made of rubies and sapphires and its inhabitants wear only the finest silk garments, sounds like a pretty exclusive neighborhood to me. Who are these people who will be allowed to live in this enchanting place? The Jews say the Jews. The Christians say the Christians. But Allah says, "And they say: 'None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.' Those are their (vain) desires. Say, 'Produce your proof if you are truthful.'
[2:111]
He also says, "(Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying (to them), 'Peace be on you, enter you the Garden, because of (the good) which you did (in the world)."
[16:32]
Always in the Qur'an when Allah mentions those who will attain Paradise, He mentions the believers, not the Muslims. He (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says, "Indeed the Muttaqoon will be amongst the Gardens and water-springs."
[15:45]
He also says, "Verily, the Muttaqoon will be in a place of security, among Gardens and Springs, dressed in fine silk and (also) in thick silk, facing each other. This is how it shall be, and We shall marry them to Houris with wide, lovely eyes. They will request therein for every kind of fruit in peace and security."
[44:51-55]
So who are the believers and how do we become one of them? Allah says, "They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and they strive with one another in hastening to good deeds, and those are among the good."
[3:114]
He (subhanahu wa ta'ala) also says of the believers, "But the Apostle and those who believe with him strive hard with their property and their persons; and these it is who shall have the good things and these it is who shall be successful."
[9:88]
He goes on to say, "Allah has purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain, which you have concluded: that is the achievement supreme."
[9:111]
Of the believers, He also says, "But those who have faith and work righteousness, they are companions of the Garden: Therein shall they abide (forever)."
[2:82]
O slaves of Allah know that being among this illustrious group of people who will live in this place of tranquillity and bliss is not something easily attained. Allah says,
"Or do you think that you shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Apostle and those of faith who were with him cried, 'When (will come) the help of Allah?' Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!"
[2:214]
What Allah and His Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) convey to us is that the people of Paradise are the God-conscious, and the God-fearing. Not everyone, who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, just as not everyone who professes the Shahadah, will enter Paradise.
Only those who fear Allah as He ought to be feared, and are motivated by that fear to do acts of righteousness will attain success. The one who is conscious of His Lord, in every aspect of his life, and turns to Him in true submission, will have purchased for himself safety and security on a day, when there will be none, except with Allah. He does not cause a soul to suffer fear twice, the fear of Him in this world, and the fear on The Day of Judgment. About this, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Allah says, 'I do not combine for my servants two states of fear, or two states of safety. So if he feels safe from Me in this world I will cause him to fear on The Day of Judgment, and if he fears Me in the world, I will cause him to be safe on The Day of Judgment.'"
[Sahih al-Jami]
It is important, therefore, that Muslims know the characters of those who will be the inheritors of Paradise. But it is unfortunate that many of today's Muslims understand that it is enough for one to pronounce the Shahadah by his tongue for him to be entitled to enter Paradise regardless of whether he lived according to Islam or not! But the Shahadah means and requires more than the mere utterance of it. Actually this fact is one of the most mentioned aspects of Islam in the Qur'an and Sunnah. The essence of Eman is deed. Deeds of the heart and deeds of the tongue and other body parts. Deeds that are to be continued till one leaves this world. That was the reason why the Arabs of Makkah refused to pronounce it. They fully appreciated its implication. They knew it concerned authority and understood that they had to govern their deeds and lives with it. Yet many of those who repeat it today lead life styles that do not resemble those described in the Qur'an and practiced by the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, and his companions. The Qur'an warns us that deeds are the basis on which we are to be judged, not only the utterance of the Shahadah, "It is not by your wishes nor the wishes of the People of the Book: whoever does wrong shall be punished for it, and he will find none other than Allah as a protector or helper."
[4:123]
So entering Paradise requires that we live as believers and die as Muslims. That takes knowledge, dedication and determination to see it through to its completion. The fist step is belief in Allah and His Messenger, and the flip side to that is leaving all acts of shirk; this means directing all acts of ibadah to none but Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, whether it be wearing talismans, supplicating to others than Allah or simply showing off. The next step is obeying Allah and His Messenger, avoiding bid'ah and innovations, and carrying out all compulsory acts of worship that He has prescribed. Once we are steadfast and regular in what we must do, we can then proceed to the next level of eman and worship, by doing the things that we have been encouraged to do. By increasing out acts of worship, and remembrance of Allah we will leave off sin and help safeguard ourselves from a Fire, the fuel of which is men and stones.
