An account of bounties in Paradise and of Muslims religious activities, prayers, fasting etc.
“Be you foremost (in seeking) forgiveness from your Lord, and a garden of Bliss the width of whereof is as the width of heaven and earth”. [Al-Hadid:21]
The Prophet of Allah has described the width of heaven as thus:
Harith’s (RA) mother came to the Prophet (SAW), Harith had been martyred during the battle of Badr. She said: "O Prophet of Allah! You know how much I loved him. If his reward is heaven, than I will not cry but if not than you see what I will do before you?" The Prophet said: "Is that just one heaven? There are very many heavens and your son is in the best of them, Al-Firdous Al-Aala." [Sahih Bukhari].
Rasulullah (Prophet of Islam) continues his Jannah's (Paradise) account…
The Four Streams of Jannah
“Below this tree there flowed four streams, two of which were evident and two of which were hidden.
Jibra’il told me:
‘The two hidden streams flow into the Gardens of Paradise, while the two visible ones flow down to the Earth. One of them is the Euphrates, the other is the Nile.’ Then I beheld another stream, by the banks of which tents had been setup that were of ruby, pearls and chrysalides. By their banks flew birds of emerald green whose necks resembled the necks of camels.
Hazrat Jibra’il then said to me:
‘What you see here is the spring of Kawthar (abundance). Allah Almighty has made you a gift of it.’
As it is written in the Holy Quran:
“Surely, we have given thee abundance (Kawthar); so pray unto thy Lord and sacrifice. Surely he that hates thee, he is the one cut off”.
“This stream flowed along over pebbles of rubies and emerald and its water was whiter than milk. I took up a cup and drank from it. Its taste was sweeter than honey, and its scent more pleasing than musk. A spring gushed forth beneath that tree. Jibra’il told me its name: ‘Salsabil’. It was the source of two waters, one is Kawthar (Abundance); the other is Rehmat (Mercy). Both streams flow before the gates of the Garden”.
“Those entering into Paradise may drink from the waters of Kawthar, and when they do so, all the calamities of the heart, base character and bad habits disappear and they become cleansed. Then they bathe in the spring of Rehmat (Mercy). The spring of Salsabil is the source of these waters”.
The Believer’s Characteristics in Jannah
“The believers (men) assume the dimensions of Hazrat Adam A.S., who measured sixty yards in height and seven yards in breadth. They will all be thirty-three years of age and will have green moustaches. As for the believers (women), they will emerge as virgin girls of eighteen and their virginity will not be rent. Thus they will enter into Jannah, and never again will they age and become old”.
“Then I saw groups of angels passing in rows before the Sidra, and their rows were joined together. They formed such a long formation, which was a bird of swiftest flight to fly along it for a hundred years; he would not reach its other end. They moved faster than the wind, as swiftly as the arrow flies”. I then asked Jibra’il, ‘whence comes this great multitude of angels, and whither are they going? And when did they begin their passage?’ Jibra’il explained to me, saying, ‘They have been passing by since the time they were created, ceaselessly in passage. I know not whence they come nor whither are they going.’ I marveled at their great numbers, remarking on it under my breath. Instantly this verse was revealed to me through Jibra’il: ...”and none knows the hosts of thy Lord but He. (Shrouded,Surah 31)
“Then they brought before me three bowls; one containing wine, one containing honey and the third containing milk. I chose the one with milk and drank from it”.
Jibra’il then said to me:
‘You have chosen the natural disposition of Islam and your nation will be firmly established in the religion of Islam. Had you chosen the cup of wine, your nation would have been a rebellious and fickle one.’
“I saw an angel at the Sidra greater than all the other angels I had seen. He measured a thousand times of thousand years’ wayfaring in distance. This angel had seventy thousand heads. Every head had seventy thousand faces. On every face there were seventy thousand mouths. And each head was covered with seventy thousand cloths. Each one of these coverings was embellished with one thousand times thousand pearls. Each of these pearls was so great that there appeared a sea in its midst in which fish were swimming. Upon their backs was written the Kalimat-ut-Tawhid” (the Declaration of Unity) LA ILAHA ILL’ALLAH, MUHAMMADAN RASULULLAH.
