Paradise 11 of 15

The Lives of the People of Paradise

Paradise is something of immense value and so wonderful that a person cannot earn it by Virtue of his deeds alone

It is reported by Imam Muslim that the Prophet said:

“No one of you will enter Paradise by his deeds alone.” They asked, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Not even me unless Allah covers me with His Grace and Mercy.”

And what does it mean to be covered by Allah’s Mercy and Grace? This means to have earned His Love

Earning the love of Allah (swt) is achieved by living your life keeping Him foremost in mind and doing the things that makes him pleased with you

For those fortunate to achieve this, they stand out over others because their hearts and souls will be clean and pure

This means that they will love all the things that Allah loves and hate the things Allah hates

They will harbor no desires that go against what Allah has made good and clean

They will harbor no wishes that go against what is good and clean

Their hearts will be free of any questions or doubts about what Allah has commanded

Also when the people of Paradise enter they will be different in appearance 

Muslim reports from Abu Hurayrah (ra) a hadith in which the Prophet describes people entering Paradise including a group whose light will be like the full moon. He (saws) said,

“Their form will be that of a single person after the image of their father Adam, 60 cubits tall.”

Another aspect of their beauty is that they will have no body hair and will look as if their eyes are anointed with kohl. Each of them will enter Paradise aged 33 the age of strength, vitality and youth.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said

“People of Paradise will enter Paradise hairless, looking as if their eyes are ringed with kohl, aged 33” [Sahih al Jami]

As reported in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari; the people of Paradise

“will not spit, blow their noses or excrete.”

Also the people of Paradise will not sleep.

“Sleep is the brother of death; the people of Paradise will not sleep.”

All of this for those who lived their lives in this world denouncing the fleeting pleasures therein

“And strain not your eyes in longing for things We have given them for enjoyment to various groups of them [mushrikin and kuffar] the splendor of this life that We may test them thereby. But the provision [good reward in the Hereafter] of your Rabb is better and more lasting.” [20:131]

“Beautified for men is the love of things they covet: women, children, much of gold and silver [wealth], branded beautiful horses, cattle and well –tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world’s life but Allah has the excellent return with Him. Say: “Shall I inform you of thins far better than those? For al-Muttaqun there are Gardens with their Rabb under which rivers flow. Therein [is their] eternal [home] and Azwajun mutahharatun [purified mates or wives] and Allah will be pleased with them. And Allah is All-Sir of [His] Slaves.” [3:14-15]

Despite all this world has to offer – one must understand it is nothing compared to Paradise. The Prophet indicated the inferiority of this world to Paradise:

“By Allah, this world in comparison with the Hereafter is nothing more than as if one of you put his finger” – and he gestured with his forefinger – “in the sea; let him see how much water he would retrieve.” [Muslim]

A finger dipped in the ocean would not even pick up one drop; this is how little this world is worth when compared with the Akhirah (afterlife)

Because these pleasures are so insignificant, Allah (swt) has rebuked those who prefer the pleasures of this world to the joys of the Akhirah:

“O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to go forth in the Cause of Allah you cling heavily to this earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.” [9:38]

Some of the things that makes Paradise better are its Clothing, Food, Drink, Jewelry and Palaces

“The space of a whip in Paradise is better than this world and everything in it” [Mishkat]

“The space of a bow of any one of you in Paradise is better than all that the sun rises upon.” [Bukhari]

The comparison between the women of Paradise and the women of this earth serves to demonstrate the superiority of that which is in Paradise. Al-Bukhari reports from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said

“If a woman from the people of Paradise were to look at this earth, she would light up everything between it and fill it with her fragrance; the veil on her head is better than this world and all that is in it.” [Mishkat]

This is also Daleel [Evidence] that women will wear Hijab in Paradise – everything that Allah made Haram is Bad and Dirty and will remain so. Everything He made Obligatory is Good and Clean and will remain so.

Other differences in the lives of Paradise:

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 these discomforts

“Crystal-white, delicious to those who drink [thereof] free from intoxication, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.” [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..” [47:15]

The women of Paradise are pure and free from menstruation, nifas [postnatal bleeding] and all other impurities suffered by women in this world, as Allah (swt) says:

“…and they shall have therein Azwajun Muttaharatun [Purified mates having no menses, urine, stools, etc.]” [2:25]

Also 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”

“..Free from any laghw [dirty, false, evil, vague talk], and free from sin.” [52:23]

The only talk heard in Paradise will be that which is good!

“No Laghw [dirty, false, evil talk] will they hear therein nor lying.” [78:35]

“They shall not hear therein any Laghw, but only salam [salutations of peace]” [19:62]

“Where they shall hear neither harmful speech nor falsehood” [88:11]

Thus Paradise is Allah’s reward and being so is the place of Peace and purity

“There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one and they will glorify Allah morning and evening.” [al-Bukhari]

Allah Himself tells us in the interpretation of the meaning:

“And We shall remove from their breasts any lurking sense of injury: [they will be] brothers [joyfully] facing each other on thrones [of dignity].” [15:47]

A “sense of injury” is hatred. It was reported from Ibn ‘Abbas and Ali ibn Abi Talib that when the people of Paradise enter Paradise they will drink from one spring and Allah (swt) will remove all sense of injury or hatred from their hearts, then they will drink from another spring, and their faces will become pure and bright [al-Qurtubi]

This is probably what is meant by the ayah, “And their Rabb will give them a pure drink.” [76:21]

So thus this is the reward of those who live their lives doing the deeds to earn Allahs love

As Allah says in the interpretation of the meaning:

“Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection will you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception [a deceiving thing].” [3:185]