HERE IS THE JANNAH

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ وَأَبِي هُرَيرةَ رَضِيَ الله عَنْهُمَا، أَنَّ رَسُولَ الله صَلَّى اللهُ علَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:  إذَا دَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ يُنَادِي مُنَادٍ: إِنَّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَحْيَوْا فَلاَ تَمُوتُوا أَبَداَ، إِنَّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَصِحُّوا فَلا تَسْقَمُوا أَبَداً،، وَإِنَّ لَكُم أَنْ تَشبوا فَلاَ تَهْرَمُوا أَبَداً، وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَنْعَمُوا، فَلاَ تَبْأَسُوا أَبَداً  .      

Abu Hurairah (r) reported: The Messenger of Allah said: When the dwellers of Jannah enter Jannah, an announcer will call: (You have a promise from Allah that) you will live therein and you will never die; you will stay healthy therein and you will never fall ill, you will stay young and you will never become old, you will be in constant bliss and you will never feel miserable. (Muslim)

COMFORT IN JANNAH

We live in this world according to the length of our life span but we never know when this life may come to an end. Our youthfulness is a fleeting experience and with the passage of time it turns into old age. One cannot even be sure about the ease in this life. At any point in life one may have to be faced with hardships. In short, nothing is forever lasting in this world.

In Jannah, however, everything will be ever-lasting. Life will be without the threat of death; there will be health without any risk of disease. There will be happiness and bliss without any fear of aging. There will be happiness, ease, comfort and enjoyment without any pain, worry, hardship or distress anywhere.

The HÛR AL ‘EIN (MAIDENS) OF JANNAH

The Messenger of Allah (Saw.) said: The first group of people to enter Jannah will be shining like the full moon. Then will come those who follow them who will be like the most shining planet in the sky. They will not stand in need of urinating, relieving of nature, spitting or blowing their nose. Their combs will be of gold and their sweat will smell like musk. In their censers scented wood will be used. Their wives will be Hur al-‘Ein (large eyed maidens).

Another narration is: The Messenger of Allah (S) said: Their utensils will be of gold, their sweat will smell like musk. Every one of them will have two wives; the marrow of their bones from their legs will be seen through the flesh because of excessive beauty. They (the people of Jannah) will neither have differences, nor enmity (hatred) amongst themselves; their hearts will be as if one heart and they will be glorifying Allah in the morning and in the afternoon (automatically) .

Hûr ( حور ) is the plural of Hawra’ ( حوراء ). It means white and pink. So it is said that one would be bewildered to see their beauty. ‘Ein ( عين ) is the plural of ‘Aina ( عيناء ). It means having large and extremely black and white coloured eyes like a deer.

Anas (r) reported: The Messenger of Alllah (Saw) said: “If one of the maidens of Jannah would just peep towards the earth (if one of them would be shown to the world), then indeed, she would light between the earth and sky, would fill with scent between them. Surely her shawl (sheet of cloth put on the head) is better than the world and everything in it”.

In another narration from Ibn Abbas (r), the Prophet (Saw) said: “If she would put her shawl off, then the light of the sun would be extinguished out of extreme beauty. If she would open her face, then her beauty would fill between the earth and the sky with light. If she would open her palm (of the hand), then all creatures would faint”.

In connection with this, Allah (swt) says in the Holy Quran: Wherein both will be Qasirat ut Tarf (Chaste females (wives) restraining their glances, desiring none except their husbands) with whom no man or jinn has touched (or seen).

Regarding the wives of Jannah, there is a very interesting Hadith which is narrated by Imam Tirmidhi from Muadh bin Jabal, the Prophet (Saw.) said: “Whenever a woman worries (harms) her husband in this world, his wife among the Houris in Jannah says: ‘Do not harm him. May Allah destroy you! He is only a passing guest with you and he is about to leave you to come to us”.

O Allah! Please, grant me to meet her in Jannah as soon as possible...

