by Comparison between the Pleasures in The Paradise and in the World
Author: Ustadz Said Yai, Lc.
The paradise provides plenty of pleasures. Those pleasures are certain incomparable to the worldly pleasures. Here are several differences between pleasures in this world and in Paradise, supported with relevant indications:
Pleasures in this world is just a little, very different with whatever exists in paradise
Allah the Glorified and Exalted decreed,
{ قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى }
(1). “There is little enjoyment in this world. The World to Come is much better for the God-fearing.” (Chapter An Nisa/The Women:77)
Allah the Glorified and Exalted have told us that the worldly pleasures is just a little; why should we pursue this little bit and neglect the greater one that awaits us later.
It is also mentioned in the hadith below, that
عن مُسْتَوْرِد يَقُولُ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-: (( وَاللَّهِ مَا الدُّنْيَا فِى الآخِرَةِ إِلاَّ مِثْلُ مَا يَجْعَلُ أَحَدُكُمْ إِصْبَعَهُ هَذِهِ – وَأَشَارَ يَحْيَى بِالسَّبَّابَةِ – فِى الْيَمِّ فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ )).
(2). It is narrated from Mustaurid -may Allah be pleased with him- that the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “By Allah, the comparison of this world and the hereafter is like a man among you who insert one of his finger in the sea, thus let he sees, how does it comes out.” [1] (How much of the sea water that sticks to his finger compared to the rest of the sea- ed)
Isn’t it unimaginable, to compare the small drops of water on our finger with the vast ocean? Likewise, it is impossible for us to compare the pleasures in paradise with the worldly pleasures.
The pleasures in paradise is incomparable to the worldly pleasures
The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- had told us in his hadith,
عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- : (( مَوْضِعُ سَوْطٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا )).
(3) It is narrated from Sahl Ibn Sa’d as Sa’idi that the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “One place in paradise that is as large as a whip is better than the world and whatever inside it.” [2]
Beyond imagination, it is, the greatness and the pleasures of paradise.
In another hadith. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,
عن أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- لَرَوْحَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ غَدْوَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا …وَلَوْ أَنَّ امْرَأَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ اطَّلَعَتْ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ لَأَضَاءَتْ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَلَمَلَأَتْهُ رِيحًا وَلَنَصِيفُهَا عَلَى رَأْسِهَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا
(4) It is narrated from Anas Ibn Malik -may Allah be pleased with him- that the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “Going out in Allah’s Cause is better than the world and whatever in it. Had a woman who resides in Paradise peeps on the people of the earth, she’ll surely illuminate between the earth and the paradise and fill it with her fragrant scent. The veil on her head is better than the world and all of its content.”[3]
Verily, is there anyone among the woman of this world who has these attributes? May Allah be Glorified, what an ignorant, those who do not wish for it.
The Paradise possesses none of the bad things as in this world
The Paradise contains nothing bad at all. When people of the earth ate or drank, they would pass feces, urine, and foul smell. Women of the earth also endure menstruation and labor. Menstrual blood is women’s dirt, whereas in Paradise, there will be no such thing.
{ قَالُوا هَذَا الَّذِي رُزِقْنَا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَأُتُوا بِهِ مُتَشَابِهًا وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ }
(5) “they will say: “It was this which was granted to us on earth before.” For them there shall be pure spouses, and there they shall abide forever.” (Chapter Al Baqarah/The Cow:25)
The residents of Paradise do not shed any dirts, they are always clean and never exude foul smell. Likewise the liquor in Paradise, it doesn’t intoxicate, and it tastes very fine.
