Islam

 She is the truthful and daugther of the truthful one, may Allah be pleased with her. She was beloved to her husband, Allah´s Messenger . She is the one whose innocence is declared in the Qur´an in ten verses of Surat un-Noor. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´ Many amongst men attained perfection but amongst women none attained perfection except Maryam, the daugther of Imran and Asiyah, the wife of Fir´aun and the superiority of´ Aisha to other women is like the superiority of tharied to onter meals. Tharid was the most beloved dish to the Messenger salla alayhi wa sallam. He also said to ´Aisha: ´´Are you not pleased that you should be my wife in the world and in the Hereafter?´´ She said: ´´By Allah, certainly!´´ He then said: ´´You are my wife in the world and in the Hereafter. ´´183

 She is Umm ul-Mu´mineen wal Mu´minaat (Mother of the beliving men and women), chief of the righteous and model of the pious. She attained the pinnacle of intelligence, wisdom and self.scrifice. The Prophet salla alahy wa sallam saidconcerning her: ´´give Khadeejah the tiding of a house made og qasah (golloved pearl) wherein there will be neither noise nor fatigue. Abu Hurayrah narrated: ´´Jabreel came to the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallamand said: ´Here is Khadejah coming to you with a dish of food or a tumbler containing something to drink. Convey to her a greeting from her Lord (Allah) and give her the glad tidings that she will have a palace in Paradise built of qasab; wherein will be neither any noise nor any fatigue. (trouble) ´´´181

 How manu a time when a woman will surpass the men in righteous words and action? She outstrips them in the worship of her Lord, in the aid or her religion, in spending in charity and in the knowledge. If you flip thoug the pages of history, you will discover women have outstripped the men in many ways. The first person to live in the Haram (saced precinct) of Makkah, drank from the water of ZamZam and ran between the Mount Safa and Marwa, was a woman; Hajar; the mother of Ismaa´eel. This first person to accept Islam, helped the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam in his cause was also a woman; Khadeejah; the Mother of the Believers. The first person to reviece torture for the sake of her Lord until she was martyred in the path of Allah was a woman named Sumayyah; the mother of Ammaar ibn Yaasir. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam has witnessed the admittance into Paradise of a number of women and they include the following.

 Allah has reserved Paradise as a reward for beliving men and women. Just as there are among men those who fast during the daytime and weep (in awe of the Lord) during the night time, simiarly, there are women with suvh traits. Did the Prophet beat witness of Paradise for any woman? Who are they?

 No one may bear witness of admittance into al-Jannah for anyone except if it is affirmed in the Book of the Sunnah that he will go to Paradise.

 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made an explicit statement that ten individuals among his Companions are from the people of Paradise due to the precedence they have set in Islam, as well as their jihad and sacrifices. This does not however mean that these are the only Companions that will enter Paradise; certainly not! Rather, all of the noble Companions have their mertis. The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam had said concerning the veterans of the Battle of Badr who numbered more than three hundred Companions: ´´What teel you that perhaps Allah has looked at the veteran of Badr and said: ´Do as you please, I have forgiven you.´´´177 The Prophet (peace be upon him) also bore witness for one thousand four hundred Companions who pledged their allegiance to the Prophet (peace be upon him) under the tree of Ar-Ridwaan at Hudibiyah. He salla alayhi wa sallm said: ´´Whoever pledged allegance under the tree will certainly enter Paradise; except the owner of the red ca...

