My dear respected brothers and sisters! The topic of today’s khutbah is a topic that is very dear to our hearts. The topic is: “The Pleasures of Paradise.” The reality of Paradise is something which people will never be able to understand until they actually enter it, but Allah has shown us glimpses of it in the Qur’an.
Paradise (Jannah); may Allah make us among its residents, is one of the two ultimate destinations, the other being Hell (Jahannam); may Allah keep us away from it, ameen.
Paradise is a place where its inhabitants will be offered everything their souls will desire. They will be far removed from any want or need, anxiety or sadness, sorrow or regret. The blessings and delights of Paradise are for those with whom Allah is pleased. May Allah make us among them; ameen.
But what is the nature of these delights in Paradise, and how will they be different from the delights of this world? Let us examine only a few of these differences.
While people in this world do experience some delight, they also face much toil and suffering. If we were to examine the life of this world, we will find that a life of ease and comfort is also punctuated with some type of hardship whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. As for the life of the hereafter, there will neither be any trace of hardship nor suffering in it. All the causes of sorrow, pain and suffering which people experience in this life will be absent in Paradise.
One of the causes of pain and suffering in this life is disease, which is non-existent in Paradise. None will feel any sickness or pain in Paradise. The Prophet Muhammad (S) said about the people of Paradise: “They will never fall ill, blow their noses or spit.” A hadith tells us that he who would get into Paradise (would be made to enjoy such an everlasting) bliss that he would neither become poor, nor would his clothes wear out, nor his youth would decline.
Also, none will die in Paradise. All shall live eternally to enjoy the pleasures therein. The Prophet (S) said that a caller will call out in Paradise when people enter it: “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.”
As for the regret and sorrow felt due to a rift in personal relationships which is common in this life, people will never hear any evil or hurting comments or speech in Paradise. They will only hear good words and words of peace. Allah says:
لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا () إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا
“There they will not hear any idle or sinful talk, but only the greetings of peace.” (al-Waqi’ah, 56:25-26)
There will neither be enmity between people nor ill-feelings:
وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِى صُدُورِهِم مِّنْ غِلٍّ
“We will remove whatever bitterness they had in their hearts.” (al-A’raf, 7:43)
This means that any mutual hatred or sense of injury which they had, if at all, in the life of this world will be removed in Paradise.
People will have the best of companions in the Hereafter, who were also the best people in the world:
وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقًا
“And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger will be in the company of those blessed by Allah: the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous—and excellent are those as companions.” (an-Nisa’, 4:69)
Also, the hearts of the people of Paradise will be pure, their speech will be good, their deeds righteous. There will be no hurtful, upsetting, offensive or provocative talk there, for Paradise is free of all these. If we were to discuss all the causes for anguish in this life, we would surely find their absence or opposite to be true in Paradise.
The pleasures of this world are fleeting whilst the joys of the hereafter are lasting and eternal. In this life when people enjoy something, it is only for a short while before they get bored with it and begin to search for something they feel is better, or they may not feel a need for it altogether. As for the delights of Paradise, people will never feel bored with anything, but rather, its goodness will increase each time they indulge in it.
Also, the delights of the people of Paradise, such as their clothing, food, drink, jewelry and palaces, will be far superior to their counterparts in this world. There is in fact no room for comparison, as even the smallest space in Paradise is better than this world and all that is in it.
Also, the life of this world is very short. Humans live on this earth for a short while. The average age of the ummah is between 60-70 years. Very few people reach the age close to 80’s, 90’s and beyond. And even those who do reach an advanced age usually suffer from illness, weakness and a decline of mental faculties. As for the residents of Paradise, they will live forever in the full bloom of youth and health.