Allah the Glorified and Exalted said,
{ بَيْضَاءَ لَذَّةٍ لِلشَّارِبِينَ (46) لَا فِيهَا غَوْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ عَنْهَا يُنْزَفُونَ (47) }
(6) “white, sparkling (wine), a delight to the drinkers. There will neither be any harm in it for their body nor will it intoxicate their mind. ” (Chapter Ash Shaffat:46-47)
The paradise has rivers which water has never changing taste, rivers of milk that never sour, rivers of very delicious wine, and rivers of pure honey. Allah the Glorified and Exalted decreed,
{مَثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ فِيهَا أَنْهَارٌ مِنْ مَاءٍ غَيْرِ آَسِنٍ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِنْ لَبَنٍ لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِنْ خَمْرٍ لَذَّةٍ لِلشَّارِبِينَ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِنْ عَسَلٍ مُصَفًّى وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ كَمَنْ هُوَ خَالِدٌ فِي النَّارِ وَسُقُوا مَاءً حَمِيمًا فَقَطَّعَ أَمْعَاءَهُمْ}
(7) “Here is the parable of Paradise which the God-fearing have been promised: in it shall be rivers of incorruptible water, rivers of milk unchanging in taste, and rivers of wine, a delight to those that drink;and rivers of pure honey. In it they will have every kind of fruit as well as forgiveness from their Lord. Can such be like those who will abide in the Fire and will be given a boiling water to drink that will tear their bowels apart?” (Chapter Muhammad:15)
The residents of Paradise have pure and clean hearts, they do not speak except for the good, and they never commit anything evil, at all.
{ لَا لَغْوٌ فِيهَا وَلَا تَأْثِيمٌ }
(8) “They shall pass on to one another a cup that will incite neither levity nor sin. (Chapter Ath-Thur: 23)
Allah the Glorified and Exalted also declared:
{ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا (25) إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا (26) }
(9) “There they shall hear no idle talk nor any sinful speech. All talk will be sound and upright.” (Chapter Al-Waqi’ah : 25-26)
That is the residents of the Paradise. When they are about to enter the Paradise, they will be stopped first, on a bridge between Paradise and Hell. They will be cleansed from any kind of sins and grudges , thus they do not enter the Paradise except until their hearts are truly clean. They no longer find any hatred, spite, anger, etc, as they did in the world. Their hearts are one, those that always praise Allah the Glorified and Exalted.
The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: ((…لاَ اخْتِلاَفَ بَيْنَهُمْ ، وَلاَ تَبَاغُضَ قُلُوبُهُمْ قَلْبٌ وَاحِدٌ يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّهَ بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا.))
(10) It is narrated from Abu Huraira -may Allah be pleased with him- that the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “There are disagreements among them, their hearts do not bear hatred towards each other. Their hearts are one. They praise Allah every morning and evening.”[4]
Allah the Glorified and Exalted decreed,
{ وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِمْ مِنْ غِلٍّ إِخْوَانًا عَلَى سُرُرٍ مُتَقَابِلِينَ }
(11) “And We shall purge their breasts of all traces of rancour; and they shall be seated on couches facing one another as brothers.” (Chapter Al Hijr:47)
Now lets compare between the Paradise and the world, how the Paradise contains zero bad thing, whereas in this world we have to face various bad things. May Allah the Glorified and Exalted strengthen us with patience in facing tests and trials in this world. Amin.
The pleasures of this world will perish, while the pleasures of Paradise last
Allah the Glorified and Exalted had ordained the Paradise to be an eternal being. Allah the Glorified and Exalted declared,
{ مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ }
(12) “Whatever you have is bound to pass away and whatever is with Allah will last.” (Chapter An Nahl/The Bee:96)
As for some people who said that the hereafter, the Paradise and The hell are not everlasting, those are surely misguided words. The verse that I brought up above is an evident indication of their mistake, although there are still plenty indications from the Qur’an and the Sunnah that point out similar conclusion.
Is the Paradise been stratified?
