The blessing of Paradise

1. The blessing of Paradise Imam Abdullah Hasan Eaalim Institute 04/04/2010 Online class

2. What is Paradise? • Paradise is the tremendous reward which Allah has prepared for His beloved servants. It is perfect joy and pleasure, where nothing is lacking and nothing can disturb its purity. Allah said in a hadith qudsi: • ‘’I have prepared for My righteous servants that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and has never crossed the mind of any human being’’. • Then the prophet said recite if you wish: {فَلاَ تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَآءً بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ} ‘’No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy a reward for what they used to do’’ (32:17) • ‘’A space the size of a whip in Paradise is better than this word and all that is in it’’. (Muslim)

3. Names of Paradise • Firdaws — The Highest Gardens of the Paradise (al-Kahf:107, Al-Muminun:11) • Dār al-maqāmah — The Home (Fatir:35) • Dār al-salām — Home of Peace (Yunus:25) • Dār al-akhira — The Home in the Hereafter (al-Ankabut:64) • al-Jannah — This is the most commonly used term in the Qur'an and Hadith. (Al-Baqara:35, Al-i-Imran:133 & 142, Al-Ma'ida:72) • Jannat al-‘adn — Gardens of Everlasting Bliss (At-Tawba:72, Ar-Ra'd:23) • Jannat al-khuld — The Eternal Gardens (Al-Furqan:15) • Jannat al-ma’wá — Garden of Abode (An-Najm:15) • Jannat al-na‘īm — The Gardens of Delight (Al-Ma'ida:65, Yunus:9, Al-Hajj:56) • Maq‘ad al-ṣidq — Assembly of Truth (Al-Qamar:55) • al-Maqām al-amīn — The House of Security (Ad-Dukhan:51)

4. Description of Paradise

5. There is nothing like it • No delight in this world can be compared to the delights awaiting us in Paradise. • The delights of Paradise are everlasting and real. • ‘’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.’’ (Ibn Majah)

6. The gates of Paradise • Allah says: {جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ مُّفَتَّحَةً لَّهُمُ ٱلأَبْوَابُ} ‘’’Adn [everlasting gardens] of paradise, whose doors will be opened for them’’ (saad:50) Also: {جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَنْ صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَالمَلاَئِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ} * {سَلاَمٌ عَلَيْكُم بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَىٰ ٱلدَّارِ} ‘’....And the angels shall enter unto them from every gate saying: Peace be unto you for that you preserved in patience! How excellent is the final home’’. (Ra’d: 23)

7. The gates of Paradise • The Prophet said: ‘’In Paradise there are eight gates. There is one gate called Ar-Rayyan. No-one will enter it except those who fast, and when they have entered it will be locked behind them, and no-one else will enter it.’’ (B/M) • He also said: ‘’Whoever spends a pair (of anything) from his wealth for the sake of Allah, will be called from the gates of Paradise, and Paradise has eight gates. Whoever will be from the people of salat will be called from the gate of prayer; whoever will be among the people of sadaqa will be called from the gate of charity; whoever will be among the people of jihad will be called from the gate of jihad, and whoever will be from the people of fasting will be called from it..........(B/M)

8. The gates of Paradise • There are eight doors of Jannah. Their names are as following. • BaabusSalaah: Those Muslims who were punctual in observing their Salaah will be granted entry through this door. • Baabul Jihad: Those Muslims who participated in Jihad will be granted entry through this door. • BaabusSadaqah: Those Muslims who frequently gave Sadaqah will be admitted into Jannah through this door. • BaaburRayyaan: The Muslims who constantly observed the fast will be granted entry through this door. • Baabul Hajj: Those Muslims who observe their annual pilgrimage will be admitted through this door. • BaabulKaazimeenalGhaizWal ‘Aafina ‘Anin Naas: This door is reserved for those Muslims who suppress their anger and pardon others frequently. • BaabulAiman: This door is reserved for the entry of such Muslims who by virtue of their faith are saved from reckoning and chastisement. • BaabuzZikr: Those Muslims who excessively remembered Allah will be admitted through this door.[1]

9. The grades of Paradise • Allah says: {وَمَن يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِناً قَدْ عَمِلَ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُوْلَـٰئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلدَّرَجَاتُ ٱلْعُلَىٰ} ‘’But whoever comes to Him as a believer, and has done righteous good deeds, for such are the high ranks’’. Taha: 75) The Prophet 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 over them’’. The people asked, ‘’O Messenger of Allah, are these the dwellings of the Prophets which no-one else can attain? He replied: No, by the One is Whose hand my soul, they are for the men who believed in Allah and also in His Messengers’’. (B/M)