 Al-Hasan and al-Husain, the two sons of Ali and Fatimah will be the chiefs of the younths of Paradise, may allah be pleased with them all- They are the leaders of whoever dies in his youth among the Muslims and is admitted into Paradise. They deserve this honour and they are held in high esteem in Islam for which they sacrificed and exerted themselves, and which makes them worthy of this high status. This Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Al-Hasan and Al-Husain are the two chiefs of the youth of Paradise

 They are Abu Bakr and Umar, the two foremost Companions of Allah´s Messenger salla alayhi wa sallam during his lifetime and his neighbours in his grave after his  demise. The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Abu Bakr and Umar are the two chiefs of the middle-aged residents of Paradise from among the earlier and latter generations, except the prophets and the Messengers.´´174 How will Abu Bakr and Umar be the chiefs of the middle-aged residents of Paradise while people will enter Paradise in their youthful age of thirty-tree years? Answer: ´Kuhuul´ which occurs in the statement of the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam is the plural of ´al-kahl´ which applies to a man whose age is between thirty and forty years. Abu Bakr and Umar, will be the leaders of whoever died at the age of khal among the Muslims and is admitted into Paradise. As for those who who died in their youth, then Al-Hasan and Al-Husain, Allah be pleasedwith them, are the two leader of th...

 The highest in rank among the people of Paradise are the prophets and Messengers. They are the creme of creation and articulators and conveyers of the truth. They are the leaders of the pious, the righteous and the awliyaa (friends of Allah)

 The people of Paradise will be dissimilar in the levels (they will occupy), in the degrees of their Paradise and extent of their pleasure. Similarly, they will be dissimilar in their status and rank with Allah. Who will have the highest rank among them? Who will be the chief of the elderly residents of Paradise? Who will be the chief of the uouth of Paradise?

 Our Lord´s mercy precedes His wrath and His forbearance overcomes His anger. The door of repentance remains opened, so there is no excuse for sinners and the disobedient.

 The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam completes his address concerning the least ranked person in Paradise with that of the highest tanked resident of Paradise when he Salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´As for the highest in rank, these are the people who Allah established their honour with his Own Hand and sealed it so that no eye may see it, no eye may hear it and no human mind could imagine.´´174

 The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´The last person to enter Paradise will be a man who will ealk once and stumble once and be burnt by the Fire once. Then when he gets beyond it, he will turn to it and say: ´Blessed is He Who has saved me from you. Allah has given me something He has not given to any one of those in earlier or later times.´ Then a tree will be raised up for him and he will say: ´O my Lord, bring me near this tree so that I may take shelter in its shade and drink of its water.´ Allah, the Exalted and great, will say: ´O son of Aadam, if I grant you this, you will aske Me for something else.´ He will say: ´No, my Lord.´ And he will promise Him that he will not ask for anything else. His Lord will excause him because He sees what he cannot help desiring, so He will bring him near it, and he will take shelter in its shade and drink of its water. Afterwards a tree more beaitiful than the first will be raised up before him and he will say: ´O my Lord!...

 Paradise is an abode of delight and bliss wherein the sick will lose the meory of his illness, the afflicted will forget his afflication, the poor his poverty, the subjugated his subjugation, the imprisoned his imprisonment. The ugly one will forget his ugliness and the oppressed his oppresson. There will be no worry about amassing wealth, promotion in position, sickness and prisons. There will also be no worry about a house that needs to be built or an enemy to be feared. There will be neither sorrow therein nor distress, rather, there will be perpetual joy and delight. If you hear the story of the least person in status in Paradise, you will that what has been kept hidden from us is even greater.

 In their entrance into Paradise, the people of Paradise are dissmilar. Some will precede and other will lag behind. It has been mentioned earlier that the first person to enter Paradise will be our Prophet Muhammad salla alayhi wa sallam. Who will be the last to enter? Who is his story?

 Allah will honour some people who acted righteously and they will precede other to Paradise. These people include the one who was martyred in the path of allah, a slave under bondage; who sorshipped his Lord and fulfilled the rights of his master in the best manner, and the poor man who abstained from begging people; though he has dependants on whom he strives to spend. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´The first tree (set of) people that will enter Paradise were shown to me: (they are) the martyr, the slave who excelled in the worship of his Lord and the self-contented indigent fellow who had dependants.´´70

