Description of Paradise and the Promises Made to Its Inhabitants

Hazrat Dhahhak (may Allah be pleased with him) says in the explanation of the verse { أُولَئِکَ یُجْزَوْنَ الْغُرْفَۃَ } of the Holy Qur'an that "Ghurfah" refers to Paradise.

Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) recited the verse of the Holy Qur'an about the Gardens of Eden from the pulpit and said: Do you know what the Gardens of Eden are? He said: It is a palace in Paradise which has five thousand doors, and at each door there are twenty-five thousand houris. Only prophets will enter it; glad tidings for the one in this grave, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) pointed towards the blessed grave of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And the Siddiq will enter it; glad tidings for Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him). And the martyrs will enter it, and indeed I am awaiting martyrdom. "And how will Umar attain martyrdom?" Then he said: By the One Who took me out of my house, He is capable of bringing this martyrdom to me.

Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that "Jannat 'Adn" refers to the middle of Paradise.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ka'b that in Paradise there is a ruby which has neither a hole nor a joint. In Paradise, there are seventy thousand houses, and in each house, there are seventy thousand houris. Only a prophet, a truthful one, a martyr, a just king, or a person who judges over his own self will enter it. The narrator says, "We asked, O Ka'b, who is the one who judges over his own self?" He replied, "He is the person whom the enemy captures, then gives him the choice to either choose disbelief or to hold firmly to Islam, so he is martyred, and he chooses to remain steadfast on Islam."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Those who act justly will be on pulpits of light at the right side of the Most Merciful on the Day of Resurrection. Both hands of the Most Merciful are right. The just are those who are fair in their judgments, with their families, and in whatever they are entrusted with authority.

The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Those who act justly will be on pulpits of pearls before the Most Merciful on the Day of Resurrection because of their justice.

The Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The distance between the two panels of the gates of Paradise will be as much as the distance between Makkah and Hajar, or between Makkah and Busra. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stated this while swearing an oath.

Hazrat Khalid bin Umair narrates that Hazrat Utbah bin Ghazwan delivered a sermon to us and said: The distance between the two panels of the gates of Paradise will be the span of forty years, and surely a day will come upon the gates of Paradise when every gate will be filled.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ka'b that the distance between the two corners of Paradise is forty years' journey for a swift and strong rider, and a day will come upon them when, due to the crowd, they will be filled.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: In Paradise, the house of a believer will be made of pearls, and it will have forty rooms. In between them, there will be a tree on which garments will be hanging. The dweller of Paradise will come to that tree and will take seventy garments on his finger, each of which will be adorned with pearls and coral.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the people of A'raaf will be brought to the River of Life, whose banks will be of gold bamboos. Wearing crowns of pearls, they will bathe in this river, due to which their necks will become white, and then they will return and bathe again; every time they bathe, their whiteness will increase. It will be said to them, "Wish for whatever you desire," and they will wish for whatever they want. It will be said to them, "For you is everything you have wished for, and seventy times more." These people are the poor among the people of Paradise.

Hazrat Mujahid, regarding the verse of the Holy Qur'an { فِیہِنَّ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرْف }, says that their eyes will be fixed on their husbands; they will not intend to look at anyone other than them.

Hazrat Dahhak (may Allah be pleased with him), in the commentary of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { کَأَنَّہُنَّ الْیَاقُوتُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ }, says that their color or strength will be like theirs, and in brightness, they will be like pearls.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Harith (may Allah be pleased with him), in the commentary of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { کَأَنَّہُنَّ الْیَاقُوتُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ }, says that it is as if they are like pearls strung together in a string.

Hazrat Mujahid, in the commentary of { کَأَنَّہُنَّ الْیَاقُوتُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ }, says that the whiteness of their shins will be visible from inside their clothes, just as a string is visible from inside pearls.

Hazrat Ikrimah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that by the verse of the Holy Qur'an { لَمْ یَطْمِثْہُنَّ إِنْسٌ قَبْلَہُمْ وَلاَ جَانٌّ}, what is meant is sexual intercourse.

Hazrat Saeed bin Jubair (may Allah be pleased with him) says that what is meant is intercourse.

Hazrat Ibn Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him), in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { مُدْہَامَّتَانِ }, says that deep green color is pleasing to look at.

Hazrat Abu Salih says that they will be green in color.

The same interpretation has also been narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both).

It is also narrated in the same manner from Hazrat Mujahid.

Hazrat Dahhak (may Allah be pleased with him) says: They will be black.

Hazrat Atiyyah says that they will be green.

A narration similar to that of Hazrat Abu Salih is also reported from Hazrat Ata.

Hazrat Mujahid (may Allah be pleased with him) says in the commentary of the verse of the Noble Qur’an Niza Khatan that they will be of goodness.

Hazrat Saeed bin Jubair (may Allah be pleased with him) says that those will be springs of water and fruits.

Hazrat Abdullah, in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { فِیہِنَّ خَیْرَاتٌ حِسَانٌ}, says that they will be in every place of goodness.

Hazrat Abu Salih, in the commentary of the verse { فِیہِنَّ خَیْرَاتٌ حِسَانٌ} of the Holy Quran, states that the maidens of Paradise are meant.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that there will be a tent made of pearls, and it will be empty and spacious from inside, so spacious that it will be within a farsakh, and it will have four thousand golden doors.

Hazrat Abu Salih, in the commentary of the verse { حُورٌ مَقْصُورَاتٌ فِی الْخِیَامِ } of the Holy Quran, states that it refers to the maidens of Paradise.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Majliz that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said regarding { حُورٌ مَقْصُورَاتٌ فِی الْخِیَامِ }: "They are like hollow pearls from within."

It is also narrated in the same manner from Hazrat Abdullah.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that there will be a tent made of pearls, and it will be empty and spacious from inside, so spacious that it will be within a farsakh, and it will have four thousand golden doors.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ikrimah that regarding { حُورٌ مَقْصُورَاتٌ فِی الْخِیَامِ }, he says: like a hollow pearl from inside.

Amr bin Maymoon narrates that the tent will be like a hollow pearl from the inside.

Hazrat Abu Alia (may Allah be pleased with him), in the commentary of { حُورٌ مَقْصُورَاتٌ فِی الْخِیَامِ }, says that (it means) those who dwell in tents.

It is narrated from Hazrat Muhammad bin Ka'b that there will be anklets.

Hazrat Dahhak (may Allah have mercy on him) says in the commentary of { حُورٌ مَقْصُورَاتٌ فِی الْخِیَامِ } that it will be like a hollow pearl from the inside.

It is also narrated in the same manner from Hazrat Mujahid.

Hazrat Saeed bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy on him), in the commentary of the verse { مُتَّکِئِینَ عَلَی رَفْرَفٍ خُضْرٍ وَعَبْقَرِیٍّ حِسَانٍ } of the Holy Qur'an, says that "al-rafraf" refers to the gardens of Paradise (Riyad al-Jannah), and "abqari" refers to reclining on exquisite cushions.