Our human nature is one that acts based on pain and pleasure. Everything we do is either to avoid some kind of pain or attain a pleasure. Knowing this, God has encouraged humans to make the right decisions with the promise that we will be rewarded for them. Throughout the entire Qurʾān, there is a complete balance between the mention of paradise and hell. Each time one is mentioned, the other is mentioned alongside. This article will provide a description of paradise as it is found in the Qurʾān and statements of the Prophet peace be upon him.
The Unveiling of Paradise
When there is a new product that is about to be revealed there is usually a hype that accompanies it. People talk about it, imagine what it might be, and speculate about all of its potential features. However, once it is revealed, people are often disappointed and their initial hype and excitement wither away. They move to the next thing seeking to find that happiness. Paradise is full of surprises, but the surprises of paradise do not disappoint because the one giving the gift and unveiling its pleasures is none other than God Himself.
The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said: Allah has said: I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no heart has conceived (Tirmidhi). The Qurʾān also states No person knows what is kept hidden for them of delights of the eye as a reward for what they used to do (Qurʾān 32:17). The pleasures of paradise are so great and pure that no heart or mind has even thought of them. The billions of humans who walked this earth each had an imagination, wishes, creativity, and desire. However, there is not a single person who has merely imagined anything similar to what is in paradise. There are things that the eye and ear have never seen.
Think of this, if someone were blind, there is no possible way to accurately describe what color is. They simply have nothing to compare it to. Similarly, there are things in paradise that we are yet to experience and have nothing to reference them to in this world. They may be colors, sounds, food, homes, entertainment or anything else. This is why, despite the Qurʾān being full of descriptions of paradise, the Prophet peace be upon him noted that what we do not know about paradise is much greater than what we know: Never mind what God has told you; what He has not told you is even greater (Muslim).
Although the Qurʾān attempts to describe paradise, the reality is that it is beyond imagination. All descriptions of it are merely meant to provide an idea of what it might be like. The Qurʾān describes paradise as being the opposite of this world. The nature of paradise is that it is completely different than this world in terms of its pleasure, length, and purpose. And if you looked around, you would see ˹indescribable˺ bliss and a vast kingdom (Qurʾān 76:20). The Prophet peace be upon him was asked about the buildings of paradise and he said: Bricks of gold and silver, and mortar of fragrant musk, pebbles of pearl and sapphire, and soil of saffron. Whoever enters it is filled with joy and will never feel miserable; he will live there forever and never die; their clothes will never wear out and their youth will never fade. (Tirmidhi).
Painless Pleasure in Paradise
The pleasures of this world are always accompanied by some kind of pain or discomfort. For instance, if one wants to go on vacation, there is the discomfort of travelling, the pain of spending money, and also the pain that one feels when they return back to their day to day life. If one wants to enjoy food, there is the pain and discomfort of digesting it. The wine of this world results in both pleasure and pain. However, the Qurʾān describes its pleasures as being free of any harm or pain. For instance the wine of paradise only contains the pleasure and removes the pain of headache and intoxication that is associated with the wine of this world:
There will be circulated among them a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring. White and delicious to the drinkers. No bad effect is there in it, nor from it will they be intoxicated (Qurʾān 37: 45-47).
Crystal-white, delicious to those who drink (thereof), free from intoxication, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom (Qurʾān 37:46-47)
The drinks of paradise also never go bad or become distasteful and the spouses of paradise are pure, free of any ill looks, odor, or behavior:
The description of the Paradise promised to the righteous is that in it are rivers of fresh water, rivers of milk that never changes in taste, rivers of wine delicious to drink, and rivers of pure honey. There they will ˹also˺ have all kinds of fruit, and forgiveness from their Lord. ˹Can they be˺ like those who will stay in the Fire forever, left to drink boiling water that will tear apart their insides? (Qurʾān 47:15)
Give good news to those who believe and do good that they will have Gardens under which rivers flow. Whenever provided with fruit, they will say, “This is what we were given before,” for they will be served fruit that looks similar ˹but tastes different˺. They will have pure spouses, and they will be there forever (Qurʾān 2:25).
The Prophet peace be upon him was asked how people relieve themselves in the hereafter. He responded: They relieve themselves by perspiring through their skins, and its fragrance will be that of musk, and all stomachs will have become lean (Ibn Hibban).
In paradise, there is no sleep. Sleep and fatigue are pains of this world:
In this world, even if one is on vacation or in a beautiful environment, that could be ruined by physical tiredness, sadness, or stress of the mind. People in paradise will never get tired or stressed. The Prophet peace be upon him said: Sleep is the brother of death; the people of Paradise will not sleep (Silsilat al-Hadith as-Saheehah) Describing paradise, the Qurʾān states:
And they will say, “Praise be to Allah, Who has kept away from us all ˹causes of˺ sorrow. Our Lord is indeed All-Forgiving, Most Appreciative. He who has settled us in the home of duration out of His bounty. There touches us not in it any fatigue, and there touches us not in it weariness [of mind] (Qurʾān 35: 34-35).