 The answer is that the nourishment of the people of Paradise will reach the pinnacle of benefir, and delight; such that it will contain no harm or residues deemed unclean or necessitating its removal from the body like the food of this world. Rather, the food of Paradise will only produce sweat which will flow from their body with the sweetest scent. A man from the People of the Book came and said to the Prophet:  ´´O Aba-l-Qaasim, do you claim that the people of Paradise will eat and drink? The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam responded: ´´Yes, one of them will be given the energy of one hundred men in eating,, drinking and sexual intercourse.´´ The man said: ´´Someone who will eat and drink will feel the need (to defecate) and there is no nuisance in Paradise.´´ The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Their defecation will be perspiration which will ooze out of their skins like the scent of musk.´´169

 The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam informed us about the attributes of the first set of people that will enter Paradise so that we may rejoice, yearn for it and be reassured at the time of departure (from the world). We beseech allah, the Exalted, to count us among them. ´´The first group to enter Paradise will be as beautiful as the full moon; they will not spit or blow their noses or relieve themselves. Their vessels therein will be of gold, their combs will be of gold and silver and the coals of their incense-burners will be of aloe-wood (Abul-Yaman said: ´´Of ´Ud at-Teeb´´] and their sweat will be musk. Each one of them will have two wives; the marrow of whose leg-bones will be visible through the flesh because of their extreme beauty. There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify Allah, in the morning and evening. ´´168

 The Ummah of Islam will precede other nation in; being resurrected from the soil, precede them at the upper part of the plain of judgment, precede them under the shade of the Throne, precede them in receiving judgment, precede them in crossing the Bridge and precede them in entering Paradise. The best of this Ummah are the Companions of Allah´s Messenger salla alayhi wa sallam and the more excellent of them are the emigrants who sacrificed their wealth and lives, departed from their families and land in the aid of the religion and the worship of the Lord of the world. Allah says: ´´Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and emigrated and strove hard and fought in Allah´s Cause with their wealth and their lives are far higher in degree with Allah. They are the successful. Their Lord gives them glad tidings of a Mercy from Him, and that He is pleased (with them), and of Gardens (Paradise) for them wherein are everlasting delights. They will dwell therein f...

 This is due to Abu Bakr´s distinction, leadership, aid to the religion, sacrifice of his life and wealth for Allah, the Prophet´s love for him and his much praise of him. He was his companions while they were in the cave and his right hand person while he was alive and after his death. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Jibreel came to me and held me by the hand and showed me the gate og Paradise from which my nation will enter.´´ Abu bakr said: ´´O Messenger of Allah, I wish I was there with you so that I may look at it.´´ The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´As for you, you Abu bakr will be the fir of my Ummah to enter Paradise.´´167

 Our nation is the last and the largest population of the dwellers of Paradise and will bear witness for the Prophets on the Day of Resurrection; that they delivered the message of Allah´s religion to their people. The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´We are the last nation and the first on the Day of Resurrection and we will be the first to enter Paradise.´´166

 8. Safwan bin Muhriz said that Jundab bin Abdullah Al-Bajali during the stormy says of Ibn Zubair, sent a message to As´as bin Salamah and said: ´´Gather some men from your brothers so that I should talk to them.´´ He sent a messenger to them (members of his family). When they had assembled, Jundab came there with a yellow gooded cloak on him. He said: ´´Talk what you were busy in talking,´´ The talk went on by turns, till there came his (Jundab´s) turn. He took off the gooded cloask from his head and sai: ´I have come to you with no other intention but to narrate to you a Hadith of your Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam: Verily, the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam sent a squad of the Muslims to a tribe of the polytheists. Both the armies confronted one another. There was a man among the army of polytheists who whenever intended to kill a man from among the Muslims, he killed him. amongst the Muslims was a man looking forward to (an opportunity of) his unmindfulness. He (th...

