Islamic Culture and Religious Studies Book - 3

Lesson 4 : Paradise and Hell

A person once came to Abu Dhar Ghafari and asked him, "Why don't we like to taste death?"

Abu Dhar replied, "Surely, it is because we have put a lot of effort in constructing this world and have not thought about the eternal world. We have not even thought of building our abode in the hereafter which is the eternal world." The person then asked, "What is going to be our situation when we enter the next world?"

Abu Dhar answered, "There will be two groups of people: The good-doers and the bad-doers. A person in the first group will be like one who has been far from home, family and friends for a long time, has finally come back to meet them.

You can imagine how happy such a person would be! The good doers will be in such a position and will enjoy the blissful life. They will go back to their Lord, and enjoy the pleasures of Paradise in the company of angels, prophets and the Awliyaa (Trustees). They will be receiving unlimited favors from Allah (S.W.T.).

"A person in the second group - the bad doers - will be like one who had committed heavy crimes and after committing these crimes had run way as a fugitive. When such a criminal is captured, his sorrow is great and his burden heavy. One can only imagine what person in such a situation would feel! The remorse that he feels when he witnesses his bad deeds, and knows he is to be punished for them, is indescribable.

The bad doers will be in the same situation. They will find themselves facing the wrath of their Lord, tasting His chastisement. They will know the greatness of their crimes and feel ashamed for what they have sown in the temporary world."

The man asked Abu Dhar, " O Abu Dhar! Can you tell me what position I have in the next world? Will I be in Paradise or Hell-fire?"

Abu Dhar told him, "O man! Check your deeds with the book of Allah (S.W.T.). See what the book says and what have you done. Allah (S.W.T.) says: 'Believers will enter Paradise and the criminals will enter Hell fire.' Look at yourself, and take account of your soul. You will get an answer."

The man finally inquired, " Then where is the Mercy of Allah (S.W.T.)?" Abu Dhar explained, " The mercy of Allah (S.W.T.) is very close to the Believers." In other words, it is wise to keep in mind that in the hereafter, a person will have no other choice except to enter the paradise or hellfire. However, his decision can be made in this world.

Jannah (Paradise)

Paradise is the most attractive place for the God-conscious, the pure, the obedient and the good doers. It is the abode of prophets and their followers. Especially created by the Lord, as a reward and source of pleasure for His servants, Jannah is a beautiful and luscious place.

It has been described as being very wide and spacious, more massive than the heavens and the earth put together! It is bright, glittering with a heavenly shine. Its wonders are awesome and beyond the capability of the human mind to imagine. The Holy Qur'an often mentions paradise referring to it as Jannah.

Jannah is an Arabic word, meaning green or implying an exotic, luscious garden. In various verses and traditions, Jannah has been described as a garden full of beautiful trees, giving cool shade to the heavenly dwellers. Under these trees flow cool springs, rivers and streams of pure, sweet and sparkling water.

Fruits of all kind - known in this world and unknown - of different shapes, colors and tastes will hang ever-ripe, in abundance, from the branches of the trees. A fragrant breeze will gently drift through the boughs providing freshness to the Believers.

There will be no such thing as pain, hurt, sorrow or restlessness in Jannah. Even the fruit and food will be ever fresh and never rot! The good-doers will enjoy infinite blessings, their every wish shall be granted and Jannah will serve them in every way. We are told that even the branches of the trees will lower themselves to allow believer to pick fruit off it!

Palaces, mansions and castles are present for the Believers with spacious, elegantly furnished rooms. The Believers will be clothed in the most beautiful garments covered in emeralds, pearls and other glittering gems. They will spend their time exploring and reveling in the wonders of Paradise and when they wish to rest, they will relax on soft couches in the company of the Ma'soomeen (a.s.), prophets, martyrs and other dwellers of Jannah.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) says:

"I saw in paradise, angels constructing beautiful palaces whose bricks were made up of emeralds, gold and pearls! Sometimes they would build very swiftly, and at other times rather slowly. Many times the angels would stop constructing the mansions all together. So I asked the pure dedicated angels, 'Why do you stop working on several occasions?

"They said, ' We begin by building a palace for one of the believers.' "I asked them again, 'Why do you stop so many times?' "The angels replied, 'Because we do not have the building materials and so we cannot continue.'

"I then asked them, ' What are the building materials that you do not have in order to continue with the constructions?'

