Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Mujahid says that the soil of Paradise is of silver, its earth is of musk, the roots of its trees are of gold and silver, its branches are of pearls, chrysolite, and ruby, its leaves and fruits are beneath it; whoever eats standing will not be harmed, whoever eats sitting will not be harmed, and whoever eats lying down will not be harmed either. Then he recited { وَذُلِّلَتْ قُطُوفُہَا تَذْلِیلاً }.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about Paradise, what is it like? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever enters Paradise will live forever, he will not die; the blessings he receives will never end; his clothes will not wear out, nor will his youth fade (become old). He (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: What is its construction like? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Its bricks are of gold and silver, its mortar is musk, its branches are pearls and jewels, and its soil is saffron.

Ibn Sayyad asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about the soil of Paradise. He (peace be upon him) said: It is of white flour and pure musk.

Hazrat Hakeem bin Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Allah Almighty has touched only three things with His own hand: He planted the trees of Paradise with His own hand, its soil is of wars and saffron, and its mountains are made of musk. He created Hazrat Adam with His own hand. For Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him), He wrote the Torah with His own hand.

Hazrat Abdullah says that the rivers of Paradise flow from a mountain of musk.

Hazrat Masruq (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the rivers of Paradise flow without wells (pits), and its fruits are like baskets; whenever a fruit is picked, another fruit takes its place. The cluster of its grapes is twelve cubits long.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that grapes have spread farther than Sana'a.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the date-palm of Paradise will be such that their clothes and small garments will be made from it. He said that the fruit of Paradise will have no pit.

Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says regarding Sidrat al-Muntaha that it is in the middle of Paradise; upon it is clothing of fine and thick silk.

It is narrated from Tabee’ ibn Imra’ah Ka’b that Paradise will be brought near and then adorned. All of Allah’s creation, whether Muslim, Jew, or Christian, will see Paradise, except for two unfortunate ones: one who deliberately kills a Muslim, and the other who deliberately kills a person with whom there is a treaty (Mu’ahid).

Hazrat Salman says that the roots of the fruits and date trees and their markets will be of pearls and gold, and above them will be fruits.

Hazrat Salman says that the trees, date palms, their roots, and the markets will be of pearls.

It is narrated from Hazrat Anas that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When I reached Sidrat al-Muntaha, its leaves were like those of a particular plant, and its fruits were like large vessels. Then it was covered by that which Allah commanded to cover it with, then I moved on from there, and I remember the ruby.

Hazrat Mughith ibn Sami, regarding Allah’s statement “Tuba,” says that it is a tree in Paradise. There is no house in Paradise except that its branches have shaded it. It has various kinds of fruits, and on it are birds like camels. When any inhabitant of Paradise wishes to eat any of those birds, he will call it, and the bird will come by itself to his dining spread. Then he will eat; one side of its meat will be cooked and the other side roasted. Then it will return again, and the bird will start flying as before.

It is narrated from Ibn Sabit that a messenger will come to one of the trees of Paradise, and will say: "My Lord has commanded you to shower upon this person whatever he wishes." Then that messenger will bring a person from among the people of Paradise, and that tree will shower upon him fine garments. That person of Paradise will say: "I have never seen garments finer than these before."

Hazrat Abu Salih says that Tuba is a tree in Paradise; if a rider mounted on a camel wishes to circle around it, he will become old before completing the circle, and the circle will not be completed.

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr bin Qais that when a person of Paradise wishes to eat fruit and comes near the tree, the fruit will break off by itself and come into his mouth, even though he will be in the tree.

Hazrat Abdullah says that the climate of Paradise is moderate; there is neither cold nor heat.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: In Paradise, there is a market in which there will be no buying or selling. In it, there will be images of men and women. When any inhabitant of Paradise finds an image pleasing, he will become like that. There will be a gathering in Paradise for the houris, and they will speak in loud voices. People will never have seen anyone like them before. They will say: We are everlasting, we shall never perish; we shall always remain happy, never displeased; we shall always remain content, never distressed. So glad tidings for those for whom we are, and who are for us.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: In Paradise, there is a chamber whose inside can be seen from the outside and whose outside can be seen from the inside. Upon hearing this, a Bedouin stood up and asked, "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)! For whom is that chamber?" He replied: That chamber is for the one who speaks good words (speaks the truth), feeds the hungry, spreads greetings of peace, and prays at night when people are asleep.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: I have prepared for My righteous servants such blessings as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart has ever conceived. If you wish, recite this verse of the Qur'an: { فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّآ اُخْفِیَ لَھُمْ مِّنْ قُرَّۃِ اَعْیُنٍ جَزَآئً بِمَا کَانُوْا یَعْمَلُوْنَ }. And in Paradise there is a tree under whose shade a swift rider could travel for a hundred years and still not reach its end; if you wish, recite this verse: { وَظِلٍّ مَمْدُودٍ }. And in Paradise, even a place as small as the space occupied by a whip is better than the world and all that is in it; if you wish, recite this verse: { فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَ اُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّۃَ فَقَدْ فَازَ }.