 Racing to Paradise is the path of the believers and the goal of the Unitarians. They are the most deserving of entering among Allah´s creatures and will precede others to it. The first person to enter Paradise is our Prophet Muhammad salla alayhi wa sallam. There is no doubt that our Prophet Muhammad salla alayhi wa sallam will precede other in entering Paradise and this is indicative of the honour and distinction Allah has granted him. He is the first for whom the gate of Paradise will be opened. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´I will have the largest followers among the Prophets on the Day of Resurrection and I will be the first to knock at the gate of Paradise´´164 The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam also said: ´´I will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and will seek its opening and the keeper will say: ´Who are you?´ I will say: ´Muhammad.´ He will then say: ´It is for you that I have been ordered that I should not open ot for anyone ...

 WHEN EARLY PROPHETS are mentioned, one often thinks of Abraham - not because he was the first Prophet, for according to Islamic tradition he was not, but because God honoured him by placing prophethood in his seed. Yet when Abraham was advanced in years he was still childless and his wife Sarah, whom he loved and cherished, was beyond the age of childbearing. With unshakeable faith that God was always able to do what He willed, Abraham still hoped that one day he would have a child who would give him pleasure and happiness in his old age.  Sarah had a maid called Hagar whom she had brought from Egypt. She gave that bondswoman to Abraham and said: ´´I am now an old woman, well beyond the age of childbearing. I am giving you my bondswoman, Hagar, and hope that God may give you a child through her.´´ Before long Hagar was pregnant. She gave birth to a son, who was named Ishmael. Abraham´s joy was great, and so was Hagar´s She felt now that her position in the house was no longer...

 The dwellers of Paradise are people of distinction and honour. Whoever enters Paradise attains the Pleasure of Ar-Rahman, the Mighty and the Exalted. He has prospered and succeeded. The more a slave races towards Paradise, the more honourable and excellent he becomes. Who will be the first person to enter Paradise? Which nation will enter it first? Who will enter it first; the rich or the poor?

 Our Lord, the Exalted and Mighty, varied the route to Paradise to make striving for it easy.

 Anyone who contemplates will discover that a number of the Shari´ah commands such as salaah (prayer), zakat (compulsory charity) sawn (fasting) and hajj (pilgrimage) are in actual fact some kind of discomfort and burden on the slave but over which he will e rewarded. Whenever ones eemaan increases, the burden of the shari´ah commands become easy on the slave. Prayer is the heaviest thing for weak minds as allah mentions: ´´and seek help in patience and as-Salat (the prayer) and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for al-khashi´un [i.e. the true believers in Allah - those who obey allah with full submission, fear much from His Punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise, etc.) and in His Warnings (Hell, etc.).´´ (Al-Baqarah: 45) Zakat is heavy on the miserly, while hajj is heavy on the lazy. Whenever a servant endures an act of worship, races towards it and encourages others upon it, he hastens to attain Paradise and the pleasure of Ar-Rahman (the Merciful). The more a...

 (3) Chapter. He who kills a disbeliever after he declares: la ilaha illallah (none) has the right to be worshipped but Allah) 6. Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad narrated that he said: ´´O Messenger of Allah Suppose I met one of the infidels and we fought, and he struck one of my hands with sword and cut it off and then took refuge in a tree and said, ´I submit to Allah (in islam), i.e., I have become a Muslim, should I kill him, O Messenger of allah, after he had said this?´´ The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said, ´´You should not kill him.´´ Al-Miqdad said, ´´O Messenger of Allah! But he had cut off my hand, and then only he had uttered those words? Should I kill him? The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam replied, ´´You should not kill him, for if you kill him, he would be in your position where you had been before killing him, and you would be in his position where he had been before uttering those words.´´ The Hadith transmitted by Auza´i and Ibn Juraij contains the...

