First published on: Will We Be Bored in Heaven? by Samaa Mohammad
Why people think eternal life is boring?
Jannah is the eternal luxurious life Muslims are seeking after a long struggle in life. It is the final settlement of pious people where they will have all they wish and more. Some people feel an eternal life to be boring; to get up every day in the same place doing the same activities with the same people for millions of years till forever. Even if one has the most luxurious life ever, he couldn’t withstand this repetitive monotony. Some people feel it is completely dull to live without TV, music, art shows, dancing… etc. They feel Jannah is just a kind of a more peaceful place than this worldly life with Dunia rules applied.
We will unveil the hidden secrets about Jannah through this article and answer the most fundamental question; Is eternal life boring?
Jannah is a different life
The cornerstone of the answer is “Jannah is different”. You would never be objective if you judge two different things with totally different conditions to the same criteria. The way to understand how Jannah is different, you just have to realize they are two different lives.
We live three different lives; Dunia, grave, Jannah/Hell. Could we Judge the grave life by Dunia standards or the opposite? Can we ask the question “How could a man lying in the grave earn a living?” Totally not. Why? Because they are completely different. We could easily figure out the difference as we can -partially or totally- perceive them. However, Jannah is still in the unseen and we cannot even imagine how it looks, but still, we can know it is different. Different places, bodies, emotions, hopes, interests and everything.
Life is a test and Jannah is a reward
The other way to understand how Jannah is different is to realize that Dunia is a test and it is temporary, and Jannah is a reward and it is eternal. A test is full of difficulties, hard times, and imperfection which is to examine people. However, Jannah was prepared for our joy, satisfaction and perfection; so, no room for sadness, depression or boredom. You couldn’t be bored in Jannah; it is perfectly prepared for your happiness. Allah says for the people of Jannah:
…Enter Paradise, [O people of the Elevations]. No fear will there be concerning you, nor will you grieve.” [Qur’an 7:49] (1)
And they will say:
Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative.” [Qur’an 35:34] (2)
Jannah is prepared by Allah
Another important concept we need to put in mind is that Jannah is prepared by Allah; The All-knowing who knows what best suits his creation and what best pleases them, The Merciful who promised people with the best reward they couldn’t ever imagine if they followed his guidance, and The Just who wouldn’t let those who struggled for truth in Dunia be sad or bored in the hereafter.
People seek eternity
It is nonsense to refuse Jannah because it is eternal. The other choice is to die after a couple of weeks or months or even years in Jannah, and that will make it lose its beauty because you will be always thinking you would die at the end. People fear eternity is boring yet they are always afraid of death. They always strive to protect themselves from death; running from a crushing car, taking medicine to cure diseases and avoiding any harm that could affect their lives. People like to live, and if they tried Jannah life, they would certainly never wish to be dead.
Misconceptions about Jannah | Is Eternal life boring?
People may confuse the concept of Jannah in Islam with the concept of heaven in other cultures and religions. This confusion may lead to the feeling that Jannah is not more than a spiritually good life after death which is a wrong conception about real Jannah. We will reveal some of the common misconceptions which when resolved, you will feel the beauty of Jannah and understand the following points in the article. People physically exist in Jannah| Paradise is not a dream
People in Jannah are neither present with their souls alone nor with their bodies alone, they are present with both of them. This indicates that Jannah is a real life with physical existence, not as some people would imagine that it is more like a dream. A dream is vague with pushed ideas from our subconscious. However, a real life is clear and hopeful.
There is no Haram in Jannah
Some people think Dunia rules apply in Jannah and there would be limitations; as haram (forbidden). Haram (forbidden) in Dunia will be purified in Jannah and become Halal (allowed). For example, in Jannah, wine is one of Jannah’s pleasures; it is not harmful and is much more beautiful. So, all the amusement and luxury that are haram in Dunia, you are able to have in Jannah with much more pleasure.
No human heart has perceived Paradise
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: I have prepared for My pious servants which no eye (has ever) seen, no ear has (ever) heard and no human heart has ever perceived those bounties leaving apart (those bounties) about which Allah has informed you.” [Hadith] (3)
Imagine going into a new, vast, luxurious city which has new free entertainment you have never heard of or even imagined, how would you spend your day?
Jannah is beautified and Renewable
Jannah gets prettier and renewed every now and then; it is not at fixed style or shape it is always changing and getting newer, so it is never boring. People of Jannah are getting brighter and more beautiful. Prophet Muhammad PBUH said:
In Paradise there is a street to which they would come every Friday. The north wind will blow and would scatter fragrance on their faces and on their clothes and would add to their beauty and loveliness, and then they would go back to their family after having an added lustre to their beauty and loveliness, and their family would say to them: By Allah, you have been increased in beauty and loveliness after leaving us, and they would say: By Allah, you have also increased in beauty and loveliness after us.” [Hadith] (4)
Jannah is extremely Vast
Jannah is as vast as the heavens and the earth. Even a single tree in Jannah is so huge which indicates how vast is the space. The Prophet (PBUH) said,
There is a tree in Jannah that is so huge that if a rider of a swift horse has to cover its distance from one end to another in one hundred years, he will not be able to do so.” [Hadith] (5)
I remember my dad once reserved a luxurious villa with 4 floors and a swimming pool, Gym, and a playing yard. Me and my siblings spent days going up and down just exploring. If that’s the case with 4 floors, how will it be with a Paradise as huge as the Heavens and the Earth?
