16/02/2017
DESCRIPTION OF JANNAH
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) 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 (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) 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 (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “Verily, for the believers in Paradise, are tents made of a single hollow pearl. 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 (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) 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 (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) 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 (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) 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 Gheerah (sense of honor).”
Umar said,
“My Gheerah would never be offended by you, O Messenger of Allah!” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Allah’s Apostle (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) 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]
“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.” [Tirmidhi]
Allah’s Apostle (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) 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.” [Bukhari]
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) saw Sidrat al-Muntahaa, a tree in Heaven and near it, Paradise, as is mention in al-Bukhaari, and Muslim in the hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him). At the end of this narrative of al-Israa, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “Then Jibreel brought me to Sidrat al-Muntahaa which was veiled in colours indescribable. Then I entered Paradise, and its lights were of pearls and its soil was musk”.
Muslim, Abu Dawud and Imaam Ahmad report from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “When Allaah (Almighty) created Paradise and Hell, He sent Jibreel to Paradise, saying “Go and look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants”. So he went and looked at it and at what Allaah had prepared therein for its inhabitants…. then He sent him to Hellfire saying, “Go and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants” So he looked at it and saw that it was in layers, one above the other….”
Muslim reports from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that there was a solar eclipse in the time of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) and he said, “Whilst I was standing here I saw everything that you have been promised, I even saw myself picking some of the fruits of Paradise, when you saw me stepping forward. And I saw Hellfire, parts of it consuming other parts, when you saw me stepping backward”.
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim report from Ibn ‘Abbas the same incident, “I saw Paradise and I tried to take a bunch of its fruit. If I had managed to do so, you would have eaten from it until the end of time. And I saw the Fire of Hell, and I have never seen anything so horrific or terrifying. I saw that the majority of its inhabitants are women.” (Nas’al Allaah al ‘afiyah)
Muslim also reports from Anas that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if you had seen what I saw, you would laugh little and cry much.” They said, “What did you see, O Messenger of Allaah?”, He said, “I saw Paradise and Hell”.
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim report from Jaabir that the Messenger of Allaah said, “I entered Paradise where I saw ar-Rumaysa, the wife of Abu Talhah. And I heard footsteps and asked, “Who is that?” He (Jibreel) said, “That is Bilaal”. And I saw a palace with women in its courtyard. I asked, “Whose is this?” They said, It is for ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab” (Mishkaat al-Masaabih, 3/226)
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim report that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Jibreel came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, Khadeejah is coming carrying a container of food. When she comes to you, convey to her greetings of peace from her Rabb and from me, and give her the glad tidings of a house in Paradise made of brocade, in which there is no noise or exhaustion.”” [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/266]
Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, an-Nasaa’ee, and Ibn Maajah report from Umm Habeebah that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “Whoever prays twelve extra [supererogatory] rakahs every day, Allaah (Alimghty) will build for him a house in Paradise.” [Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5/316, no. 6234]
The Light of Paradise
Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah) in his commentary on the aayah: “And they will have therein their sustenance, morning and evening. Such is the Paradise, which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slave who have been al-Muttaqoon [pious and righteous]” [19:62-63] said,
“This means something approximate to the times of day and night, it does not mean that there will be a day and night there. They will know the passing of time by changes in the light.” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/471]
Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said,
“There is no sun and moon in Paradise, and no day or night, but they will know morning and evening from a light that shines from the direction of the Throne.” [Majmu’ Fataawa Shaikh al-Islaam, 4/312]