“This angel engaged in exaltation of the Lord, placing one hand upon his head and one hand behind his back. The beauty of his voice was such that it caused a commotion at the Divine Throne itself”.
I asked Jibra’il to tell me who that angel was, and he said, ‘The Lord Almighty created this angel two thousand years before He created Adam.’
I then asked where he had been all this time and where was his place of dwelling?
Jibra’il replied, ‘In Paradise there is a place to the right of the Divine Throne, which is the abode of this great angel. From there he was brought here.’
Celebrating Ramadan in Jannah
When Ramadan comes round, the doors of the skies are opened for the believers. Another tradition has it that ‘the doors of the Heaven are opened and those of the Fire are closed’. [Sahih Bukhari]
“I went up to him and greeted him and he rose in answer to my Salams. Then he spread his wings, and all the heavens and the Earth were covered by their expanse. He then kissed my face and said:
‘Good tidings to you, and to your nation!’ The Lord Almighty has decreed that your nation might have a singularly blessed month so that He might forgive them their sins. This holy month is the month of Ramadan and it is meant as a gift for you and your nation.
For its sake your nation will find forgiveness. I have been sent here this very night to announce to you this great gladness.’
Then I saw two boxes standing before him. On each of them there was a key of light. I asked that angel: what was inside of those boxes? He told me, ‘In one of these boxes there are the letters of release from Hellfire for those among your nation who fast the whole month of Ramadan until the new moon, up till the Day of Judgment.’
[According to different narrations, the angel is to have said]
“Every day of Ramadan, at the time of Iftar (breaking of fast], the Lord Almighty frees from Hellfire six hundred thousand of His servants who have fasted. When Jum’a (Friday) has come, He frees six hundred thousand prisoners every hour for twenty-four hours from Hellfire until the Night of Power has come. On that blessed night, that is to say, during the twenty-four hours making up that night and day, at the beginning of every hour the Lord frees from Hell as many of His servants as He has freed since the beginning of the holy month, including the Jum’a days.
‘The last day of Ramadan, at the time of Iftar, the Lord sets free as many of His servants as He has freed during the whole month, including the Jum’a days and the Night of Power’.
The Holy Prophet continues:
“The angel told me that the other box contained this precious gift. ‘On the Day of Judgment, seventy thousand persons of your nation will be granted entry into Paradise without questioning or reckoning. Their release certificates are contained in this box. In addition to these seventy thousand, each one of them will be granted the release of another seventy thousand from among his friends and relations and other disobedient Muslims. They, too, will be released without reckoning and granted accession to the heavenly gardens. This box contains the letters of release for all of them. Touba (repentance), glad tidings to you and your nation, oh Rasulullah!’”
The Holy Prophet’s continues:
“I then beheld another angel who had the shape and form of a rooster and was created from white pearls. This angel had seventy thousand wings to his left and seventy thousand wings to his right. On each wing there were seventy thousand feathers made of pearls, and seventy thousand feathers made of rubies, and seventy thousand feathers of red gold, and seventy thousand feathers of silver, and seventy thousand feathers of pure musk, and seventy thousand feathers made of camphor, and seventy thousand feathers of ambergris, and seventy thousand feathers made of saffron. He reached in height from the Throne to the lowest of the seven layers of the earth. On each one of his wings were written these words:
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim, La ilaha ill’Allah, Muhammadan Rasulullah.
Kullu shay’in halikun illa wajhahu, al-Wahid ul-Qahhar.
[In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger. All must perish save His Divine Countenance, He who is One, the All-Vanquishing.]
“At every prayer time, this angel would raise his head and repeat the glorification:
‘Bismillahil-‘azhim wa bi-hamdihi’ [In the Name of Allah, the Mighty and in Praise of Him].
“His Tasbih was thus: ‘Subhanaka, ma a’zhama sha’nuka’. (Praise be to Thee, how great is Thy Glory!)