"And the angels answered, ' Through the dhikr (Remembrance) of Allah (S.W.T.), a mo'meen sends us the materials to start building with but when he forgets, we lack the materials and thus we have no choice but to stop our work.' "

From this beautiful account, we can see that the countless favors and blessings of paradise are made up of our own good deeds that we sow in this world. Some of those favors are so beautiful that no human eye has ever seen and no human ear has ever heard of them before!

Heaven and its favors are indeed beyond our understanding and imagination. Whatever we attempt to describe about the magnificence of Paradise does it no justice and it is really far beyond that.

In order to give us a slight understanding of these wonders, Allah (S.W.T.) mentions them in the Holy Qur'an, saying "A likeness of the Garden which the Righteous are promised; there flow beneath it rivers; its foods and shades are perpetual; this is the requital of those who guarded (against evil), and the requital of the Unbelievers is the Fire." Sura Ra'ad, Verse 35

"(As for) those who say: 'our Lord is Allah!' ; then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them, saying: 'Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised.' " Sura Fussilat, Verse 30

"Allah has promised to the Believing men and the Believing women, gardens, beneath which rivers flow; to abide in them (the gardens) and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode; and best of all is Allah's goodly pleasure - that is the grand achievement." Sura Tawbah, Verse 72

Glory be to Him! There will be neither death, nor sadness or illness in Jannah. Paradise dwellers will continuously receive Allah's Mercy and above all, they will receive the happiness of their Lord. This will be the greatest reward of all! Note: The dwellers of Jannah are not all in the same level. They differ according to their individual purity of actions and piety in deeds.

Jahannam (The Dreaded Hell-Fire)

Jahannam is the place for the Mushreekeen, Hypocrites, and the evil-doers. Life in Hell will be extremely painful and hard. Its dwellers will undergo painful chastisement in various forms of punishment. They will live in misery and un- ending agony. One cannot imagine the severity of chastisements in Hell! The Holy Qur'an describes the blazing fire of Hell and its inhabitants in various surahs:

"And say: The truth is from your lord, so let him who pleases believe, and let him who pleases disbelieve; surely We have prepared for the disbelievers, a fire the curtains of which shall encompass them about; and if they cry for water, they shall be given water like molten brass which will scald their faces; evil the drink and ill the resting place." Sura Kahf, Verse 29

"On the day when it shall be heated in the fire of Hell, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it; this is what you hoarded up for yourselves, therefore taste what you hoarded." Sura Tawbah, Verse 35

Such will be the abode for those who lived in this world without care! The reality of the next world is permanent and those who take Islam lightly will have to bear the dreadful consequences in Hell.

Just like the man who spoke to Abu Dhar, each and every one of us is curious to know where we shall be: in Jannah or Jahannam. If we ponder on the sayings of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.), we will be able to speculate on our destination. He has said:

"One has to overcome great heights of difficulties in order to enter Paradise. Jannah is surrounded by difficulties, hard work and effort. Whosoever tries hard and accepts the difficulties of this world in the way of Allah (S.W.T.), gives service to humanity and does good deeds, will receive the blessings of Jannah."

He has also warned us of the painful abode in Hell, saying:

"Surely the hell-fire, is surrounded by carnal desires, lust, worldly temptations and one has only to follow these to reach the miserable state in the fire of hell. Whosoever obeys and bonds himself to worldly temptations and lusty desires, runs after it with unlimited passion will indeed reach the doomed place - Hell."

A Holy Verse "They shall have chastisement in this world's life, and the chastisement of the hereafter is certainly more grievous, and they shall have no protector against Allah." Sura Ra'ad, Verse 35

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…

  1. The final destination in the hereafter is either Heaven or Hell-fire. There is no other choice.
  2. Jannah is the most awesome place that the Merciful Allah (S.W.T.) has created as a gift for His close servants. It is vaster than the heavens and the

earth together! Those Believers with the best conduct, moral excellence and good deeds will find that these virtues will lead them into Jannah. The favours of Jannah are so enormous, that one cannot even begin to imagine them. It is beyond human description and comprehension.

  1. Jahannam - The abode of Hell - is the most painful and difficult place that the Almighty has created for disbelievers and unjust people. Those who disobey Allah (S.W.T.) and perform ugly deeds in this world are the ones who shall end up in this most painful and severe environment of the hell.