10. The least reward in Paradise • The Prophet said, "I know the person who will be the last to come out of the (Hell) Fire, and the last to enter Paradise. He will be a man who will come out of the (Hell) Fire crawling, and Allah will say to him, 'Go and enter Paradise.' He will go to it, but he will imagine that it had been filled, and then he will return and say, 'O Lord, I have found it full.' Allah will say, 'Go and enter Paradise, and you will have what equals the world and ten times as much (or, you will have as much as ten times the like of the world).' On that, the man will say, 'Do you mock at me (or laugh at me) though You are the King?" I saw Allah's Apostle (while saying that) smiling that his premolar teeth became visible. It is said that will be the lowest in degree amongst the people of Paradise. (Bukhari)

11. Highest positions of Paradise • The shuhada: ‘’The best of the shuhada are those who fight in the first rank, and do not turn their faces away until they are killed. They will have the pleasure of occupying the highest dwellings in Paradise....(Musnad Ahmad). • ‘’The one who helps widows and the destitute is like one who fights in jihad for the sake of Allah. I (abuhurayra, the narrator) think said: And he is like the one who stands all night in prayer and never sleeps, and like the one who fasts continually and never breaks his fast.’’ (Muslim). • The one who helps orphans • Fathers by the blessings of their children’s dua.

12. The soil of Paradise • The Prophet said: I entered Paradise, where I saw lights of pearl, its spoil was musk. (B/M) • Abu Hurayra said: I asked O Messenger of Allah, ‘From what are people made? He said: From water. We asked, ‘From what is Paradise built? He said, Bricks of gold and silver and mortar of fragrant musk; its pebbles are pearls and rubies, and its soil is saffron. Whoever enters it is blessed with joy and will never be miserable; he will remain there forever and will never die; his clothes will never wear out ands his youth will never fade away.’’ (Mishkat)

13. The rivers of Paradise • Allah says: {وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِين آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلأَنْهَٰرُ ‘’ “and give glad tidings to those who believe and do righteous good deeds, that for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow” (qur’an 2:25) The Prophet said: “I saw four rivers flowing out from beneath Sidrat Al-muntaha, two visible and two hidden. He asked, O’ Jibreel , what are these rivers?’ He said, ‘the two hidden rivers are rivers of paradise, and the two visible rivers are the nile and the Euphrates.” (Muslim) • Al- Qaree’ said “these four rivers are considered to be among the rivers of paradise, because they are so sweet and digestive, so fresh and wholesome. They contain blessings from Allah, and are honoured by the fact that prophets came and drank from them.

14. They do not only contain water • Allah says: {مَّثَلُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِي وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ فِيهَآ أَنْهَارٌ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيْرِ آسِنٍ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِّن لَّبَنٍ لَّمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِّنْ خَمْرٍ لَّذَّةٍ لِّلشَّارِبِينَ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِّنْ عَسَلٍ مُّصَفًّى The description of the Paradise that is promised for the God-fearing! In it there are rivers of water, never spoiling, and rivers of milk the taste of which would not go bad, and rivers of wine, delicious to the drinkers, and rivers of honey, fully purified. (47:15) The Prophet said: ‘’In paradise there is a sea of honey, a sea of wine, a sea of milk and a sea of water, and rivers flow out of these seas’’ (Tirmidhi)

15. The springs of Paradise • Allah says:{إِنَّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ} ‘’ Surely, the God-fearing will be in gardens and streams’’. (15:45) Different types of springs: • Kafoor • Tasneem • Salsabeel

16. The Palaces & Tents of Paradise • Allah says: {لَـٰكِنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْ رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ غُرَفٌ مِّن فَوْقِهَا غُرَفٌ مَّبْنِيَّةٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلأَنْهَارُ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ لاَ يُخْلِفُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ} ‘’ But, for those who fear their Lord, there are chambers with chambers built on top of them, with rivers running from underneath them. This is Allah’s promise. Allah does not go back on any promise.’’ (39: 20) Ibn Katheer said: ‘’Allah has told us about His blessed slaves who will have rooms or dwellings in Paradise: these will be lofty palaces ‘lofty rooms, one above another’ – storey upon storey, well constructed, strong and decorated. The Prophet described these palaces to us. He (prophet) said: ‘’In Paradise there are dwellings whose inside can be seen from outside, and the outside can be seen from inside. Allah has prepared them for those who feed the hungry, and speak softly and gently, and fast continuously, and pray at night whilst people are sleep.’’ Ibn Hibban)