Paradise is free from all the impurities of this world. Eating and drinking in this life results in the need for excretion and its associated unpleasant odors. If a person drinks wine in this world, he often loses his mind. The wine of Paradise, as described by its Creator, is:
بَيْضَاءَ لَذَّةٍ لِلشَّارِبِينَ () لَا فِيهَا غَوْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ عَنْهَا يُنْزَفُونَ
“White; a delight to those who drink; never polluted, and never intoxicating.” (as-Saffat, 37:46-47)
Women in this world menstruate and give birth, which are associated with discomfort and pain. Paradise is free from all uneasiness. Its people will not urinate, defecate, spit or suffer from any sort of infection. The prophet (S) when asked how the people of Paradise will relieve themselves, replied: “They will relieve themselves by perspiring through their skins, and its fragrance will be that of musk, and all stomachs will have become lean.” The water of Paradise does not become salty, and its milk never changes in flavor: The verse 15 of Chapter 47 – Surah Muhammad tells us:
“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….” (Muhammad, 47:15)
The mention of forgiveness from Allah after the blessings of Paradise can have two meanings: Firstly that the greatest blessing by far will be that Allah will forgive the residents of Paradise, and secondly that the errors and faults that they happened to commit in the world, will not even be mentioned before them, but Allah will cover them up forever so that they are not put to shame in Paradise.
These are only a few blessings to make us understand the nature of Paradise, but as Allah said, its delights are truly hidden:
فَلا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
“No soul knows what delight lies in store for them; a reward for what they have done.” (Qur’an 32:17)
The delights of Paradise surpass the imagination and defy description. They are like nothing known to the people of this world; no matter how advanced we may become, what we achieve is nothing in comparison with the joys of the hereafter. As is mentioned in several reports, there is nothing like Paradise. Allah says:
وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيْتَ نَعِيمًا وَمُلْكًا كَبِيرًا
“And if you looked around, you would see indescribable bliss and a vast kingdom.” (al-Insan, 76:20)
Please note that certain passages in the Qur’an which speak of the reward believers have in Paradise use the masculine gender throughout. This is, however, a characteristic of the Arabic language, but we must understand it is applicable to both men and women. If we believe in Allah’s justice, then we must believe that good believing women will be as happy in Paradise as good believing men.
Also, since no one likes to be alone for a long period, those who are successful will be provided with companions for their eternal life in paradise. Thus houris and azwaj in the Quran refer to the pure, chaste and beautiful companions that both good men, as well as good women, will be rewarded with, without discrimination.
May Allah make us all among the residents of Paradise, ameen.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Brothers and sisters! Generally, when people think of success in this life, they usually think of huge savings, big luxurious houses, fine jewelry and clothing, expensive cars, and so on. Financial stability is seen to be the key to a happy life. To most people, success is related to wealth, even though this is not necessarily true. The wealthiest of people are not the happiest of people. Longing for good things in life is inherent in human nature, but this desire never seems to get fulfilled. Allah has promised the inhabitants of Paradise that they will have all that they desired. Allah gives us a glimpse of this when he says:
وَفِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيهِ ٱلْأَنفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ ٱلْأَعْيُنُ
“…There will be whatever the souls desire and the eyes delight in…” (az-Zukhruf, 43:71)
كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِي الْأَيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ
“Eat and drink joyfully for what you have done in days gone by.” (al-Haqqah, 69:24)
What Allah has kept hidden from us from the delights of Paradise is beyond our ability to comprehend. A Hadith Qudsi tells us: “I have prepared for my pious servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart has ever perceived…”
So, having taken a look at a very minute fraction of the wonders and pleasures of Paradise as described in the Qur’an and the Prophetic traditions, we should always keep our eyes on the ultimate success – attaining the pleasure of Allah and finding a place in Jannah.
إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ () لِمِثْلِ هَذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْعَامِلُونَ
“Truly, this is the ultimate success. This is what everyone should strive to attain.” (as-Saffat, 37:60-61)
I’ll conclude with a Prophetic du’a which says:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ
“O Allah, I ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and I seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed.”
Allahumma Ameen.