LOWEST RANK IN JANNAH

Abdullah bin Mas’ud (r) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Saw.) said: “I know of the last of the inhabitants of Jahannam (Hell) to be taken out from there and the last one to enter Jannah. He is a man who will come out of the Fire, crawling on all fours. Allah (swt), the Rabb of Glory and Honour, will say to him:

• Go and enter Jannah (paradise)!

He will go to it and think that it is full. He will then come back and say:

• O My Rabb, it is full. Allah will say:
• Go and enter Jannah!

He will again go to it and think that it is full. So he will turn back. Allah will again say:

• Go and enter Jannah! For, you have what is equal to ten times the world!

He will say:

• Are you making fun of me while You are king!...

At this I (i.e. the narrator) saw the Messenger of Allah (Saw.) laugh till his premolars are visible and he said:

- Such man will be the last dweller of Jannah in its lowest rank...

Let us learn more about the story of this man in the narration of Muslim:

This last man will get out of Jahannam walking sometimes on foot, sometimes on his face, sometimes crawling on all fours, and sometimes burning his face. When he comes out of Jahannam, he will turn back looking at Jahannam and will say: rescue

• Allah is the Greatest of all, who released me from you! I swear by Allah that He gave me such blessing as He has never given to anyone of past and future generations!

For the reason that he is not aware of he is the last one who has been removed from the Fire, he considers himself as the most fortunate one of all people. Then he will see a tree on the horizon, and will he supplicate to Allah to be able to sit under its shade. When Allah (Swt) told him if He grants him to sit under it's shade, whether the man will ask anything else or not? The man replied in a definite negative. But later on, the man will see another tree which is even better, and he will ask Allah to also be under its shade. When Allah (Swt) granted this as well, he will ask for another one until he comes to near Jannah, then the above conversation will occur.

After he considered escaping from Jahannam as the greatest blessing, and when he is granted to get in Jannah, he could not believe it and he turned back again and again. When this man is informed that in Jannah he will earn ten times the world, he will say to Allah, the Lord of universe, out of extreme joy:

• Are you making fun of me while You are the King!?

As if he is about to lose his mind and consciousness! Out of unimaginable bliss! Not aware of what he is saying! O Allah! You are so Exalted, Great and Merciful so that no mind covers, no heart bears, no reason carries!

HIGHEST LEVEL OF JANNAH

The Prophet Musa (a.s) asked his Rabb who will be the lowest and highest in rank of Jannah (paradise) in the following Hadith:

Al-Mughirah bin Shu’bah (ra.) reported: Allah’s Messenger (saw.) said: Musa (Moses) asked his Lord: Who amongst the inhabitants of Paradise will be the lowest in rank? He said: It will be a person who will be admitted into Paradise last of all when all the dwellers of Paradise have entered Paradise. It will be said to him: ‘Enter Paradisse’. But he will say: ‘O my Lord! How should I enter while the people have settled in their apartments and taken their shares?’ It will be said to Him: ‘Will you be satisfied and pleased if you have a kingdom like that of a monarch of the world?’ He will say: ‘I will be content, my Lord’. Allah will say: ‘For you is that, and like that and like that and like that and like that’. He will say at the fifth time: ‘I am well-pleased, my Lord’. Allah will say: ‘It is for you and ten times more like it. You will have whatever your soul desires and whatever your eyes could delight in?’. He will say: ‘I am well-pleased, my Lord’.

Musa (As.) said: Who will be of the highest rank in paradise? Allah said: “They are those whom I chose and I established their honour with My Own Hand. I attest with My Seal that they will be blessed with such bounties as no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human mind has perceived”.

As to the highest rank of Jannah, it is beyond everything that the human mind can comprehend. It's beauty is beyond the limit of the human mind. This Hadith states that whatever a human perceives as a joy, bliss or happiness, indeed there is more in Jannah. The highest level of Jannah is unimaginable. It is not perceived till one sees it with his/her very own eyes!

O Allah! Bestow us those blessings. We do not recognize any other authority, power and god except You... Indeed, You are able to do everything...

BEAUTY SALONS OF JANNAH

The matter of beauty is a very serious issue in the world, especially for females. Unfortunately, many women spend so much time and money in order to stay beautiful. They bear many difficulties just for that purpose. But in spite of their great efforts to remain beautiful, spending much time and money, they have nothing to hinder the aging process, and by the passing of time, they lose their beauty.