17. The size of the tents • The Prophet said: ‘’The tent is a hallowed out pearl, thirty miles high; in each corner of it the believer will have a wife whom no one else can see.’’ (Bukhari) (other narrations it says sixty miles long) • How can you acquire more than one house like that in Paradise? • By Building mosques • By Praying 12 ra’kats of sunnats every day.

18. Trees in Paradise • The Prophet said in Paradise there will be a tree: • Whose shadow it takes one hundred years to cross • ‘’In Paradise there is a tree which the rider of a swift horse would need one hundred years to pass beneath it.’’ (B/M). • ‘’The tooba is a tree in Paradise, as big as a hundred years journey; the clothes of the people of Paradise come from its outer parts of its flowers.’’ (Ibn Hibban) • ‘’There is no tree in Paradise that does not have a trunk made of gold.’’ (Tirmidhi) • How to increase the share of trees? Say: Subhan Allahi, walhamdulillahi, laailahaillaAllawallahu Akbar. (Tirmidhi)

19. Description of the People and Delights of Paradise

20. What will you look like? • The Prophet said: ‘’Allah created Adam in his own image, sixty cubits tall...everyone who enters Paradise will be in the image of Adam, sixty cubits tall. People kept getting shorter and shorter after the time of Adam.’’ (Muslim) • He also said: ‘’The People of Paradise will enter hairless, looking as if their eyes are ringed with kohl, aged thirty-three.’’ (Tirmidhi) • They will not spit, blow their nose or excrete, or sleep.

21. What will you drink? • Allah says: {يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِكَأْسٍ مِّن مَّعِينٍ} * {بَيْضَآءَ لَذَّةٍ لِّلشَّارِبِينَ} * {لاَ فِيهَا غَوْلٌ وَلاَ هُمْ عَنْهَا يُنزَفُونَ}‘’ Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine; White, delicious to the drinkers. Neither will they have gawl (any kind of hurt, abdominal pain, headache etc) from that, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.’’ 37: 45-47) • وَأَنْهَارٌ مِّنْ خَمْرٍ لَّذَّةٍ لِّلشَّارِبِينَ ‘’Rivers of wine delicious to those who drink it.’’ (47:15)

22. What will you eat? • The Prophet said: (the first to enter Paradise will eat) ‘’The caudate (extra) lobe of fish liver. The jew asked, ‘’What will they eat after that?’’ He said\; The bull, which is grazing now in Paradise, will be slaughteerd for them. The jew asked, ‘’What will they drink after that?’’ He said, ‘’From a spring called salsabil.’’ The jew said ‘’you have spoken the truth.’’ (Nihaya)

23. What will you wear? • Allah says: {وَجَزَاهُمْ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ جَنَّةً وَحَرِيراً} ‘’ And their recompense will be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient’’. (76:12) • يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤاً وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ ‘’Wherein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments will be of silk.’’ (22:23) • يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَاباً خُضْراً مِّن سُنْدُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُّتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلأَرَآئِكِ نِعْمَ ٱلثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقاً ‘’They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good the recompense!..... (18:31)

24. What will you sit on? • Allah says: {فِيهَا سُرُرٌ مَّرْفُوعَةٌ} * {وَأَكْوَابٌ مَّوْضُوعَةٌ} * {وَنَمَارِقُ مَصْفُوفَةٌ} * {وَزَرَابِيُّ مَبْثُوثَةٌ} ‘’Therein will be thrones raised high, And cups set at hand, And cushions set in rows, And rich carpets [all spread out]. (88:13-16) • {ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ ٱلأَوَّلِينَ} * {وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنَ ٱلآخِرِينَ} * {عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَّوْضُونَةٍ} * {مُّتَّكِئِينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَابِلِينَ} ‘’ 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. (56:13-16)