“After this, he would flap his wings together, and as he did this, wondrous sounds issue forth from this flapping. When these tones reach the Paradise Gardens, the boughs of the trees of Paradise would bend and sway against each other, and it would carry on to the ruby and garnet domes of Paradise which resound with melodious echo. These tones rouse the Huris and Ghilman of Paradise, and they say to each other, ‘Good news! The time for prayer has come to the nation of Muhammad!’ Then, this great angel begins to move and his movement makes the Throne tremble. The Lord then asks him, ‘What makes you tremble?’ and the angel answers’ Him, ‘Oh my Lord, the nation of Muhammad has risen for prayer, and yet there are among them such a great number of sinners. Therefore I tremble.’ The Lord thereupon says, ‘Oh angel, be unperturbed! I am obliged to dispense of My Mercy upon those who pray. Witness that I train upon them the Gaze of Mercy and that I have forgiven them. I have freed them from Hellfire, for the honor of My Beloved, I have granted them dwelling in the Paradise of Mawah.’ Thus the Lord proclaims His great Kindness and Munificence.”
Adhan in Jannah (call to Prayers in Paradise)
The Holy Prophet continues:
“Then we came to an open space from where we could hear the sounds of the writing of the Divine Pen. I said to Jibra’il, ‘Go ahead’, but Jibra’il answered, ‘You go ahead, for in the eyes of Allah you are more honored than I and all the worlds.’ I then passed on ahead of him and Jibra’il went behind me. We came unto a veil of gold. Jibra’il shook the veil and a voice was heard from behind it, saying, ‘Who are you?’ Jibra’il answered, ‘I am Jibra’il, and Muhammad is with me.’ From within the veil this angel intoned: ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.’From behind the curtain came a voice which said, ‘My servant has spoken truly, I am indeed the Greatest, no Greatness is due to any but Me.’
“Then the angel called, ‘Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill’Allah.’ Again there was a call, ‘My servant has spoken truly, Ana la ilaha illa ana, I am He beside whom there is no other God.’ The angel repeated the words of the Shahada, ‘Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, I bear witness that Muhammad {s} is the Prophet of Allah.’ Again there was a call, 'My servant has spoken truly, I have sent Muhammad {s} as My Messenger-Prophet. ’ Then I heard the angel say,‘Hayy ‘ala-s-sala, Hayy ‘alal-falah.’ Another call was heard, ‘My servant has spoken truly; he calls My servants to come to Me, worshipful. I have invited them to My gate, and whoever answers My invitation, will be saved and meet with success.’ Thereafter I heard the angel say, ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.’Another call came, ‘My servant has spoken the Truth: Ana Akbar, I am the Greatest.’ The angel then said, ‘La ilaha ill’Allah’. A call came, saying, ‘My servant has spoken truly, there is no God but I.’
“Then I heard another call, ‘Oh Muhammad {s}, Allah has honored you with perfect honor over all those who went before you and who are yet to come.’ I then asked Jibra’il, ‘Who is this angel?’ Jibra’il told me, ‘I swear by the Might and Glory of Allah who has sent you as His Messenger of Truth: I have never seen this angel, I do not know who he is or anything about him, but you are now about to find out.’ I then asked, ‘Are you not going any further then? Does a true friend leave his friend in midstream?’ Jibra’il then said, ‘Oh Rasulullah! Every angel has his place and station beyond which he cannot go. If I advance even the breadth of a finger, the Wrath of Allah will burn me. My ultimate station is the Sidratul Muntaha. Up to this very moment, I have never gone as far as this point. For your sake and honor, however, I have been given permission, and I have brought you here. But I can proceed no further than this.’
“Then I asked, ‘Is there anything you request of the Lord Almighty? If there is anything you desire, I will ask it of Him.’ Jibra’il answered, ‘My request of the Lord is that He permit me, when your nation is ordered to march across the Bridge of the Sirat, to spread my wing across that bridge and assist them in crossing it in safety in this way.’
“Then an angel stretched forth his hand from behind the veil, and in less time than the blinking of an eye, he pulled me through to the farther side. Then he said to me, ‘Oh Rasulullah! Proceed ahead of me.’ In a short while, he had brought me before a curtain of pearls. When he stirred the curtain, an angel’s voice was heard from behind it, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The angel accompanying me said, ‘I am the angel of the golden curtain and with me is the most-honored Prophet of the Lord.’ The angel behind the veil then said, ‘Allahu Akbar’ and, stretching out his hand from behind the veil, he pulled me across. In as little time as it takes for the eye to blink, I had traversed the curtain and found myself standing before him, where he greeted me with every mark of honor and respect.
To be continued….
