"TERM 4" Week 7; Class - 'DESCRIPTION OF PARADISE - 2'
Paradise
There is Nothing Like It (Contd...)
The Food and Drink of the People of Paradise
We have already discussed the trees and fruits of Paradise, including the ripe fruits, which hang within easy reach, so that the people of Paradise may pick whichever fruits they desire. The people will also have whatever food and drink they desire:
"Any fruit [any] that they may choose, And the flesh of fowls that they desire" [56:20-21]
"...there will be there all that the souls could desire, all that the eyes could delight in.."[43:71]
Allaah (swt) will permit them to take whatever they want of the good food and drink of Paradise:
"Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!"[69:24]
We have also mentioned above that in Paradise there will be a sea of water, a sea of wine, a sea of milk and a sea of honey, and the rivers of Paradise will flow out of these seas. There will be also many springs in Paradise, and its people will drink from these seas, rivers and springs.
(i) The Wine of the People of Paradise
One of the drinks that Allaah will bestow on the people of Paradise will be wine. The wine of Paradise is free of all the troubles and problems that characterise the wine of this world, which makes people lose their minds, and causes headaches, stomach aches and other physical disorders, or which may have something wrong in the way it is made, or its colour, etc. But the wine of Paradise is free from all such faults; it is pure and beautiful:
"Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine; white, delicious to the drinkers. Neither will they have ghoul [any kind of hurt, abdominal pain, headache, etc] from that, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom" [37:45-47]
(ii) The first food of the people of Paradise
The first food which Allaah (swt) will present to the people of Paradise will be the caudate [extra] lobe of fish-liver
al-Bukhaari reports that 'Abdullaah ibn Salaam asked the Prophet (saw) a number of questions when he first came to Madinah, one of which was, "What is the first thing that the people of Paradise will eat?" He said, "The caudate [extra] lobe of fish liver"[Ibn Katheer, an-Nihaayah, 2/270]
The food and drink of the people of Paradise does not produce any impure excrement.
It might cross one's mind that the food and drink of Paradise might produce the same as the food and drink of this world, namely excrement, urine, mucus, saliva, and so on. But this is not the case. Paradise is a place that is free from all impurities, and its people are free of all the blemishes of people of this world. A hadith reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah clearly rejects such a nation: the Prophet (saw) said, "The first group to enter Paradise will be as beautiful as the full moon; they will not spit or blow their noses." [al-Bukhaari]
This does not only apply to the first group to enter Paradise, all those who enter will be similarly pure. Muslim reports from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (saw) said,
It might be asked where will the waste produces go? This question was posed to the Prophet (saw) by his Sahabah and he replied, "[It will come out as] burps which are like musk." [Muslim in 4/2180, no. 2835]. Other parts the excretions will be turned into sweat like musk that will come out of their bodies.
Why Will the People of Paradise Eat and Drink and Comb their Hair?
If the people of Paradise are to abide there forever, and it is free form all discomfort, pain and sickness, if there is no hunger or thirst there, and no impurities or dirt, then why will the people of Paradise eat and drink, and wear perfume and comb their hair?
al-Qurtubee answered this question in at-Tadhkirah [p. 475, see also al-Fath, 6/325]: "The luxuries and clothing of the people of Paradise will not be for the purpose of warding off potential pains; they will not eat because of hunger or drink because of thirst, or wear perfume because of some offensive odour, because Paradise is a never-ending succession of delight and joy. Do you not remember the words of Allaah (swt) to Aadam?
"Verily you have [a promise from Us] that you will never be hungry therein nor naked. And you [will] suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun's heat." [20:118-119]
The wisdom behind it [food and drink, etc] is so that Allaah will introduce Paradise to them in ways similar to the good things that they enjoyed on earth, but He will increase it in ways known only to Him."
The Vessels and Cups of the People of Paradise
The vessels from which the people of Paradise will eat and drink will be of gold and silver. Allaah (swt) says:
"Trays of gold and cups will be passed round them.." [43:71] i.e. cups of gold.
And Allaah (swt) says, "And amongst them, will be passed round vessels of silver and cups of crystal, crystal-clear, made of silver. They will determine the measure thereof according to their wishes." [76:15] i.e it will combine the purity of crystal with the whiteness of silver.
The Clothing, Jewellery and Incense-Burners Of the People of Paradise
The people of Paradise will wear the most luxurious clothes, amongst other things, garments of silk and bracelets of gold, silver and pearls. Allaah (swt) says:
"And their recompense will be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient."[76:12]
"...wherein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments will be of silk." [22:23]
"'Adn Paradise they will enter, therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments there will be of silk." [35:33]
"...They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Rabb will give them a pure drink."[76:21]
Their clothes will be colourful, including garments of green silk and brocade:
"..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! How beautiful a couch to recline on." [18:31]
The Prophet (saw) also told us that the people of Paradise will have combs of gold and silver, and that they will perfume themselves with 'Ud at-Teeb, even though the scent of musk will be emanating from their pure bodies.