We Should Also Strive to:-
Protect our minds from thoughts, which are evil, because evil actions begin with evil thoughts.
Protect our eyes by lowering our gazes and not looking at forbidden things.
Protect our ears from lewd or evil speech where there is sin. We should also avoid listening to lies, gossip, music, slander, or blasphemy.
Protect our tongues by saying always what is correct and true, and keeping it moist with the remembrance of Allah, and keeping away from backbiting and other evil speech.
Protect our stomachs by eating the halal and keeping away from the haram. We should beware of eating usury, carrion, and swine or drinking intoxicants or taking drugs.
Protect our hands from taking what does not belong to us, or from doing harm to another Muslim.
Protect our legs from taking us to evil and corruption and an ultimate doom.
Protect our private parts from unlawful sexual intercourse.
Protect our wealth by not squandering it or holding on to it too tightly.
Protect our oaths, witnesses and trusts by not breaching or breaking a contract or pledge knowingly. We should not exceed our agreements, testify to falsehood or break our trusts.
Protect our families and children by keeping them away from the things that may be harmful and that may corrupt their minds and their souls.
Now, it is true that only Allah knows who the believers are, but that should not stop us from striving to be among their numbers. For the believers will have eternal bliss and complete success, because of the things that they did in this life. Allah says, "So no soul knows the delight of the eyes which is hidden for them; a reward for what they did."
[32:17]
We now stand at the start of the race, so let us run forward quickly to the finish line, where the gates of Paradise will be open for those who strive as they should. The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, who said, "Paradise is surrounded by hardship and the Hellfire is surround by wishes and desires," has described the road to eternal bliss.
[Sahih al-Jami]
Despite this, Allah and His Messenger have left breadcrumbs along the path, for us to follow to make our journey easier. All roads may lead to Rome, but not all paths lead to Allah and His Paradise. We must plan our journey by using only the road map given to us by Allah and His Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.
Ways That Lead To Paradise:-
Belief and Righteous Deeds are two of the best routes to Jannah (Paradise). The door of righteous deeds is wide and the ways of obtaining rewards are vast, as Allah says, "And those who believe and do good deeds they are the inhabitants of Paradise, in it they shall abide."
[2:82]
Taqwa is the fear of the Most Merciful, and acting in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. That is, hoping for the reward of Allah and avoiding disobedience of His Guidance and fearing His Punishment. For Allah says, "Surely those of taqwa shall be in the midst of Gardens and fountains."
[15:45]
The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, "The most common thing which leads people to Paradise is taqwa of Allah and good conduct, and the most common thing which leads people to the Hell Fire is the mouth and the private parts."
[at-Tirmidhi]
Obedience of Allah and His Messenger is a sure way to Paradise. Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says, "And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will cause him to enter Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and whoever turns back, He will chastise him with a painful chastisement."
[48:17]
Allah's Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, "All of my followers will enter Paradise except those who refuse." It was asked, "O Messenger of Allah, who would refuse?" He said, "He who obeys me enters Paradise and he who disobeys me has refused."
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
Fighting in the Path of Allah with one's goods and soul. For Allah says, "O you who believe, shall I lead you to a merchandise which may deliver you from a painful chastisement? You shall believe in Allah and His Messenger, and struggle hard in Allah's Cause with your property and your lives; that is better for you, if you but knew! He will forgive you your sins and cause you to enter Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and goodly dwellings in Gardens of perpetuity; that is the mighty achievement."
[61:10-12]
Repentance erases what came before it as the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "The one who repents form sin is like the one who never sinned."
[Sahih Al-Jami]
And Allah says, "Except such as repent and believe and do good, these shall enter the Garden, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly in any way."
[19:60]
There are countless other means, from building a mosque to seeking Islamic knowledge to obeying our husbands and raising righteous children. All it takes is our time and sincere efforts. With all that Allah has described, it may seem daunting to us at times, that we will ever make it. Eman rises and falls, and with it our good deeds. But we should never lose hope in Allah, for the only one who loses hope in Allah is the one who disbelieves.