25. Where will you shop? • The Prophet said: ‘’In Paradise there is a market to which the people will come every Friday, then a wind will come from the north and blow on their faces and clothes, and they will increase in beauty. Then they will return to their wives, who will also have increased in beauty. Their wives will say to them: ‘’By Allah, you in creased in beauty after you left us,’ and they will say, ‘And you too, by Allah you have increased in beauty since we left.’’ (Muslim)

26. Your every wish will come true • The Prophet said: ‘’A man from the people of Paradise will ask his Lord for permission to grow things. Allah will ask him, ‘Do you not have what you want? ‘He will say, Of course, but I love to grow things.’ So he will sow the seeds and in the blinking of an eye the plant will grow and its fruits will ripen and become like mountains. Allah will say: ‘Here it is, O son of Adam, nothing satisfies you!... (Mishkat) • ‘’If the believer wishes for a child in Paradise, it will be conceived and born and grow to the desired age in an instant.’’ (Tirmidhi)

27. What beauty you will marry! • Allah says: {كَذَلِكَ وَزَوَّجْنَاهُم بِحُورٍ عِينٍ} ‘’So [it will be], and we shall marry them to hooris [female fair ones] with wide, lovely eyes.’’ (44:54) Al-Hoor is the plural of hoora, which is a woman the white parts of her eyes are intensely white and the black part is intensely black. Al-’Iyn is the plural of ayna. The ‘ayna is used for the woman whose eyes are wide.

28. What beauty you will marry! • They will be full breasted. Allah says: {إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازاً} * {حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعْنَاباً} * {وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَاباً} ‘’Verily, for the Muttaqun, there will be a success; gardens and grape-yards, and young full-breasted maidens of equal age.’’ (78:31-33) • No man has touched. لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلاَ جَآنٌّ ‘’whom no man or jinn has touched before them’’ (55:56) • {إِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَاهُنَّ إِنشَآءً} * {فَجَعَلْنَاهُنَّ أَبْكَاراً} * {عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً} ‘’Verily, We have created [their companions] of special creation, and made them virgin-pure [and undefiled] beloved, equal in age.’’ (56:35-37)

29. Their beauty • Allah says: {وَحُورٌ عِينٌ} * {كَأَمْثَالِ ٱللُّؤْلُؤِ ٱلْمَكْنُونِ} -Maknun (preserved) means hidden or protected, something whose colour is not changed by exposure to sunlight, or by being tampered with. • They are like rubies: {كَأَنَّهُنَّ ٱلْيَاقُوتُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ} ‘’Like unto rubies and coral’’. (55:56-58) • They will restrain their gaze only upon their husbands. • They will sing for their husbands • A man will stand at her face/beauty for forty years

30. The reward of women • She will be the queen of jannat her beauty will outshine the hoors. The Prophet said: "The women of this world will have superiority over the hûrs just as the outer lining of a garment has superiority over the inner lining.“ (Tabarani) • Because they worshipped Allah in this world.

31. The best reward in Paradise • The pleasure of Allah and to see His Holy and Noble Face. • Watch video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHy1_8wopSk

32. How to get to Paradise? • Allah says: {وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِين آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلأَنْهَٰرُ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُواْ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقاً قَالُواْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِي رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَأُتُواْ بِهِ مُتَشَٰبِهاً وَلَهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ} (2:25) • Also: {وَٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَداً لَّهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَنُدْخِلُهُمْ ظِـلاًّ ظَلِيلاً} (4:57)

33. How to get to Paradise? • Because of Iman: {يٰعِبَادِ لاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ وَلاَ أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ} {ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُواْ مُسْلِمِينَ} * {ٱدْخُلُواْ ٱلْجَنَّةَ أَنتُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ تُحْبَرُونَ (43: 68-70) • Because they were sincere: {إِلاَّ عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ} {أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ رِزْقٌ مَّعْلُومٌ} {فَوَاكِهُ وَهُم مُّكْرَمُونَ} * {فِي جَنَّاتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ} (37:40-43)

34. How to get to Paradise? • Because of their reliance on Allah and being patient. {وَٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ مِّنَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ غُرَفَاً تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا نِعْمَ أَجْرُ ٱلْعَامِلِينَ} * {ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ}(29: 58-59) • Because of their steadfastness in faith: {إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَقَامُواْ فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ} * {أُوْلَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا جَزَآءً بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ} (46: 13-14) And so on.....

35. End. Any Questions? • By Imam Abdullah Hasan • Maqasid Press • www.abdullahhasan.net