About Paradise dwellers (1)

The Straight Path concerning the Companions' questions to the Prophet (peace be upon him):

* Jabir ibn `Abdullah narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked: "Do the dwellers of Paradise eat? He said: Yes; they drink, but do not urinate therein, do not defecate, and do not expectorate. They would belch and sweat (and it would be over with their food), and their sweat would be that of musk and they would glorify and praise Allah as easily as you breathe."[1]

* Mu`adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying:  "The Paradise dwellers shall enter Paradise hairless and beardless, their eyes as though collyrium was applied to them, (and their ages) thirty or thirty-three years." [2]

Some issues:

The first issue is: The meanings of words:

As for the Prophet's saying: "Do the dwellers of Paradise eat?" and in the Hadith of Jabir at Muslim: "Verily, the Paradise dwellers eat and drink therein."

Imam An-Nawawy said: The view of Ahl-us-Sunnah and the Muslim public opinion is that the Paradise dwellers eat, drink, and enjoy with the different kinds of food and drinks which are ceaseless and do not end.[3]

As for the Prophet's saying: "but do not urinate therein, do not defecate, and do not expectorate." i.e., like the people of the world.

As for the Prophet's saying: "They would belch" i.e., To eject wind from the stomach through the mouth.

As for the Prophet's saying: "and their sweat would be that of musk" i.e., sweat that comes out of their bodies which its smell like the aroma of musk.

As for the Prophet's saying: "and they would glorify and praise Allah" i.e., they shall be guided to praise and glorify Allah.

As for the Prophet's saying: "as you breathe." i.e., glorification and praising of Allah shall be running with their breaths and shall be a permanent quality to them.[4]

As for the Prophet's saying: "hairless and beardless" As-Sindy said: Without body or facial hair.[5]

The second issue is: The description of Paradise:

The speech about Paradise, its description, and its blessings does not end, by which faith increases, with which the speech becomes sweet, and by which the hearts feel comfort because the soul inclines to the fruits for which man left prohibitions as was reported in the Hadith: "Paradise is surrounded by adversities, whereas Hell is surrounded by lusts." [6]

So, it is incumbent on reasonable man, who knows where to find happiness, to worship Allah hoping for his Paradise and fearing of Hell-Fire. Sufism says: Whoever worships Allah for the sake of Paradise will be like merchants, but the free man should worship Allah for the sake of nothing. This is null and void because when a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked him about how to invoke Allah in Salah, he said: I ask Allah for His Paradise and seek refuge of His Hell-Fire. The man said: I do not master the invocations which you and Mu`adh say. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: We invoke Allah with the same meanings.[7]

Hence, Muslims should invoke Allah for His Paradise and seek refuge against His Hell-Fire. O Allah, we ask for Your Paradise and seek refuge from Your Hell. O Allah, make all our actions for Your Sake and accept from us, for You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Dear Muslim brother, here is the description of Paradise and its people so as to be an incentive for you to enter Paradise and keep away from Hell-Fire, and from Allah alone we seek help.

Names of Paradise:

Paradise has several names that were mentioned in the Qur'an, of which are the following:

* Dar As-Salam in Allah's Saying: "For them will be the home of peace (Paradise) with their Lord. And He will be their Walî (Helper and Protector) because of what they used to do." [Surat Al An`am: 127].

* Dar Al Muqam in Allah's Saying: "Who, out of His Grace, has lodged us in a home that will last forever, where toil will touch us not, nor weariness will touch us." [Surat Fatir: 35].

* Dar Al Haywan in Allah's Saying: "Verily, the home of the Hereafter - that is the life indeed (i.e. the eternal life that will never end), if they but knew." [Surat Al `Ankabut: 64].

* Al Firdaws in Allah's Saying: "Who shall inherit the Firdaws (Paradise). They shall dwell therein forever." [Surat Al Mu'minun: 11].

* Al Maqam Al Amin in Allah's Saying: "Verily, the Muttaqûn (the pious), will be in place of Security (Paradise)." [Surat Ad-Dukhan: 51].

* Maq`adi Sidq in Allah's Saying: "Verily, the Muttaqûn (the pious), will be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers (Paradise). * In a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise), near the Omnipotent King (Allâh, the One, the All-Blessed, the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honor)." [Surat Al Qamar: 54 - 55].

Degrees of Paradise:

It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Paradise has one-hundred grades which Allah has reserved for the Mujahidin who fight in His Cause, and the distance between each of two grades is like the distance between the Heaven and the Earth."[8]

Paradise has many gardens as was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari on the authority of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the mother of Ar-Rubayyi` bint Al Bara' who was the mother of Harithah ibn Suraqah came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: "O Allah's Prophet! Will you tell me about Harithah? Harithah has been killed (i.e. martyred) on the day of Badr with an arrow thrown by an unidentified person. She added: "If he is in Paradise, I will be patient; otherwise, I will weep bitterly for him. He said: O mother of Harithah, there are gardens in Paradise and your son got the Firdaws Al A`la (i.e. the best place in Paradise)."[9]

Types of Gardens:

Gardens are of two types: Gardens of gold and gardens of silver because of Allah's Saying: "But for him who fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two Gardens (i.e. in Paradise). * Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny? * With spreading branches. * Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny? * In them (both) will be two springs flowing (free)." [Surat Ar-Rahman: 46 - 50].

It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Bakr ibn `Abdullah ibn Qays from his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Two gardens, the utensils and the contents of which are of silver, and two other gardens, the utensils and contents of which are of gold. And nothing will prevent the people who will be in the Garden of Eden from seeing their Lord except the curtain of Majesty over His Face."[10]