Paradise (jannah)

Paradise: There is Nothing Like It

Allah says:

"I have prepared for My slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart can imagine". Recite if you wish, "No person know what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do." (Qur'an 32:17)

Allah says:.

•  Those are the ones blessed with nearness (to Allah) 
• in gardens of bliss, 
• many from the first generations,
• and a few from the later ones. 
• (They will be sitting) on thrones woven with gold, 
• reclining on them, facing each other. 
•  Immortal boys will rotate around them 
• with bowls and jugs and a goblet of pure wine, 
• from which they will neither suffer headache, nor will they be intoxicated, 
• and with fruits that they choose,
•  and the flesh of birds that they desire. 
• And (for them there will be) houris, having lovely big eyes, 
•  all (neat and clean) like a hidden pearl, 
• as a reward for what they used to do. 
• They will hear neither an absurd talk in it, nor something leading to sin, 
• but (they will hear) the words of Salam , Salam (as greetings). 
•  And the People of the right? How (lucky) are the People of the Right! 
•  (They will be) amid lote-trees with no thorns, 
•  and the trees of TalH , (banana, or a fragrant tree) having layers one upon the other,
• and a shade, spread all over, 
•  and water, poured forth, 
• and a lot of fruits, 
•  neither interrupted (in any season), nor prohibited, 
•  and mattresses of high quality. 
•  Surely We have made up those females in a special creation,
• and have made them virgins, 
• amorous to their husbands, matching them in age (Qur'an 56:11-37)
  
  

What Allaah (swt) has kept hidden from us the delights of Paradise is beyond our ability to comprehend: al-Bukhaari reported from Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said that Allaah (swt) said, "I have prepared for My slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart can imagine". Recite if you wish, "No person know what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do." (Qur'an 32:17).

The delights of Paradise surpass the imagination and defy description. They are like nothing known to the people of this world; no matter how advanced we may become, what we achieve is as nothing in comparison with the joys of the Hereafter. As is mentioned in several reports, there is nothing like Paradise:

"It is sparkling light, aromatic plants, a lofty palace, a flowing river, ripe fruit, a beautiful wife and abundant clothing, in an eternal abode of radiant joy, in beautiful soundly-constructed high houses". 

The Sahabah asked the Prophet (saw) about the buildings of Paradise and he replied with a wonderful description:

"Bricks of gold and silver, and mortar of fragrant musk, pebbles of pearl and sapphire, and soil of saffron. Whoever enters it is filled with joy and will never feel miserable; he will live there forever and never die; their clothes will never wear out and their youth will never fade." 

In the version reported by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, there is the addition, "Never mind what Allaah has told you; what He has not told you is EVEN greater".

The Levels of Paradise

The Prophet (saw) said, narrated by al-Bukhaari from Abu Hurayrah, "...Paradise has one hundred levels which Allaah has reserved for the mujaahideen who fight in His Cause and the distance between each of the two grades is like the distance between the heavens and the earth. So when you ask Allaah for something, ask for al-Firdaws which is the best and highest part of Paradise. Above it is the throne of the Most Merciful, and from it originate the rivers of Paradise".

The Prophet (saw) explained that the people will be in different levels in Paradise according to their status. Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri that the Prophet (saw) said, "The people of Paradise will look at the people dwelling in the chambers above them in the same way that people look at a brilliant star shining far away on the horizon, in the East or West, because of their superiority [in reward] over them." The people asked, "O Messenger of Allaah, are these the dwellings of the Prophets which no one else can attain?" He replied, "No by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, they are for the men who believed in Allaah, and also in His Messengers." 

The Last Person to Enter Paradise

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'oud (ra) said:"The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said, "I know the last of the people of Hell who will be brought forth from it, and the last of the people of Paradise to enter it. It is a man who will come out of Hell crawling on all fours." Allaah will say to him, "Go and enter Paradise". So he will come to it and will suppose that it is full. He will go back and say, "My Allah, I found it full". Allaah (swt) will say, "Go and enter Paradise for there you have something like the world and ten times over [or you have something ten times better than the world]. He will says, "Are you making fun of me - or laughing at me - and You are the Sovereign of all?" I ['Abdullaah] saw the Messenger of Allaah (saw) smiling so broadly that his back teeth were visible. He used to say, "That is the one who is lowest in status of the people of Paradise".