Road to Paradise: Hardships and Rewards

Hell and Paradise Session 32 The Delights for the People of Paradise

The way to Paradise is filled with things that go against human wishes and inclinations. This needs strong determination and willpower. In a hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim the Messenger of Allah said: The Road to Paradise is very Hard Hell has been veiled with desires, and Paradise has been veiled with hardships. The version recorded by Muslim says surrounded instead of veiled.

When Allah created Paradise, He told Jibreel, Go and look at it. So he went and looked at it, then he came back and said: By Your Glory, no-one will hear of it but will be eager to enter it. So He surrounded it with hardships and said, Go and look at it. So he went and looked at it, then came back and said: By Your Glory, I fear that no-one will enter it. Nasaa i, Tirmidhiand Abu Dawood reported the Messenger of Allahsaid: An-Nawawi commented: This is an example of the beautiful, eloquent and concise speech of which the Prophet was capable, in which he gives a beautiful analogy. It means that nothing will help you to reach Paradise except going through hardships, and nothing will lead you to Hell but whims and desires. Both are veiled as described, and whoever tears down the veil will reach what was hidden behind it. The veil of Paradise is tom down by going through hardships, and the veil of Hell is tom down by giving into whims and desires. Hardship includes striving consistently and patiently in worship, restraining one s anger, forgiving, being patient, giving charity, being kind to those who mistreat, resisting physical desires, etc.

Because they passed the trials of life the people of paradise will inherit what would have been for those of hell Allah has given two positions to every descendent of Adam: a position in Paradise and a position in Hell. Then whoever is destined to hell will inherit the positions in Hell that had been allocated to the people of Paradise (if their deeds would have been detrimental), and those of the people of Paradise will inherit the portions of Paradise that had been allocated to the people of Hell (in case they would have believed and would have been righteous). After describing the good deeds that would earn Paradise for the successful believers, Allah said: "These are indeed the inheritors, Who shall inherit the Firdaws [Paradise]. They shall dwell therein forever."

There is no one among you who does not have two positions, one in Paradise and one in Hell. The believer will have a house built for him in Paradise, and his house in Hell will be demolished. That is what is meant by the following misconstrued hadith's: The Prophet said: Some people from among the Muslims will come on the Day of Resurrection with sins as great as a mountain. Allah will forgive them, and pass (the burden of sin) to the Jews and Christians. When the Day of Judgement comes, Allah will allocate a Jew or Christian for every Muslim, and will say: This is your ransom from the Fire. The Prophet said: This hadith reflects the words of Allah: "Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who have been AlMuttaqoon [pious and righteous persons]."

Many of the people of Paradise were poor and destitute in this world These are people others tend to ignore and care little about, but in the sight of Allah they are important, because they fear Him and worship Him faithfully and with humility. Bukhari and Muslim reported the Messenger of Allah said: Shall I not tell you about the people of Paradise? They said, O f course. He said, Every weak and oppressed person; if he were to implore Allah for anything, He would grant it to him. Commenting on this hadith, An-Nawawi said: It refers to those whom others despise, scorn and oppress because of their weak position in this world. What is meant is that most of the people of Paradise will be of this type, but it does not mean that all of them will be (in Paradise).

Muslim reported: Men and women disputed as to which of them would form the majority in Paradise. According to another report: either they were competing, or they were discussing, whether there would be more men or women in Paradise. They consulted Abu Hurayrah, who said that women would form the majority, on the basis of the words of the Prophet : The first group to enter Paradise will be as beautiful as the full moon, and the group that follows them will be like the brightest shining stars in the sky; each man of them will have two wives, the marrow of whose leg-bones will be visible through the flesh because of their extreme beauty. None will remain bachelor in Paradise. Will there be more women or men in Paradise? This hadith clearly indicates that there will be more women than men in Paradise.