Everlasting Nature of Paradise
Even if one were to experience pure pleasure in this world, there is still the pain of separation from the things we love. We all fear death because it takes us away from the things we love, our family, wealth, homes, and comforts. So even if we lived a life full of enjoyment, that enjoyment is ruined by death. The Prophet peace be upon him described death as the destroyer of pleasures. On the other hand, paradise is eternal and people in it will never die, nor will it ever end. Throughout the Qurʾān, the life of this world is compared to the temporary life of fruits and vegetation:
And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability. Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life (Qurʾān 18: 45).
The Qurʾān compares this life to the rain because it causes plants and vegetation to grow, but after a short lifespan these plants wither away. This is identical to the pleasures of this life. Youth, beauty, children, wealth, property, cars etc. Each of these things fades away and are replaced with their opposite. Youth is replaced with old age, health with sickness, newness with oldness, wealth with poverty, and life with death. However, in paradise, there is no death:
The Prophet peace be upon him said: Death will be brought forth in the form of a black and white speckled ram, and a caller will cry out, ‘O people of Paradise!’ They will crane their necks and look, and he will say, ‘Do you recognize this?’ They will say, ‘Yes, it is death,’ and all of them will have seen it. Then he will cry out, ‘O people of Hell!’ They will crane their necks and look, and he will say, ‘Do you recognize this?’ They will say, ‘Yes, it is death,’ and all of them will have seen it. Then the ram will be slaughtered, and he (the caller) will say, ‘O people of Paradise, it is eternal and there will be no death; O people of Hell, it is eternal and there will be no death.’” Then he recited (interpretation of the meaning): “And warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of grief and regrets, when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not” (Qurʾān 19:39) (Bukhari).
The Qurʾān documents a beautiful reflection of the inhabitants of paradise will have upon entering it: Then he will ask his fellow believers, “Can you imagine that we will never die except our first death? And that we will never be punished? This is truly the ultimate triumph!” (Qurʾān 37:58-61)
The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said that when people enter paradise, a caller will call out: “Indeed may you be healthy and never be sick again, may you live and never die again, may you be young and never grow feeble again, may you enjoy, and never feel sorrow and regret again.” (Muslim).
Say: Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is (far) better for him who fears God (Qurʾān 4:77).
The description of the Paradise promised to the righteous is that under it rivers flow; eternal is its fruit as well as its shade. That is the ˹ultimate˺ outcome for the righteous. But the outcome for the disbelievers is the Fire! (Qurʾān 13:35).
What is with you must vanish, and what is with God will endure (Qurʾān 16:96).
This is what you are promised for the Day of Reckoning. This is indeed Our provision that will never end (Qurʾān 38:53-54).
Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their fathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying]. ‘Peace [i.e. security] be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home (Qurʾān 13: 23-24).
Clothing and Jewelry
They will be adorned with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine and thick silk (Qurʾān 18:31).
They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk (Qurʾān 22:32).
Dressed in garments of fine silk and brocade, facing each other (Qurʾān 44:51-53).
Their garments will be of fine green silk, and gold embroidery. They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a pure drink (Qurʾān: 76:21).
The Prophet peace be upon him said: Tooba is a tree in Paradise, as wide as what would require a hundred years journey; the clothes of the people of Paradise come from the outer parts of its flowers (Silsilat al-Hadith As-Saheehah).
No Ill Feelings
They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin. But only the saying of: Peace! Peace! (Quran 56:25-26)
And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of bitterness, so they will bebrothers, on thrones facing each other (Qurʾān 15:47).
There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify God, morning and evening (Bukhari).
Conclusion
Ultimately, the life of this world is not meant to be a place of complete and everlasting happiness. We are all temporary residents in this world, we will die and go to one of two places in the hereafter. It is foolish to get so connected and engrossed in this world while purposefully forgetting that we will soon leave it. This article only highlighted some of what God and the Prophet peace be upon him said about paradise. These descriptions are meant to inspire us to work hard, forgive, be patient, and look forward to stepping foot into the eternal bliss of paradise. Laziness, cowardliness, fear, and procrastination are all obstacles that can prevent us from entering the abode of never ending joy and pleasure. It is essentially to step back and reflect on the nature of this world, the nature of our life and death, and our ultimate destiny. Every soul will taste death. And you will only receive your full reward on the Day of Judgment. Whoever is spared from the Fire and is admitted into Paradise will indeed triumph. And the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment (Qurʾān 3:185).
