The reality of Paradise is something which people will never be able
to understand until they actually enter it, but God has shown us
glimpses of it in the Quran. He has described it as a place
essentially different to the life of this world, both in the very
nature and purpose of life, as well as the types of delights which
people will enjoy therein. The Quran tells people about Paradise,
which God offers to them, describes its great blessings, and proclaims
its beauties to everyone. It informs people that Paradise is one of
two ways of life prepared for them in the afterworld, and that every
good thing will be theirs in Paradise to a degree that surpasses our
present ability to imagine. It also shows that Paradise is a place
where all blessings have been created perfectly and where people will
be offered everything their souls and hearts will desire, and that
people will be far removed from want and need, anxiety or sadness,
sorrow and regret. Every kind of beauty and blessing exists in
Paradise and will be revealed with a perfection never seen or known
before. God has prepared such blessings there as a gift, and these
will be offered only to people with whom He is pleased.
But what is the nature of these delights in Paradise, and how will it
be different from the delights of this world? We will try to highlight
a few of these differences.
Pure delight without pain and suffering
While people in this world experience some delight, they also face
much toil and suffering. If one was to scrutinize the life which they
live, they will find that the amount of hardship they face is much
more than the ease and comfort. As for the life of the Hereafter,
there will be neither hardship nor suffering in it, and people will
live therein in pure joy and delight. All the causes of sorrow, pain
and suffering which people experience in this life will be absent in
the Hereafter. Let's take a look at some of these causes.
Wealth
When one thinks of success in this life, they usually conjure the
image of big houses, fine jewelry and clothing, and expensive cars;
financial stability is seen to be the key to a happy life. To most
people, success is inseparably related to wealth, even though this is
the furthest from the truth. How many times have we seen the
wealthiest of people living such miserable lives, that it sometimes
even leads them to commit suicide! Wealth is something which humans in
their very nature desire at any cost, and this desire has been created
for a great and wise purpose. When this desire is not satiated, it
causes some extent of grief in a person. For this reason, God has
promised the inhabitants of Paradise that they will have all that they
imagined as far as wealth and belongings are concerned, both for those
who were extremely poor, experiencing even hunger and thirst, to those
well-to-do but who desired even more. God gives us a glimpse of this
when he says:
"... there will be there all that the souls could desire, all that the
eyes could delight in ..." (Quran 43:71)
"Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent forth (good deeds)
in days past!" (Quran 69:24)
"... 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 [is] the recompense! How beautiful
a couch [is there] to recline on!" (Quran 18:31)
Disease and Death
Another cause of pain and suffering in this life is the death of a
loved one or disease, which are both non-existent in Paradise. None
will feel any sickness or pain in Paradise. The Prophet Muhammad, may
the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said about the people of
Paradise:
"They will never fall ill, blow their noses or spit." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
None will die in Paradise. All shall live eternally enjoying the
pleasures therein. The Prophet Muhammad said that a caller will call
out in Paradise when people enter it:
"Indeed may you be healthy and never be sick again, may you live and
never die again, may you be young and never grow feeble again, may you
enjoy, and never feel sorrow and regret again." (Saheeh Muslim)
Social Relationships
As for the remorse felt due to a rift in personal relationships,
people will never hear any evil or hurting comments or speech in
Paradise. They will only hear good words and words of peace. God says:
"They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin. But only
the saying of: Peace! Peace!" (Quran 56:25-26)
There will be no enmity between people nor ill-feelings:
"And We shall remove from their breasts any (mutual) hatred or sense
of injury (which they had, if at all, in the life of this world)..."
(Quran 7:43)
The Prophet said:
"There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will
be as one, and they will glorify God, morning and evening." (Saheeh
Al-Bukhari)
People will have the best of companions in the Hereafter, who were
also the best people in the world:
"And whoever obeys God and the Messenger - those will be with the ones
upon whom God has bestowed favor - of the prophets, the steadfast
affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are
those as companions!" (Quran 4:69)
The hearts of the people of Paradise will be pure, their speech will
be good, their deeds righteous. There will be no hurtful, upsetting,
offensive or provocative talk there, for Paradise is free of all
worthless words and deeds. If we were to discuss all the causes for
anguish in this life, we would surely find its absence or opposite to
be true in Paradise.
The Eternalness of the Hereafter
The Pleasures of this world are transient whilst the joys of the
hereafter are lasting and eternal. In this life when a person enjoys
something, it is only a short while before they get bored with it and
proceed to search for something they feel is better, or they may not
feel a need for it altogether. As for the delights of Paradise, a
person will never feel bored with anything, but rather, its goodness
will increase each time they indulge in it.
Also, the life of this world is very short. Humans only live on this
earth for a short while, and very few people reach the age of seventy.
"...Say: Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is (far)
better for him who fears God..." (Quran 4:77)
As for Paradise, people will live forever. God says:
"...its provision is eternal and so is its shade..." (Quran 13:35)
"What is with you must vanish, and what is with God will endure ..." (Quran 16:96)
"(It will be said to them): This is Our Provision, which will never
finish" (Quran 38:54)
Superior Delights
The delights of the people of Paradise, such as their clothing, food,
drink, jewelry and palaces, will be far superior to their counterparts
in this world. There is in fact no room for comparison, as even the
smallest space in Paradise is better than this world and all that is
in it. The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be
upon him, said:
"The space of the bow of any one of you in Paradise is better than all
that the sun rises upon" (Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh 3/85, no. 5615)
Free from all Impurities
Paradise is free from all the impurities of this world. Eating and
drinking in this life results in the need for excretion and its
associated unpleasant odors. If a person drinks wine in this world, he
loses his mind. Women in this world menstruate and give birth, which
are sources of pain and hurt. Paradise is free from all of these
discomforts: its people will not urinate, defecate, spit or suffer
from catarrh. The wine of Paradise, as described by its Creator, is:
"Crystal-white, delicious to those who drink (thereof), free from
intoxication, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom" (Quran
37:46-47)
The water of Paradise does not become brackish, and its milk never
changes in flavor:
"...rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste
never changes..." (Quran 47:15)
The women of Paradise are pure and free from menstruation, postnatal
bleeding and all the other impurities suffered by women in this world,
and all are free from stool and feces. God says:
"...and they shall have therein purified mates..." (Quran 2:25)
The prophet answered a person when they asked how the people of
Paradise will relieve themselves:
"They relieve themselves by perspiring through their skins, and its
fragrance will be that of musk, and all stomachs will have become
lean." (ibn Hibbaan)
What we have mentioned has been a mere comparison in order to
understand the nature of Paradise, but as God said, its delights are
truly hidden:
"No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy, as a reward for
what they used to do." (Quran 32:17)
Paradise: There is Nothing Like It
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". (Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan)
The Sahabah asked the Prophet 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." (Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, ad-Daarimee)
God says:
"And when you look there (in Paradise) you will see a delight (that
cannot be imagined), and a great dominion." (Quran 76:20)
What God has kept hidden from us the delights of Paradise is beyond
our ability to comprehend. The Prophet said that God 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 knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for
what they used to do." (Quran 32:17)
In another report:
"Never mind what God has told you; what He has not told you is even
greater." (Saheeh Muslim)
In other articles, we will attempt to mention some of the specific
details of Paradise and the delights therein described to us by God
and His last Prophet.