The previous subject from Abu Hurairah is also narrated through this chain.

It is narrated from Hazrat Anas that the people of Paradise will say, "Take us to the market." Then they will come upon mountains of musk, or upon mounds of musk. Allah Almighty will send a wind upon them. Then when they enter their homes, their families will say to them, "Your beauty has increased after us," and those people of Paradise will say the same to their families.

It is narrated from Hazrat Yahya bin Jazaar that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The birds of Paradise are like Bactrian camels.

It is narrated from Hasan that once the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned the blessings of Paradise and said: In Paradise, there are birds like Bactrian camels.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Paradise is connected with the eras of the sun, it expands once a year. The souls of the believers are like small birds among the birds, they recognize each other and receive sustenance from the fruits of Paradise.

Hazrat Mujahid was asked whether there will be singing (music, etc.) in Paradise. He replied: In Paradise, there is a tree that sings in its own unique voice, the likes of which the listeners will never have heard before.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَلَسَوْفَ یُعْطِیک رَبُّک فَتَرْضَی }, says: There are a thousand palaces of white pearls.

Hazrat Saeed bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy on him) states that even the lowest rank of a person in Paradise will be such that he will have a thousand palaces, in which there will be seventy thousand servants. Each servant will have a tray in his hand, different from the trays with his companions. Its door will not be opened with anything except what he desires. If he wishes to host all the people of the world, there will be enough spaciousness for them.

Hazrat Ibn Jubair states that the height of the men of Paradise will be ninety miles and the height of the women of Paradise will be thirty miles, and their anus will be equal to four qafeez. Their desire will continue in their bodies for seventy years, the pleasure of which they will feel.

Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: In Paradise, there is a tree under whose shade a rider could travel for a hundred years and still not reach its end. If you wish, recite the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَظِلٍّ مَمْدُودٍ }. When this statement reached Hazrat Ka'b, he said: By the One Who revealed the Torah to Musa and revealed the Qur'an upon the tongue of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) has spoken the truth. If a rider mounted on a camel tried to reach the roots of that tree, he would not be able to do so until he became old and fell down. Allah Almighty planted this tree with His own hands and breathed into it of His spirit. The edges of this tree are behind the wall of Paradise, and all the rivers of Paradise flow from the roots of this tree.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Musa that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: In Paradise, there is a tent made of pearl which is sixty miles long. In each corner of it, there is a wife for the believer, whom no one else will see except him.

Hazrat Ka'b said: If a maiden of Paradise were to reveal the brightness of her veil in this world, the light of the sun would fade (become dim).

It is narrated from Hazrat Dahhak that if a maiden of Paradise were to reveal her palm, the space between the sky and the earth would become illuminated.

Hazrat Mujahid states that the fragrance of a hur of Paradise will be perceived even from a distance of fifty years’ journey. (It will come.)

Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The maidens of Paradise will sing; they will say, "We are of good character and beautiful, and our honorable husbands are sufficient for us."

Hazrat Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a maiden of Paradise will wear seventy garments of silk, yet the whiteness of her shin will be visible through them, and the marrow of her shin will also be completely visible through them. This is because Allah the Exalted has said: { کَاَنَّہُنَّ الْیَاقُوتُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ } Yaqoot is a stone; if you take a thread and place it on this stone, then pick it up, you will be able to see the thread from behind the stone.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In Paradise, there are excellent horses and the best camels upon which the people of Paradise will ride, and he said: Henna is the chief of the fragrances of Paradise.

Hazrat Ibn Buraidah narrates from his father that a man submitted, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I am very fond of horses. Will there be horses in Paradise?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Abdullah! If Allah admits you into Paradise, then you will be able to ride whichever horse you wish, and that horse will be of ruby, which will fly with you and take you to whichever part of Paradise you desire." The man submitted, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Will there be camels in Paradise?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Abdullah! If Allah admits you into Paradise, then there will be everything in it that you desire and that which will delight your eyes."

Hazrat Abu Umamah was asked, "Will the people of Paradise go on excursions?" Hazrat Abu Umamah replied, "Yes, by Allah, on swift camels upon which there will be silk saddles."