No poverty, ageing, illness or death in Jannah
Prophet Muhammad PBUH said that those who enter Paradise would neither become ill nor destitute, nor would his clothes wear out, nor his youth would decline nor he would die. In a narration, an elderly woman once came to Prophet Muhammad PBUH asking him to pray for her to enter paradise.
An old woman came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, beseech Allah to let me enter the Garden of Paradise!’ He replied: ‘O Mother of So-and-so, no old woman will enter the Garden of Paradise!’ She turned away weeping, so he said: ‘Tell her that she will not enter it as an old woman, for Allah says: ‘We have created them a new creation, and made them virgins, loving, equal in age [inna ansha’na-hunna insha’a: fa-ja’alna-hunna abkara ‘uruban atraba].’” (Al-Qur’an; 56:35-37)” [Hadith] (6)
Reasons of boredom in the world are absent in Paradise
After we acknowledged the difference, we could move on to analyze the reason behind boredom in Dunia, and then see if any of these reasons would appear to exist in Jannah.
Prolonged exposure to monotonous stimulation
“Deficient performance has often been observed in monotonous tasks that continue without interruption for an hour or more.”
It is quite obvious that one could be bored if he is doing the same thing most often, especially if he doesn’t like it or maybe forced to do it. In Jannah there is no monotony and no obligations; each hour you could be in a different place, doing different activities with different people.
lack of engaging activity
Indeed, in Jannah, lack of activity is impossible. If you counted all amusement and entertainment here in dunia compared to Jannah they are more like one over infinity; food, clothes, tour visits, beaches, cinemas, food courts, malls -even libraries if you wish- and others we cannot imagine.
You wish you do, so why not try everything?
Indeed the companions of Paradise, that Day, will be amused in [joyful] occupation” [Qur’an 36:55] (7)
Who are Jannah Residents?
The Qur’an says:
And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger – those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.” [Qur’an 4:69] (8)
Thus, if you are living by the most pious, righteous and truthful people – all whoever walked on the Earth from Adam till the last-born human- along with the Prophets, angels and Allah (SWT), would you ever feel bored?
You could meet someone from the past in Jannah.
Every day you will be knowing someone new and having new friends -maybe who died before you were born, or was born after you died! You may be sitting with a celebrity who you would never dream of talking with in Dunia. You may also have the opportunity to introduce yourself to your great grandparent. You could sit with your parents or children more than you could do in Dunia.
People live in Peace, Love and Harmony in Jannah
All Jannah residents will live in love, peace and harmony. Allah will remove hate and envy from their hearts.
An individual is unable to find meaning in his or her life.
Moreover, having meaning in life is essential; as it is what shapes human urges and actions. True meaning of life makes one productive and useful, and hence he is never in monotony or lacking activity.
People of Jannah are the ones who succeeded in having the real meaning of life. It is nonsense that any of them lacks a clear meaning to his life either in Dunia or Jannah, they are not meaningless or living aimlessly.
Will we get bored in Jannah?
To sum up, Jannah is the eternal luxurious life Muslims are seeking after death after a long struggle in life. Eternal life couldn’t be boring because:
● Jannah shouldn’t be judged to Dunia standards.
● Jannah is completely different from this worldly life. It is perfect and prepared for our comfort and happiness while dunia is a test full of hardships.
● Jannah is prepared by Allah; the All-knowing who knows what best suits his creatures and The most Merciful who grants the pious people the best of reward.
● Eternity is a comfortable idea if you realize that the opposite is nothingness and that eternity in Jannah worth living.
● Jannah is not just a more peaceful place or a spiritually good life; it physically exists where you could find all you wish with no limitations.
● There is no Haram in Jannah.
● Jannah is extremely vast and renewable.
● Causes of Boredom that are present in Dunia are absent in Jannah.
● You need more than forever just to explore and satisfy your curiosity.
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging” [Qur’an 18:107] (9)
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References:
(1) Verse (7:49) of Qur’an (English Interpretation of Meaning).
(2) Verse (35:34) of Qur’an (English Interpretation of Meaning).
(3) Prophet’s Saying (Hadith).
(4) Prophet’s Saying (Hadith).
(5) Prophet’s Saying (Hadith).
(6) Prophet’s Saying (Hadith).
(7) Verse (36:55) of Qur’an (English Interpretation of Meaning).
(8) Verse (4:69) of Qur’an (English Interpretation of Meaning).
(9) Verse (18:107) of Qur’an (English Interpretation of meaning).