Think And Answer

  1. Why do you think we dislike death? Use Abu Dhar's answer as a basis for your own.

  2. What are the favors of good-doers the moment they reach the Day of Judgment (as described by Abu Dhar)?

  3. What is the status of bad doers in the hereafter according to the answer of Abu Dhar?

  4. Describe the position of the Believers in the Hereafter. Mention the counsels of Abu Dhar

  5. Where is the Mercy of Allah (S.W.T.)?

  6. Describe Paradise according to the verses mentioned in this lesson.

  7. Describe Hell according to the verses mentioned in this lesson.

THE DAY OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Beware! It is the Almighty who has brought the grand news of the Day of Judgment, Soon you shall learn, the promise of God is nothing but true, Open the eyes of your heart, so you may appreciate the mighty signs of the Almighty, The trees give birth from the heart of seeds And indeed they extend their care to all; Flowers in the awesome garden; the colorful butterflies, Singing of the Birds of the Night; streams of fresh water pouring down from falls, Who else beside the Kind God can provide all these as His wonderful signs? O Men! Think today about yourself! A day shall come for your accountability which is indeed in front of you The day of Rewards - both the Good and the Bad The day of immense pain, anguish and difficulties, indeed the day of Qiyamat! A day that would judge all actions - good and evil, And God will advocate His divine Justice in His majestic Court,

Whosoever pleads to be guilty, he shall be disgraced and surely humiliated and nothing will remain for him on that day, Sustenance for him will be nothing but remorse, and falling in to the pits of fire! The status of a believer will deserve a castle in paradise, Abundance of His blessings, The fragrance of Jasmine and Nargis shall overwhelm him, In this place full of God's blessings, Most Surely, to be bestowed with God's nearness will be the Best of all Gifts!

Introduction To Chapter Three In The Name Of Allah (S.W.T.), the Beneficent, the Merciful

THE PERFECT GUIDES

We have seen the reason for and importance of sending prophets, their aims and objectives. Let us further look at this concept of Nubuwwah and study other areas within it, such as the characteristics of prophets.

Besides knowing about the prophets, we will also aim to study the common beliefs and values found amongst all divinely revealed religions. Through this we will be able to appreciate the fact that all prophets were sent from the same source - Allah (S.W.T.) with the same message for all Mankind.

Lesson 5 : Prophets

Have you seen the beautiful flowers that flourish in gardens? Or the trees that bear abundant fruit in orchards? Have you ever taken the time to wonder about the process involved in this result that we see? How long does it take for a tiny seed to grow into a fruit-bearing tree? How complex are the steps that a flower must go through in order to mature into a beautiful blossom? Who guides the trees and the flowers so that they fulfill their aim in existence?

According to our belief in Tawheed, we know that all creatures are designed, and managed by Allah (S.W.T.). The continuation of their existence i.e. their growth and maturity is also under the direction of the Almighty (S.W.T.).

Who else besides God can teach the tree how to grow? All other creations are similar to the tree - enjoying divine guidance, being nurtured by the Lord. This movement towards perfection can be referred to as 'General Guidance'.

Now that we have established that all things receive a common guidance in their progression, we can next ask ourselves, what of human beings? Humans differ from other creations in one clear aspect and that is that they possess the power to think, make decisions and choose. A few of the other creations enjoy the same power, but in a very limited scale. Allah (S.W.T.) bestowed this favour in its highest form on human beings only.

By nature human beings, like other existences, share in the common divine guidance. But their special powers of Aql (Intellect) and reasoning cannot be catered for by this same guidance. Allah (S.W.T.) created humans with the gift of understanding the difference between good and bad and the ability to appreciate ideals and values. So who then shows human beings this difference between good and evil? Who guides Man towards the right ideals and values?

It has always been the prophets who have taken up the responsibility of showing Man the path of salvation. They were the Warners and the Bearers of Truth. Allah (S.W.T.) bestowed upon them a divine message. All prophets were given the task of guiding the intellect of man towards progress and maturity.

Three Fundamental Principles

Throughout the long history of the world, thousands of prophets were sent to guide mankind to the divine call of Allah (S.W.T.). Many brought with them divine laws e.g. Nooh, Ibrahim, Musa, Issa and the last messenger Muhammad Mustafa (s.a.w.w.). These prophets are called Ulool - Azm.

Other prophets did not bring a special shariat but propagated that of the prophets who came before them. We must realize the root that all these religions were based on, is one and the same. All the messages invited human beings towards a single goal and all divine faiths are based on three basic facts i.e.

1.Tawheed - Knowing God as the One and Only Creator of the Universe.

2.Ma'ad - Belief in the Day of Resurrection and Life after death.

3.Ambiya - Belief in all Godly sent prophets and their divine call.