So even though we may feel that we are at the bottom of the pile, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) gives us hope. He said, "Mousa, alayhes salam, asked his Lord, 'Who amongst the inhabitants of Paradise will be the lowest in rank?' He (subhanahu wa ta'ala) said, 'He is a man who will come after the people have entered Paradise and it will be said to him: Enter Paradise.' He will say, 'How my Lord? Indeed, the people have settled in their apartments and taken their shares.' It will be asked of him, 'Would you be pleased if there was a kingdom for you like the kingdoms of the earth?' He will say, 'I would be pleased, my Lord.' He will say, 'And for you is the like of that, and the like of it, and the like of it.' He will say at the fifth time, 'I am pleased, my Lord.' He will say, 'This is for you and ten times like it, and for you is what you desire for yourself and what is pleasurable to your eye.' He will say, "I am pleased my Lord."
[Muslim]
This is what Allah has for the least among us. But despite all the glorious castles, the beautiful clothes and mates we will posses, inshaAllah, He still has in store for the believers the greatest honor awaiting them in Paradise. Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "When the inmates of Paradise enter Paradise and the inmates of Hellfire will enter Hell, the announcer will say, 'O people of Paradise, verily you have a promise with Allah and He wishes to fulfill His promise to you.' They will ask, 'What is His promise? Has He not made our balances heavy (with good deed), whitened our faces, admitted us into Paradise, and delivered us from the Hellfire?' Then the screen will be removed and they will look towards Him. By Allah He will not give them a thing more beloved to them and more comforting to their eyes, than the gaze of Himself."
[Sahih al-Jami]
We were created in Paradise, we came out of it and we will inshaAllah go back to it. It is our destination and we shall reach it. But we have to do what Allah has asked us to do, for Paradise is not cheap. The price is true eman that is shown in obedience to Allah according to the sunnah of his Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. The companions understood that. Their efforts were all for the life of the Hereafter and they gave only what was necessary to this worldly life. As Muslims, everything we do, can be, and should be worship of Allah. Whether we're working at the office to provide for our families; cooking a meal; raising our children, or simply resting, through remembrance of Allah and supplication, we can transform these earthly necessities into fruits that will bear for us in the life of the Hereafter.
So let us keep our eyes on the prize, and strive hard for it, for Allah says, "And (as for) those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways; and Allah is most surely with the doers of good."
[29:69]
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN NUMBER FIVE:
Sources: Books of hadits by: syaikh ibn Qayyim Al Jauziyyah (Hadiil Arwah), 2 books by tsaniyatun mudarrisun: Husain bin Audah Al Awayisyah and Ali Hasan al Halabi al Atsari.
- The principle in reading this is ibn Abbas ra (shahaba) words "IN HEAVEN EVERYTHING IN IT IS SAME ONLY IN THE NAMES."
· They eat, drink and Jima'
From Zaid bin Arqam Radhiyallaahu 'anhu who said an ahli kitab came to Rasulullah Shalallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam while saying "Yaa Abul Qasim (Muhammad), do you say that the denizens of Jannah will eat and drink? He spoke "Yes, by Dzat who Muhammad soul in His hand. Verily that the denizens of Jannah are being given the power of 100 males in eating, drinking and jima' (sexual intercourse)."
That man said "Every people who eat and drink will excrete, isn't in Jannah (Heaven) there is nothing dirty?"
He spoke "Their excrement is their sweat which flow from the skin like drops of Misik, so their stomach become empty". (HR.Ahmad, Nasa'i, and Thabrani, with shahih sanad, Shahih Targhib wa Tarhib (3739).
· The similar hadits in HR.Ibn Hibban and Hakim. Look Shahih Mawarid Azh-Zham'an (2230)
I Look this hadits in Husain bin 'Audah Al 'Awayisyah's book about Qiyamat, Hellfire and Heaven.
And about "the sound from the mouth who has full stomach" in the book by Ali bin Hasan Al Halabi Al Atsari, I've forget where the book is now.
II. They will have palaces from Ya'qut and pearls, it' s all types of emeralds and pearls and diamonds.
III. They will have palaces from gold and silver
IV. They will have many trees from saying "Laa haula wa laa quwwata illa billah", and "MasyaAllah,laa haula wa laa quwwata illa billaah," when they are fil ardhi.