Their jewellery will include crowns. at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah report from al-Miqdaam ibn Ma'd Yakrib that among the honours bestowed upon the martyr will be: "..there will be placed upon his head a crown of dignity, one ruby of which is better than this world and all that is in it." [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/358, no. 3834, Saheeh Muslim, saheeh]
The clothing and jewellery of the people of Paradise will never wear out or fade. Muslim reports from Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said, "Whoever enters Paradise is blessed, and will never be miserable, his clothes will never wear out and his youth will never fade away." [Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab al-Jannah, Baab fi Dawam Na'eem al-Jannah, 4/2181, no. 2836]
The Servants of the People of Paradise
The People of Paradise will be served by boys whom Allaah (swt) will create to serve them and who will be most beautiful and perfect in form:
"They will be served by immortal boys, With cups, and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine." [56:17-18]
"And round about them will [serve] boys of everlasting youth. If you see them, you would think them scattered pearls." [76:19]
And Allaah (swt) said [76:19] i.e. if you saw them going around to attend to the needs of their masters, with their beautiful faces and splendid colourful clothes and jewellery, you would think that they were scattered pearls. There is no more beautiful description than the picture of pearls scattered in a place of beauty." [Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 7/184]
The Market of the People of Paradise
Muslim reported from Anas ibn Maalik that the Messenger of Allaah (saw) 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 Allaah, you increased in beauty after you left us." And they will say, "And you too, by Allaah, you have increased in beauty since you left us." [Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab al-Jannah, Baab fi Sooq al-Jannah, 4/2178, no. 2833]
an-Nawawi commented on this hadith, "What is meant by a market is a gathering place where the people will come together, just as they gather in marketplaces in this world."
The Gatherings and Conversations of the People of Paradise
The people of Paradise will visit one another, in delightful gatherings where they will remember their lives in this world and how Allaah (swt) has blessed them by admitting them to Paradise. Allaah (swt) described the gatherings of the people of Paradise:
"And We shall remove from their breasts any lurking sense of injury, [they will be like] brothers, [joyfully] facing each other on thrones [of dignity]." [15:47]
THE WIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF PARADISE
The Wife Of The Believer In This World Will Be His Wife In The Hereafter If She Is Righteous
"Gardens of 'Adn, which they shall enter, and [also] those who act righteously from among their fathers, and their wives and their offspring..." [13:23]
"They and their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones." [36:56]
"Enter Paradise, you and your wives, in happiness" [43:70]
al-Hoor al-'Eeyn
Allaah (swt) will marry the believers in Paradise to beautiful women who were not their wives in this world, as Allaah (swt) says:
"So [it will be] and We shall marry them to Houris with wide lovely eyes." [44:54]
al-Hoor is the plural of Hooraa', which is a woman, the white parts of her eyes intensely white, and the black is intensely black. al-'Eeyn is the plural fo 'Aynaa, which is the woman whose eyes are wide.
The Qur'aan describes al-Hoor al-'Eeyn as being firm and full-breasted:
"Verily, for al-Muttaqoon, there will be a success; gardens and grapeyards and young full-breasted [mature] maidens of equal age." [78:31-33]
Al-Hoor al-'Eeyn are creatures that Allaah (swt) has made especially for Paradise, and has made them virgins:
"Verily, We have created [their companions] of special creation, and made them virgin-pure [and undefiled], beloved [by nature], equal in age." [56:35-37]
al-Hoor are also described as restraining their gaze upon their husbands i.e. they restrict their gaze and don't let their eyes wander to others. Allaah (swt) has stated that they are very beautiful, and it is sufficient to know that Allaah (swt) said:
"In them will be fair [companions] good and beautiful; then which of the favours of your Rabb will you deny? Companions restrained [as to their glances] in [goodly] pavilions" [55:70-72]
The women are not like the women of this world. They are free of al-Hayd [menstruation], an-Nifaas [post-natal bleeding], spittle, mucus, urine and stools. This is what is referred to in the aayah:
"..And they shall have therein Azwaajun Mutahharatun [purified mates]" [2:25]
The Prophet (saw) told us about the beauty of the wives of the People of Paradise. al-Bukhaari and Muslim reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger (saw) said, "...the marrow of whose leg-bones will be visible through the flesh because of their extreme beauty."
"If one of the women of Paradise were to look at the people of this world, everything in between them would be lit up and filled with her fragrance. The veil on her head is better than this world and everything in it." [al-Bukhaari]
The smallest number of wives that any one man will have in Paradise is seventy-two. It was reported that the Shaheed will have seventy two wives from amongst al-Hoor a--'Eeyn [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/357, no. 3834, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah from al-Miqdaam ibn Ma'd Yakrib]
The Song of al-Hoor al-'Eeyn
The Messenger (saw) told us that al-Hoor in Jannah sing with sweet, beautiful voices. In al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, at-Tabaraani reports with a saheeh isnaad from Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (saw) said,
"The wives of the people of Paradise will sing to their husband in the most beautiful voices that anyone has ever heard. What they will sing is: "We are good and beautiful, the wives of a noble people, who look at their husbands content and happy." And they will sing, "We are eternal, and will never die, we are safe and will never fear, we are remaining here and will never go away."" [Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer, 2/48, no. 1557; also Abu Na'eem, ad-Diyaa in Sifaat al-Jannah]
The Jealousy of al-Hoor al-Eeyn over their Husbands in this World
The Prophet (saw) told us that al-Hoor feel jealous over their husbands in this world, if the wife of one of them upsets him. Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi report with a saheeh isnaad from Mu'aadh that the Messenger of Allaah (saw) said,
"No woman in this world upsets her husband but his wife from among al-Hoor al-'Eeyn will say, "Do not upset him, may Allaah kill you! For he is with you only temporarily, and soon he will leave you and come to us."" [Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 6/125, no. 7069]
The believer in Paradise will be given the Strength of One Hundred Men
Anas reported that the Prophet (saw) said, "The believer in Paradise will be given such and such strength." He was asked, "O Messenger of Allaah, will he really be able to do that?" He said, "He will be given the strength of one hundred men." [it was reported by at-Tirmidhi, Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/90, no. 5636, at-Tirmidhi said: "ghareeb saheeh."]
Description of Paradise - 1
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