All messengers called to the people to accept these three basic criteria and to submit to the only Lord of the Universe. This has been true from the first prophet, Adam (a.s.) to the Seal of Prophethood, Muhammad (s.a.w.w.). This way of life that they called people to follow is known as the Religion of God. Each one proclaimed the truth of only one system and that is none other than Islam.

Characteristics Of Prophets

Being specially chosen by Allah (S.W.T.) to bear His message, prophets possess certain unique characteristics. These include:

  1. Ability to Communicate with God:

Prophets obey and totally submit to God. They receive the divine message from the Him and bring it down to mankind. They are similar to human beings in the physical aspect i.e. they eat, drink, sleep and enjoy the bounties of Allah (S.W.T.) just like any other human being.

What is unique and special about them is their spiritual aspect. They have a profound understanding above that of the ordinary human. Their spirits have been so purified that they are able to perceive and understand religion and beliefs to a level of perfection.

They are thus able to communicate with Allah (S.W.T.) and receive guidance from Him. The message of Allah (S.W.T.) comes to them as a Wahy in various ways. They can feel it with their spirits or even hear the voice of an angel deliver it. Their eyes and ears can see the angels and derive knowledge from their speech.

The prophets deserve this honorable status because they have proved themselves through their total conviction and submission to Allah (S.W.T.).

2. Ismat (Infallibility)

Prophets are Ma'soom, which means that they are free from all kinds of sin, mistake and evil. This infallibility is a result of their perfect knowledge about the Almighty Allah (S.W.T.). Due to the deep understanding they have, they do not commit any sort of sin or even attempt to be in the company of evildoers. Their Ismat also allows them to receive the Wahy of the Heavenly Message that they in turn convey to humanity.

They never go wrong in guiding and leading the people towards the true path of Allah (S.W.T.) and they are always under His protection.

3. Faith in the Eternal Message.

Prophets are fully convinced in and have total certainty in Allah (S.W.T.). They are well aware of their divine goal in life and have not the slightest doubt about the life in the hereafter. Through their total reliance on the actions of the Almighty, they are able to spread the word of God.

Because of this unique understanding, they fear none but the Lord and are not affected by the rejection and attacks of people against them. It is amazing when you see that despite the harsh and cruel response from people, the prophets never weakened in their position regarding Allah (S.W.T.). They persevered in all the trails that came their way and never strayed from the right path.

A Holy Verse "Say: I am a mortal like you; it is revealed to me that your God is One, therefore whoever hopes to meet his lord, he should do good deeds, and not join any one in the service of his Lord". Sura Kahf, Verse 110

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…

  1. All creations go towards their perfection through the common guidance of Allah (S.W.T.). However, a human being who has been created as a thinker and bestowed with the power of reasoning moves towards his own perfection using the instructions shown to him by Allah (S.W.T.) through the prophets.

  2. All prophets have one aim - to invite people to submit themselves towards the Almighty for achieving eternal happiness.

  3. The Ulool - Azm are those prophets who received the divine laws. They are five in number and the last of them is the Seal of Prophets - Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w.). His message from the Almighty is the universal message of Islam.

  4. Prophets are human beings with special attributes, among them, having a unique communication with Allah (S.W.T.). They receive the guidance for Mankind, are supported, cared for and protected by the Almighty.

  5. Prophets are Ma'soom. They do not commit sins or mistakes. This quality makes them unique from others, and allows them to be an ideal example to humanity. They are truthful in both words and practice and are perfect in their morals.

  6. Prophets are submerged in the certainty of God, have innate faith and call Mankind towards the sublime faith in ONE GOD. They allow nothing to stop them from spreading the true message of God.

Think And Answer

  1. What is common guidance?
  2. What is the difference between human beings and other creatures?
  3. What does the common guidance of man include? What is his guidance in regards to his thinking and intellect?
  4. What are the three principles prophets invite human beings towards?
  5. Through which ways do prophets attain revelations?
  6. What is the reason for Ismat (Infallibility) in prophets?

Introduction To Chapter Four

In The Name Of Allah (S.W.T.), the Beneficent, the Merciful

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (s.a.w.w.) The Last Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.)

The mission of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) was never an easy one. From the beginning he was faced with opposition and trials. He had to bear both physical and emotional pain in the first years of Be'that. We have seen the attitude of the Kuffar when he tried to first tell them about his good news in Daawatul Dhul Ashira, how they attacked him both in Mecca and in Ta'if, the losses he suffered after leaving She'b Abu Talib etc.

We now have a foundation on which to begin our study of the incentive of his migration to Medina and the philosophy behind this hijrat.