Bismillahir
Rahmaanir Raheem
As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi WaBarakaatuhu
This is the last part of the series on Jannah and Jahannam, There is an excellent set of lectures on the 'Hereafter' By Sheik Anwar, to access them click on the link below:
Was Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi WaBarakaatuhu
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The Couches of the People of Paradise
The palaces of Paradise have been prepared, and in their gardens are places to sit and recline, beautiful couches of delightful colours and high beds whose interiors are lined with silk brocade, let alone how magnificent their outward appearance must be. There are cushions and splendid carpets laid out in the most delightful fashion. Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) says:
"Therein will be thrones raised high, And cups set at hand, and cushions set in rows, and rich carpets " [88:13-16]
"They will recline on thrones arranged in ranks. And We shall marry them to Houris with wide lovely eyes." [52:20]
"A multitude of those will be from the first generations and a few of those will be from the later time . on thrones woven with gold and precious stones,reclining thereon, face to face." [56:13-16]
This reclining on those thrones and couches will be one of the luxuries that the people of Paradise will enjoy when they gather together, as Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) says,
"And we shall remove from their breasts any lurking sense of injury; brothers facing each other on thrones ." [15:47]
"Reclining on green cushions and rich beautiful mattresses" [55:76}
"Reclining upon the couches lined with silk brocade" [55:54]
The Market of the People of Paradise
Muslim reported from Anas ibn Maalik that the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Salaam) 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. Gathering together every Friday means that they will meet once a week, or what approximates to once a week; there will be no real weeks there, as there will be no sun or moon or days. The wind of Paradise was described specifically as being the north winds, because for the Arabs this is the wind that brings rain, coming from the direction of Syria, so they always hoped for a wind coming from the north. In the hadith this wind is called al-Mutheerah, i.e. something that carries things, because it will blow the sand or dust of Paradise into their faces, which is musk." [Sharh an-Nawawi ala Muslim, 17/170]
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 (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) has blessed them by admitting them to Paradise. Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) described the gatherings of the people of Paradise:
"And We shall remove from their breasts any lurking sense of injury, brothers, facing each other on thrones ." [15:47]
Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) has also described some of the kinds of conversation that will take place in their gatherings:
"And some of them draw near to others, questioning, saying, "Aforetime we were afraid with our families , but Allaah has been gracious to us, and has saved us from the torment of the Fire. Verily, we used to invoke Him before. Verily He is Al-Barr, the All-Merciful." [52:25-28]
The Wives of the People of Paradise
(i) 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 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]
(ii) al-Hoor al-'Eeyn
Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) will marry the believers in Paradise to beautiful women who were not their wives in this world, as Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) says:
"So 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 maidens of equal age." [78:31-33]
Al-Hoor al-'Eeyn are creatures that Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) has made especially for Paradise, and has made them virgins:
"Verily, We have created of special creation, and made them virgin-pure , beloved , equal in age." [56:35-37]
The fact that they are virgins means that no-one has ever married them before:
"...whom no man or jinn has touched before them." [55:56]
This refutes the idea that the wives that Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) will create for them in Paradise will be their wives from this life, made young again after old age had overtaken them. That idea if correct in that Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) will admit the believing women to Paradise with their youth restored but they are not al-Hoor al-'Eeyn whom Allaah created in Paradise.
The Qur'an also speaks of the beauty of the women of al-Jannah:
"And Houris with wide lovely eyes , Like unto preserved pearls." [56:22-23]
Maknoon ["preserved"] means hidden or protected, something whose colour is not changed by exposure to sunlight or by being tampered with. Elsewhere, Allaah likens them to rubies and coral, two beautiful precious stones:
"In them will be restraining their glances, whom no man or jinn has touched before them, Then which of the favours of your Rabb will you deny? Like unto rubies and coral." [55:56-58]
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 (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) has stated that they are very beautiful, and it is sufficient to know that Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) said:
"In them will be fair good and beautiful; then which of the favours of your Rabb will you deny? Companions restrained in pavilions" [55:70-72]
Look at this beauty that the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Salaam) described! Can you find any comparison to it in the world that you know?! :
"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, in as-Saheeh, Kitaab al-Jihaad, Baab wa Zawwajnahum bi Hoor-'Eeyn. Fath al-Baari, 6/15]
Earning The Blessings Of Paradise Does Not Mean One Has To Forego The Pleasures Of This World
Monks and ascetics, and many of the believers of this ummah think that the blessings of the hereafter cannot be attained without giving up the good things and pleasures of this world. So you see them punishing themselves and making life hard for themselves with non-stop fasting and praying at night. Some of them even deny themselves good food, drink and clothing and reject work and marriage. All of this is wrong, for Allaah has created the good things of this world for the believers, and He denounces those who forbid the beautiful things that Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) has created for His slaves:
"Say: "Who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allah, which He has produced for His slaves, and at-Tayyibaat of food?" Say: "They are in the life of this world, for those who believe, exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection ." [7:32]
This world is only condemned when it distracts the believer from the Hereafter, but if he treats it as a means of achieving success in the aakhirah then its pleasures need not be spurned, as some people think.
The Conclusion Of Their Prayer Will Be Al-Hamdulillaahi Rabbil-Aalameen
The believers will pass through the turmoil of the Day of Judgement, then they will cross as-Siraat and will witness its horrors. Then Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala) will admit them to gardens of delight in Paradise, after removing all grief and sorrow from their hearts. They will see the wonders that Allaah has prepared for them in Paradise and they will raise their voices in praise and glorification of Allaah because He will have lifted their sorrow, fulfilled His promise to them, and caused them to inherit Paradise:
"And they will say, "All praise and thanks be to Allaah, Who has removed from us grief. For Our Rabb is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate Who out of His Grace, has lodged us in a home that will last forever, there, toil will not touch us, nor will weariness touch us" [35:34-35]
"And they will say, "All the praises and thanks be to Allaah Who Has fulfilled His promise to us and has made us inherit land. We can dwell in Paradise where we will; how excellent a reward for the workers!" And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne from all around, glorifying the praises of their Rabb. And they will be judged with truth, and it will be said, "All the praises and thanks be to Allaah, the Rabb of the Aalameen" [39:74-75]
And the conclusion of their prayer will be al-Hamdulillaahi Rabbil Aalameen:
"Their prayer will be Glory to You, O Allaah! and their greeting therein will be Peace, and the conclusion of their prayer will be, "Praise be to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds" [10:10]
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