V. The clothes will be make from the fruits of the trees.
VI. In there there will be horses from Yaqut that could fly.
VII. Mukminin and syahid will be in inside the stomach of birds which fly around Jannah. They dwell in there before doomsday
VIII. The first that will be eaten by them are a cow and the flesh that is in the heart of a whale.
IX. In the day of Resurrection, everyone who are ahli Qur'an, will be given eternity and glory and will be given to their parents :the crown.
Irji'i Ila Rabbiki Raadhiyyatam Mardhiyyatan
· In Hadits, there is a description about the palace from emeralds and diamonds, inside that palace there is 70 doors. In each doors there are another palaces made from red emeralds and diamonds.
For someone who like to fill Jum'at with 'ibadat, will be given to them a shade in the hereafter which is the day of Jum'at himself, which is white and there are two person watching them. Look at Silsilah Hadits Ash Shahihah no.3.
And off course, Muslmin will never forget the ZIYADAT meant by Qur'an verse, because watching Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala where He will ask us to talk to Him, said in a Hadits will be as the most undescribeable of all that are in Jannatul ma'wa.
See Mukhtashar 'Al 'Uluw of Adz Dzahabi by Abu Abdurrahman Muhammad Nashiruddin Al Albani bin Nuh Najati, where one of the hadits in there said that the denizens of Jannatu 'adn see a lot of KARAMAH, when seeing ALLAHU TABARAKA TA'ALA.
From Hadits in Ali bin Hasan Al Halabi Al Atsari's book there are hadits which tell us:
In 'Adn, the denizens will do DZIKIR like as they are breathing. It's done because it's in Heaven and because they love Allahu Ta'ala so much.
Actually there is no divorce there at all, and the men have many wives as minimum of two, hadits said.
I personally hold the opinion that why they have a lot of wives is because Allah wants them to have 2 in the earth but they couldn't do it on earth and because Allah's knowledge of what's best for Muslimin.
For your information, choose the best Muslim and marry him and never divorce with him and never marry again, unless thy found better husband. WHY??? Because HADITS said that the last husband (na'am: fid dunya) will be the HUSBAND in Jannatu 'Adn.
Actually to clear it all, in there we could change our looks. It was narrated in Hadiil Arwah, from Rasulullah Shalallahu 'AW, that there will be market in Jannatun na'im where the denizens could buy anything. The story goes where one of the denizen buy a painting and want himself to look alike as the guy in the painting, and suddenly he look as that guy.
And every men in there getting a wind from the NORTH and they become handsomer every time they get it.
While the wives become prettier also, but it is not known how.
Read HADIIL ARWAH by Syamsuddin ibn Qayyim Al Jauziyyah, Husain bin Audah Al Awayisyah's book and Ali bin Hasan Al Halabi's book about Barzakh, Qiyamah, Jannah wan Naar.
FEW POINTS ABOUT HOURI IN PARADISE:-
1. A houri is a most beautiful young woman with a transparent body. The marrow of her bones is visible like the interior lines of pearls and rubies. She looks like a red wine in a white glass.
2. She is of white colour, and free from the routine physical disabilities of an ordinary woman such as menstruation, menopause, urinal and offal discharge, child-bearing, and the related pollution.
3. She is a woman characterized by modesty and flexing glances; she never looks at any man except her husband, and feels grateful for being the wife of her husband.
4. A houri is a young woman, free from odium and animosity. Besides, she knows the meaning of love and has the ability to put it into practice.
5. A houri is an immortal woman, who does not age. She speaks softly and does not raise voice at her man; she is always reconciled with him. Having been brought up in luxury, she is a luxury herself.
6. A houri is a girl of tender age, having large upright breasts. Houris dwell in palaces of splendid surroundings Now, add to this description of houris, what Mishkat, volume three says on pages 83-97
7. If a houri looks down from her abode in heaven onto the earth, the whole distance shall be filled with light and fragrance.
8. A houri's face is more radiant than a mirror, and one can see one's image in her cheek. The marrow of her shins is visible to the eyes.
9. Every man who enters paradise shall be given seventy-two houris; no matter at what age he had died, when he enters paradise, he will become a thirty-year-old, and he will not age any further.