The Paradise is indeed stratified. The residents of paradise will occupy the level that fits them. Just as they are of different level in their deeds in this world, they will also have different levels in Paradise. The indication that supports this notion is as follows:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ -رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ- قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ-: (( مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَصَامَ رَمَضَانَ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ, جَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ جَلَسَ فِي أَرْضِهِ الَّتِي وُلِدَ فِيهَا)),
فَقَالُوا: ( يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلَا نُبَشِّرُ النَّاسَ؟ ) قَالَ: (( إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِائَةَ دَرَجَةٍ, أَعَدَّهَا اللَّهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ, مَا بَيْنَ الدَّرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ, فَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ فَاسْأَلُوهُ الْفِرْدَوْسَ, فَإِنَّهُ أَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ أُرَاهُ فَوْقَهُ عَرْشُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَمِنْهُ تَفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّةِ ))
(13) “It is narrated from Abu Huraira- may Allah be pleased with him- that the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “Whoever believes in Allah and His Apostle, offer prayer perfectly and fasts the month of Ramadan, will rightfully be granted Paradise by Allah, no matter whether he fights in Allah’s Cause or remains in the land where he is born.” The people said, “O Allah’s Messenger ! Shall we acquaint the people with the is good news?” He said, “Paradise has one-hundred grades which Allah has reserved for the Mujahidin (fighters) who fight in His Cause, and the distance between each of two grades is like the distance between the Heaven and the Earth. So, when you ask Allah (for something), ask for Al-firdaus which is the best and highest part of Paradise.” (i.e. The sub-narrator added, “I think the Prophet also said, ‘Above it (i.e. Al-Firdaus) is the Throne of Beneficent (i.e. Allah), and from it originate the rivers of Paradise.”[5]
This is a very clear hadith that explains that the Paradise is stratified and we are advised to ask for the highest of it, namely the Firdaus, to Allah the Glorified and Exalted.
Another indication is a hadith below:
عَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ أُمَّ حَارِثَةَ أَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- وَقَدْ هَلَكَ حَارِثَةُ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ أَصَابَهُ غَرْبُ سَهْمٍ فَقَالَتْ: ( يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَوْقِعَ حَارِثَةَ مِنْ قَلْبِي فَإِنْ كَانَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَمْ أَبْكِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِلَّا سَوْفَ تَرَى مَا أَصْنَعُ, فَقَالَ لَهَا: (( هَبِلْتِ أَجَنَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ هِيَ إِنَّهَا جِنَانٌ كَثِيرَةٌ وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْفِرْدَوْسِ الْأَعْلَى
(14) It is narrated from Anas -may Allah be pleased with him- that Umm Haritha came to Allah’s Messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- after Haritha had been martyred on the Day (of the battle) of Badr by an arrow thrown by an unknown person. She said, “O Allah’s Messenger! You know the position of Haritha in my heart (i.e. how dear to me he was), so if he is in Paradise, I will not weep for him, or otherwise, you will see what I will do.” The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “Are you mad? Is there only one Paradise? There are many Paradises, and he is in the highest Paradise of Firdaus.”. [6]
Other indication is:
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ -رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ- عَنْ النَّبِيِّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- قَالَ: (( إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ يَتَرَاءَوْنَ أَهْلَ الْغُرَفِ مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ كَمَا يَتَرَاءَوْنَ الْكَوْكَبَ الدُّرِّيَّ الْغَابِرَ فِي الْأُفُقِ مِنْ الْمَشْرِقِ أَوْ الْمَغْرِبِ لِتَفَاضُلِ مَا بَيْنَهُمْ ))
(15) Abu Sa’id al Khudri -may Allah be pleased with him- narrated, “The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of the lofty mansions (i.e. a superior place in Paradise) in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star far away in the East or in the West on the horizon; all that is because of their superiority over one another (in rewards).” [7]
May we be able to occupy those high and lofty mansions. Amin.
(Rewritten from the book “Bersama Sang Kekasih di Surga’. By the author Published by: Darussunnah.)
Footnotes:
[1] Narrated by Muslim no. 7376.
[2] Narrated by Al-Bukhari no. 3250
[3] Narrated by Al-Bukhari no. 2796
[4] Narrated by Al-Bukhari no. 3245 and Muslim no. 7330
[5] Narrated by Al-Bukhari no. 2790
[6] Narrated by Al-Bukhari no. 6567
[7] Narrated by Al-Bukhari no. 3256 and Muslim no. 7322