But I am sure; they will be better off if they spend their efforts, time and money to increase their inner beauty and purify their heart. Physical beauty is temporary and has a very short and limited time. But inner beauty takes you beyond ages and time, such as Maryam (Mary), the mother of Jesus. She is not only well known for her outer beauty, but she has been well known for her inner beauty like modesty, manners, wisdom, heart-purification, love for all creatures, kindness, noble character and devoting herself to the will of Allah. By the means of her inner qualities, she is respected by millions of people all over the world, even after she has passed away a very long time ago. Similar is the case with any female, if she purifies her inner world and does noble deeds, she shall never be forgotten even after many years of her demise. But if she neglects her inner beauty and just focuses on her outer beauty, then even in her life time when she becomes old and loses her beauty, she will be forgotten even by her closest friends and members of her family. I believe now we come to know which lofty values Islam calls women in particular, and all people of the world in general!..

Let us now learn what the Prophet Mohammad (S), may all the blessings and peace be upon him, said regarding the issue of beauty in Jannah (paradise):

Anas (r) said: The Messenger of Allah (Sav.) said: In Jannah there is a market to which the people will come every Friday. The northern wind will blow and shower fragrances on their faces and clothes and, consequently, it will increase them in beauty and loveliness. They will then return to their wives who will also have increased in their beauty and loveliness, and their families will say to them “We swear by Allah that you have been increased in beauty and loveliness since leaving us! Thereupon they will reply ‘We swear by Allah that you have also been increased in beauty and loveliness since we left you!

In this Hadith there is a very interesting point: The people of Jannah will increase in beauty and loveliness every Friday. In accordance with life in Jannah, it remains forever, it means their beauty and splendour will constantly increase for eternity!... The beauty and charm of men and women will go on increasing eternally and so the love and affection between husbands and wives will also keep on progressing and increasing. It will be just the opposite of what happens here in this world.

O Allah! Grant us to work for the eternal blessings; Indeed, You are the Most Gracious, the Most Kind.

NOTHING IS DEARER TO THEM THEN…

Suhaib (r) narrated, the Messenger of Allah, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “When the inhabitants of Paradise enter paradise, Allah (swt) will say to them:

• Do you wish me to give you anything more?

They will reply:

• Have you not made our faces bright?! Have you not brought us into Paradise and saved us from Jahannam?!.

And Allah, the Exalted, will remove the Veil (between them and Allah)! The dwellers of Paradise will feel that they have not been awarded anything dearer to them than LOOKING AT THEIR LORD!

O Allah!... O Lord!... O the Lord of all worlds!... We recognize no authority except You… There is no god but You!... You are the King!.. You are the All-powerful!... The Most Gracious, The Most Kind. We believed in what You sent to us, and in what Your messenger brought to us. PLEASE! Do not prevent us from looking at You...

In Paradise…

Al-Bukhari, Bed’ul-Khalq 8, Anbiya 1. Muslim, Jannah 15. Tirmidhi, Qiyamah 60, Jannah 5. Ibn Majah, Zuhd 39.

They would either be from the Houris or from the humans, in one narration of Tirmidhi which has been claimed to be Sahih it is stated that a martyr would get seventy –two wives (See: Tirmidhi, chapter about the superiority of Jihad). Then the sayings ‘One would get in the Jannah what he wants’ may also be considered and so the possibility of more than two wives can not be denied

Al-Bukhari, Bed’ul-Khalq 8. Anbiya 1. Muslim, Jannah 17.

Al-Bukhari, Riqaaq 51

See Fath’ul-Bari, Ar-Riqaaq 51.

Ar-Rahman: 56

Tirmidhi, Rada’ 19. Ibn Majah, Nikah 62.

Al-Bukhari, Riqaaq 51, Tawhid 36. Muslim, Iman 308. Ibn Majah, Zuhd 39.

Muslim, Iman 310.

Muslim, Iman 297. Tirmidhi, Tefsiru'l-Quran 11.