Praise be to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa’ Ta’aalaa):-
Intoduction to hoors of Jannah (Paradise):-
Definition of Houris (also called: hoor al-Ayn/hur ul-Ayn/hoors/hurs) from Noble Quran:
“Very fair females created by Allah as such not from the off-spring of Adam, with intense black irises of their eyes and intense white scleras”. [Noble Quran; Glossary; Houris]
The Houris (hoors/hoor al-Ayn) have variously been described as being “chaste females”, “restraining their glances”, “modest gaze”, “wide and beautiful/lovely eyes”, “untouched / with hymen unbroken by sexual intercourse”, “like pearls”, “virgins”, “voluptuous/full-breasted”, “with large, “non-menstruating/urinating/defecating and childfree”, round breasts which are not inclined to hang”, “companions of equal age”, “transparent to the marrow of their bones”, “eternally young”, “hairless” , “pure”, “beautiful”, “white”, “revirginating”, “splendid beauty”.
Now you can read some verses of the Holy Quran mentioning the attributes of Houris (Hoor al-ayn/Hurs):-
“And with them will be chaste females, restraining their glances (desiring none except their husbands), with wide and beautiful eyes; (Delicate and pure) as if they were (hidden) eggs (well) preserved.” [Sura As-Sâffât (37):40-48]
“And beside them will be chaste females (virgins) restraining their glances only for their husbands, (and) of equal ages.” [Sura Sâd (38):52]
“So (it will be), and We shall marry them to Houris (female fair ones) with wide, lovely eyes.” [Sura Ad-Dukhân (44):51-55]
“They will recline (with ease) on thrones arranged in ranks. And We shall marry them to Houris (female, fair ones) with wide lovely eyes.” [Sura At-Tûr (52):20]
“Wherein both (gardens) will be those (maidens) restraining their glances upon their husbands, whom no man or jinn yatmithhunna (has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse) before them. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny? (In beauty) they are like rubies and coral.” [Sura Ar-Rahmân (55):56-58]
“Therein (gardens) will be fair (wives) good and beautiful; …Houris (beautiful, fair females) restrained in pavilions; …Whom no man or jinn yatmithhunna (has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse) before them.” [Sura Ar-Rahmân (55):70,72,74]
“And (there will be) Houris (fair females) with wide, lovely eyes (as wives for the pious), Like unto preserved pearls.” [Sura Al-Wâqi'ah (56):22-23]
Verily, We have created them (maidens) of special creation. And made them virgins; Loving (their husbands only), equal in age. [Sura Al-Wâqi'ah (56):37-40]
And young full-breasted (mature) maidens of equal age; [Sura An-Naba' (78):33]
Now you can read some Hadiths regarding the attributes of Houris (Hur ul-ayn/Hoors):-
Allâh (SWT) says in the Holy Quran:
“Houris (beautiful, fair females) restrained in pavilions
…With Whom no man or jinn “yatmithhunna” (has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse) before them.” [Sura Ar-Rahmân (55):72,74]
“The statement of Allah in above mentioned ayah, Beautiful fair females restrained in pavilions. Narrated Qaisi, Allah’s Apostle said, ‘In Paradise there is a pavilion made of a single hollow pearl sixty miles wide, in each corner there are wives (houris) who will not see those in the other corners; and the believers (Muslims) will visit and enjoy them.’” [Al-Bukhari vol.6:402 and prior p.374]
According to Ibn Kathir (died 1373 CE) in his Holy Quranic commentary (Tafsir) of the above mentioned Surah Al-Rahman (55), verse 72: “The Prophet Muhammad(saw) was heard saying: ‘The smallest reward for the people of paradise is an abode where there are 80,000 servants and 72 wives (houris), over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine, and ruby, as wide as the distance from Al-Jabiyyah [a Damascus suburb] to Sana’a [Yemen]’.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]
The Prophet (saw) said, “If a houri looks down from her abode in heaven onto the earth, the whole distance (space) shall be filled with light and fragrance. A houri’s face is more radiant than a mirror, and one can see one’s image in her cheek. The marrow of her shins is visible to the eyes.” [Mishkat, volume 3,pg 83-97]
Maidens of Paradise:-
The temporary life of this word is a great test for man. Temptations are many and man is weak. Of all the temptations, the temptation relating to the opposite sex is the highest. If the sexual urge of a man is left unchecked and unregulated, there will be total anarchy and mischief in the world.
