Real Happiness and Inner Peace

Real happiness and peace can be found in submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world.  God has said in the Quran:

“Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28)

On the other hand, the one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship in this world.  God has said:

“But whoever turns away from the Quran,[1]  he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment.” (Quran 20:124)

This may explain why some people commit suicide while they enjoy the material comfort money can buy.  For example, look at Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night.  After he converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he had not found in material success.[2]

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Footnotes:

[1] i.e. neither believes in the Quran nor acts on its orders.

[2] The present mailing address of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), in case you would like to ask him about his feelings after he converted to Islam, is: 2 Digswell Street, London N7 8JX, United Kingdom.

Salvation from Hellfire

God has said in the Quran:

“Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them if one offered it as a ransom. They will have a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.” (Quran 3:91)

So, this life is our only chance to win Paradise and to escape from Hellfire, because if someone dies in disbelief, he will not have another chance to come back to this world to believe.  As God has said in the Quran about what is going to happen for the unbelievers on the Day of Judgment:

“If you could but see when they are set before the Fire (Hell) and say, “Would that we might return (to the world)!  Then we would not reject the verses of our Lord, but we would be of the believers!” (Quran 6:27)

But no one will have this second opportunity.

The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: “The happiest man in the world of those doomed to the Fire (Hell) on the Day of Judgment will be dipped in the Fire once.  Then he will be asked, ‘Son of Adam, did you ever see any good?  Did you ever experience any blessing?’  So he will say, ‘No, by God, O Lord!’”[1]

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Footnotes:

[1] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.

The Pleasures of Paradise in Brief

God has said in the Quran:

“And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that they will have gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow....” (Quran 2:25)

God has also said:

“Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers....” (Quran 57:21)

The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, told us that the lowest in rank among the dwellers of Paradise will have ten times the like of this world,[1]  and he or she will have whatever he or she desires and ten times like it.[2]  Also, the Prophet Muhammad said: “A space in Paradise equivalent to the size of a foot would be better than the world and what is in it.”[3]  He also said: “In Paradise there are things which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has thought of.”[4]  He also said: “The most miserable man in the world of those meant for Paradise will be dipped once in Paradise.  Then he will be asked, ‘Son of Adam, did you ever face any misery?  Did you ever experience any hardship?’  So he will say, ‘No, by God, O Lord!  I never faced any misery, and I never experienced any hardship.’”[5]

If you enter Paradise, you will live a very happy life without sickness, pain, sadness, or death; God will be pleased with you; and you will live there forever.  God has said in the Quran:

“But those who believe and do good deeds, We will admit them to gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow, lasting in them forever....” (Quran 4:57)

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Footnotes:

[1] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #186, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6571.

[2] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #188, and Mosnad Ahmad, #10832.

[3] Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6568, and Mosnad Ahmad, #13368.

[4] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2825, and Mosnad Ahmad, #8609.

[5] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.

The Pleasures of Paradise (part 2 of 2)

The Eternalness of the Hereafter

The Pleasures of this world are transient whilst the joys of the hereafter are lasting and eternal.  In this life when a person enjoys something, it is only a short while before they get bored with it and proceed to search for something they feel is better, or they may not feel a need for it altogether.  As for the delights of Paradise, a person will never feel bored with anything, but rather, its goodness will increase each time they indulge in it.

Also, the life of this world is very short.  Humans only live on this earth for a short while, and very few people reach the age of seventy.

“…Say: Short is the enjoyment of this world.  The Hereafter is (far) better for him who fears God...” (Quran 4:77)

As for Paradise, people will live forever.  God says:

“...its provision is eternal and so is its shade…” (Quran 13:35)

“What is with you must vanish, and what is with God will endure …” (Quran 16:96)

“(It will be said to them): This is Our Provision, which will never finish” (Quran 38:54)

Superior Delights

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.  The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

“The space of the bow of any one of you in Paradise is better than all that the sun rises upon” (Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh 3/85, no. 5615)

Free from all Impurities

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 loses his mind.  Women in this world menstruate and give birth, which are sources of pain and hurt.  Paradise is free from all of these discomforts: its people will not urinate, defecate, spit or suffer from catarrh.  The wine of Paradise, as described by its Creator, is:

“Crystal-white, delicious to those who drink (thereof), free from intoxication, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom” (Quran 37:46-47)

The water of Paradise does not become brackish, and its milk never changes in flavor:

“...rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes...” (Quran 47:15)

The women of Paradise are pure and free from menstruation, postnatal bleeding and all the other impurities suffered by women in this world, and all are free from stool and feces.  God says:

“...and they shall have therein purified mates…” (Quran 2:25)

The prophet answered a person when they asked how the people of Paradise will relieve themselves:

“They relieve themselves by perspiring through their skins, and its fragrance will be that of musk, and all stomachs will have become lean.” (ibn Hibbaan)

What we have mentioned has been a mere comparison in order to understand the nature of Paradise, but as God said, its delights are truly hidden:

“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do.” (Quran 32:17)

Paradise: There is Nothing Like It

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 as nothing in comparison with the joys of the Hereafter.  As is mentioned in several reports, there is nothing like Paradise:

“It is sparkling light, aromatic plants, a lofty palace, a flowing river, ripe fruit, a beautiful wife and abundant clothing, in an eternal abode of radiant joy, in beautiful soundly-constructed high houses”. (Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan)

The Sahabah asked the Prophet about the buildings of Paradise and he replied with a wonderful description:

“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.” (Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, ad-Daarimee)

God says:

“And when you look there (in Paradise) you will see a delight (that cannot be imagined), and a great dominion.” (Quran 76:20)

What God has kept hidden from us the delights of Paradise is beyond our ability to comprehend.  The Prophet said that God said:

“I have prepared for My slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart can imagine.”  Recite if you wish:

“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.” (Quran 32:17)

In another report:

“Never mind what God has told you; what He has not told you is even greater.” (Saheeh Muslim)

In other articles, we will attempt to mention some of the specific details of Paradise and the delights therein described to us by God and His last Prophet.

The Pleasures of Paradise (part 1 of 2)

The reality of Paradise is something which people will never be able to understand until they actually enter it, but God has shown us glimpses of it in the Quran.  He has described it as a place essentially different to the life of this world, both in the very nature and purpose of life, as well as the types of delights which people will enjoy therein.  The Quran tells people about Paradise, which God offers to them, describes its great blessings, and proclaims its beauties to everyone.  It informs people that Paradise is one of two ways of life prepared for them in the afterworld, and that every good thing will be theirs in Paradise to a degree that surpasses our present ability to imagine.  It also shows that Paradise is a place where all blessings have been created perfectly and where people will be offered everything their souls and hearts will desire, and that people will be far removed from want and need, anxiety or sadness, sorrow and regret.  Every kind of beauty and blessing exists in Paradise and will be revealed with a perfection never seen or known before.  God has prepared such blessings there as a gift, and these will be offered only to people with whom He is pleased.

But what is the nature of these delights in Paradise, and how will it be different from the delights of this world?  We will try to highlight a few of these differences.

Pure delight without pain and suffering

While people in this world experience some delight, they also face much toil and suffering.  If one was to scrutinize the life which they live, they will find that the amount of hardship they face is much more than the ease and comfort.  As for the life of the Hereafter, there will be no hardship nor suffering in it, and people will live therein in pure joy and delight.  All the causes of sorrow, pain and suffering which people experience in this life will be absent in the Hereafter.  Let’s take a look at some of these causes.

Wealth

When one thinks of success in this life, they usually conjure the image of big houses, fine jewelry and clothing, and expensive cars; financial stability is seen to be the key to a happy life.  To most people, success is inseparably related to wealth, even though this is the furthest from the truth.  How many times have we seen the wealthiest of people living such miserable lives, that it sometimes even leads them to commit suicide!  Wealth is something which humans in their very nature desire at any cost, and this desire has been created for a great and wise purpose.  When this desire is not satiated, it causes some extent of grief in a person.  For this reason, God has promised the inhabitants of Paradise that they will have all that they imagined as far as wealth and belongings are concerned, both for those who were extremely poor, experiencing even hunger and thirst, to those well-to-do but who desired even more.  God gives us a glimpse of this when he says:

“... there will be there all that the souls could desire, all that the eyes could delight in …” (Quran 43:71)

“Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent forth (good deeds) in days past!” (Quran 69:24)

“… They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade.  They will recline therein on raised thrones.  How good [is] the recompense!  How beautiful a couch [is there] to recline on!” (Quran 18:31)

Disease and Death

Another cause of pain and suffering in this life is the death of a loved one or disease, which are both non-existent in Paradise.  None will feel any sickness or pain in Paradise.  The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said about the people of Paradise:

“They will never fall ill, blow their noses or spit.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

None will die in Paradise.  All shall live eternally enjoying the pleasures therein.  The Prophet Muhammad 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.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Social Relationships

As for the remorse felt due to a rift in personal relationships, people will never hear any evil or hurting comments or speech in Paradise.  They will only hear good words and words of peace.  God says:

“They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin.  But only the saying of: Peace! Peace!” (Quran 56:25-26)

There will be no enmity between people nor ill-feelings:

“And We shall remove from their breasts any (mutual) hatred or sense of injury (which they had, if at all, in the life of this world)…” (Quran 7:43)

The Prophet said:

“There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify God, morning and evening.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

People will have the best of companions in the Hereafter, who were also the best people in the world:

“And whoever obeys God and the Messenger – those will be with the ones upon whom God has bestowed favor – of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous.  And excellent are those as companions!” (Quran 4:69)

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 worthless words and deeds. If we were to discuss all the causes for anguish in this life, we would surely find its absence or opposite to be true in Paradise.