The Believer and Paradise (part 4 of 8)

The believers will be ushered on towards the grand eight gates of Paradise. There, they will receive a joyous angelic reception and be congratulated on account of their safe arrival and salvation from Hell.

  • Categories: Aqeedah (Islamic Faith) -

 

 

The Believer and Paradise
 
 
The believers will be ushered on towards the grand eight gates of Paradise. There, they will receive a joyous angelic reception and be congratulated on account of their safe arrival and salvation from Hell.

{And those who kept their duty to their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups, till, when they reach it, and its gates will be opened (before their arrival for their reception) and its keepers will say: Salamun 'Alaikum (peace be upon you)! You have done well, so enter here to abide therein.} [Az-Zummur 39:73].

 
{وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ زُمَرًا ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءُوهَا وَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ فَادْخُلُوهَا خَالِدِينَ} الزمر: 37
 
Transliteration: Waseeqa allatheena ittaqaw rabbahum ila aljannati zumaran hatta itha jaooha wafutihat abwabuha waqala lahum khazanatuha salamun AAalaykum tibtum faodkhulooha khalideena

(It will be said to the pious): “(It will be said to the pious): {O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! "Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him! "Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves, And enter you My Paradise!} [Al Fajr 89:27-30].
 
{يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ﴿٢٧﴾ ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً ﴿٢٨﴾ فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي ﴿٢٩﴾ وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي} الفجر: 27-30
 
Transliteration: Ya ayyatuha alnnafsu almutmainnatu (27) IrjiAAee ila rabbiki radiyatan mardiyyatan (28) Faodkhulee fee AAibadee (29) Waodkhulee jannatee
 
The best of the Muslims will enter Paradise first. The most righteous of them will ascend to the highest levels.

{But whoever comes to Him (Allah) as a believer (in the Oneness of Allah, etc.), and has done righteous good deeds, for such are the high ranks (in the Hereafter)} [Taha 20:75].
 
{وَمَن يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَىٰ} طه: 75
 
Transliteration: Waman yatihi muminan qad AAamila alssalihati faolaika lahumu alddarajatu alAAula

{And those foremost [(in Islamic Faith of Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds) in the life of this world on the very first call for to embrace Islam,] will be foremost (in Paradise). These will be those nearest to Allah. In the Gardens of delight (Paradise).} [Al Waqe'a 56:10-12].

 
{وَالسَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ أُولَـٰئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ ﴿١١﴾ فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ} الواقعة: 10-12
 
Transliteration: Waalssabiqoona alssabiqoona (10) Olaika almuqarraboona (11) Fee jannati alnnaAAeemi

The Quranic description of Paradise gives us a vision of just what a fantastic place it is. An eternal home that will fulfill all our wholesome desires, seduce all our senses, grant us everything we could possibly want and much more besides. God describes His Paradise as having earth made of is fine musk powder,[1] soil of saffron,[2] bricks of gold and silver, and pebbles of pearls and rubies. Beneath the gardens of Paradise are flowing rivers of sparkling water, sweet milk, clear honey, and non-intoxicating wine. The tents on their banks are domes of hollow pearls.[3] The whole space is filled with sparkling light, sweet-smelling plants and fragrances that can be savored from afar.[4] There are lofty palaces, huge mansions, grapevines, date palms, pomegranate trees,[5] lotus and acacia trees whose trunks of made of gold.[6] Ripe, abundant fruit of all kinds: berries, citrus, drupes, grapes, melons, pomes; all kinds of fruit, tropical and exotic; anything the faithful could possibly desire!

{…And therein is whatever each soul desires and delights the eyes...} [Az-Zuhruf 43:71].

 
{وَفِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيهِ الْأَنفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ الْأَعْيُنُ} الزخرف: 71
 
Transliteration: wafeeha ma tashtaheehi alanfusu watalaththu alaAAyunu

Each believer will have a most beautiful, pious and pure spouse, wearing exquisite clothing; And there will be so much more in a new world of eternal, radiant joy.

{No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.} [As-Sajda 32:17].

 
{فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّا أُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ} السجدة: 17
 
Transliteration: Fala taAAlamu nafsun ma okhfiya lahum min qurrati aAAyunin jazaan bima kanoo yaAAmaloona

As well as physical delights, Paradise will also give its residents a state of emotional and psychological bliss, as the Prophet said:
“Whoever enters Paradise is blessed with a life of joy; he will never feel miserable, his clothes will never wear out, and his youth shall never fade away.” [Saheeh Muslim].
 
«من يدخل الجنة ينعم لا يبأس . لا تبلى ثيابه ولا يفنى شبابه» صحيح مسلم
 
The people will hear a divine call: “I grant you that you will be healthy and never fall sick, you will live and never die, you will be young and never age, you will be joyful and never feel miserable.”[Saheeh Muslim].
 
«ينادي مناد: إن لكم أن تصحوا فلا تسقموا أبدا. وإن لكم أن تحيوا فلا تموتوا أبدا. وإن لكم أن تشبوا فلا تهرموا أبدا. وإن لكم أن تنعموا فلا تبأسوا أبدا» صحيح مسلم

Ultimately, the thing that will most delight the eyes will be the Countenance of God Himself. For the true believer, to see this blessed vision of God is to have won the ultimate prize.

{[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord.} [Al-Qeyama 75:22-23].

 
{وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ} القيامة: 22-23
 
Transliteration: Wujoohun yawmaithin nadiratun (21) Ila rabbiha nathiratun

This is the Paradise, the eternal home and final destination of the righteous believer. May God, Most High, make us worthy of it.
 
 
Foot Notes:
 
1. Saheeh Muslim
2. Mishkat
3. Saheeh Al-Bukhari
4. Sahih al-Jami
5. Quran 56:27-32
6. Sahih al-Jami