To control and regulate this desire any form of illicit affiliation with the opposite sex is strictly forbidden. To maintain a high level of morality, Islam has ordained very strict laws and many restrictions to curtail the unlawful, carnal desires of man.
All of these strict restrictions weigh heavily on the ‘Nafs’ – the Self of Man. The nafs constantly seeks gratification and indulgence of its desires. To control these wild desires is not an easy task. There is a constant struggle that exists between man and his desires in this word. For the young, the struggle is even more intense and great.
For those people who restrain and control the desires of the nafs in this world, Allah has promised immense rewards in the hereafter. Man sometimes forgets these rewards and becomes inclined in sin. If he is reminded about these rewards, his resolve to control the nafs becomes stronger and more vigorous. It becomes easier to sacrifice the desires in view of these great rewards in the hereafter.
In this article, some of the rewards of the hereafter and specially those relating to the the Hurs (Maidens) of Jannah are mentioned. By pondering about the beauties of Jannah and its beautiful maidens, the youth will feel a renewed vigour to fight their carnal desires and strive for the pleasure of Allah by doing righteous deeds. Furthermore, the beauty of the woman of this world will appear pale and insignificant before the beauty of those stunning damsels in Jannah.
Allah has put in every human being the natural desire and inclination for gold, silver, money, transportation, land and other items of this world. Similarly, Allah has placed in every person the natural desire for the opposite sex, and out of the desires of a person, the greatest test for a Muslim is how he fulfils this desire. He can either fail this test by unlawful satisfying this desire, or pass this test by fulfilling this desire lawfully through marriage.
In order to motivate us to pass this test, it is very important for us to understanding the reward for controlling one’s desires and staying away from evil.
Jannah is a place where a person will have all that he desires, and he will live a perfect and everlasting life. Each pleasure at Jannah will be far more superior than the pleasure found in this world.
Similarly, the women in Jannah will be far more superior to the women of this world. Once a person gets to know of this, it will become very easy for him to stay away from evil and corruption and it will become easy for him to work towards the Hereafter.
This article contains a detailed description of these women based on the verses of the Holy Qur’an, Tafseer, Hadith and stories of the Prophets (saw).
Those celestial women specially created for the people of Jannah are known as Huree-ayn. A Hur is young, gorgeous, wide-eyed beauty, a fair skinned woman with intensely dark eyes. The meaning of ‘ayn’ is a woman with big, attractive eyes, which is also considered a sign of beauty.
The following is a narration of two Sahabas, it is narrated from Ibn Abbas, Anas, Abu Salman and Mujahid that the hurs will be created from ‘saffron’. When the present creation of mankind which is created from sand has the best of forms and beauty, then you can imagine the beauty of women created from saffron.
Allah Taa’la says:
“And they will have pure wives in Jannah and they will stay there forever.”
Qatada mentions that these women will be pure from all external impurities such as menstruation, urine excreta and saliva. They will also be free from all evil and internal qualities such as malice, hypocrisy, swearing etc. Thus they will not have within them the smallest amount of disobedience to their husbands.
Allah Taa’la says:
“And they will have fair females with big, lovely eyes who will be like hidden pearls.”
The women of Jannah will be like fresh pearls because of their cleanliness and fair skin colour.
Anas (ra) narrates that Rasullullah(saw) said:
“Definitely, the inhabitants of Jannah will visit a market every Friday. A northly wind will blow and it will spread goodness upon their faces and clothes causing them to increase in beauty. They will then return to their wives after having become more beautiful than they were before. Their wives will say to them, “We swear by Allah, you have definitely increased in beauty”. They will also say to their wives, “We swear by Allah, you have also increased in beauty.”
A human being has his own understanding of beauty which is confined to his limited and deficient knowledge. Allah, in his infinite knowledge and wisdom had described the women of Jannah as beautiful. So we cannot comprehend how beautiful these women must actually be!
May Allah grant us the ability to strive for His pleasure in this world and grant us death with Imaan.
Ameen!
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