 It is an act of worship that is cumbersome on a person. The one who carries it out could be visited with harm. Luqman said to his son: ´´O my son! Aqim-is-Salat (perform as-Salat), enjoin (people) for al-ma´ruf (Islamic Monotheism and all that is good), and forbid (people) from al-munkar (i.e. disbeliev in the Oneness of allah, polytheism of all kinds and all that is evil and bad), and bear with patience whatever befalls ou. Verily! These are some of the important commandments ordered by allah with no exemption.´´ (Luqman: 17)

 It is from Allah´s mercy to His creatures that when He afflicts them, He made the afflication a means for them to attain al-Jannah. Allah says: ´´Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also) tests those who are as-sabririn (the patient ones, etc.)?´´ (Aal-Imraan: 142) The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Afflictions will not cease to befall the believers in his body and wealth till he meets Allah, the Exalted, without a sin.´´ 163 Whoever demonstrates patience upon the affliction of illness, poverty, death of children, imprisonment and other worldly afflictions, his sins will be expiated and his good deeds will be multiplied.

 Jihad is the apex of Islam and the practice of the noble Messengers. Whoever dies without waging jihad or even thinking about it dies upon a branch of hypocrisy. Allah has said: ´´Jihad (holy fighting in Allah´s Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.´´ (Al-Baqarah: 216) Allah promised the muhahidun admittance into Paradise. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ´´Allah guarantess the one who goes out to strive in His Cause and whose motivation for going out is nothing but jihad in My Cause, faith in Me and belief in My Messengers that I will admit him into Paradise (if martyred) or bring him back (safe) to his dwelling place from where he came out, with whatever he has gained of reward or booty. By Him in Whose Hand the soul of Muhammad is, anu wound which a Muslim receives in Allah´s Cause will appear on the Day of Resurrecti...

 (2) Chapter. I have been commanded to fight against the people till they say: ´´La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)´´ 4. abu Hurairah narrated: When Allah´s Messenger died and Abu Bakr became the caliph after him, some Arabs renegaded (reverted to disbelief) (and Abu Bakr decided to declare war against them). ´Umar bin Al-Kattab said to Abu Bakr, ´´How can you fight with these people althoug Allah´s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, ´I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight the people till they say: La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and whoever said: La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), then he had rescued his life and property from me except on trespassing the law (rights and conditions for which he will be punished justly), and his accounts will be with Allah,´´ Abu bakr said, ´´By Allah! I will fight those who differentiate between Salat and Zakat, as Zakat is the compulsory right to b...

 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (1) Chapter , the first step of Iman is to say: ´´La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)´´ 1. Abu Jamrah narrated: I was an interpreter between the people and ´Abdullah bin abbas. Once a woman happened to come there and asked about Nabeedh Al-Jarr (the wine pitcher). He said that a delegation of the trible of ´Abdul-Qais came to Allah´s Messenger (peace be upon him) who asked them, ´´Who are the people (i.e., you)?´´ (or) who are the delegates?´´ They replied, ´´(We are from the tribe of) Rabi´ah.´´ Then the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said to them, ´´Welcome, O people [or said, O delegation (of Abdul-Qais)]. Neither will you have disgrace nor will you regret.´´ They said: ´´O Messenger of Allah! We have come to you from a far distant place and there is the tribe of the infidels of Mudar intervening between you and us and we cannot come to you except in the sacred month. So please order us to ...

 The full name of Imam Muslim is Abul-Hussain ´Askiruddin Muslim bin Hajjaj Al-Qushairi An-Naisaburi. He belonged to the Qushair tribe of the Arab clan Rabi´ah, He was born in 202 or 206 h (819 or 821 CE) in Nisahapur, a town of Iran. His parents were religious people and so he was broguth up in a pious environment. Because of this he spent all of his life as a pious and righteous person. a distinguishing attribute of his excellent character is that he never indugled in backbiting, which a common human shortcoming. Imam Muslim travelled far and wide to collect the Ahadith (traditions) in the countries of Arabis, Egypt, Iraq and Syria, and benefited from the prominent Hadith scholars of that time by attending the lectures and classes of those learned persons. His teachers included Ishaq bin Rawaih, Ahmad bin Hanbal, Ubaidullah Al-Qawariri, Qutaibah bin Sa´d, Abdullah bin Maslamah, Harmalah bin Yahya and others. Afterwards he settled down at Nisahapur, where he came into contact with...

 His Birth: He is the great Hafiz Zakiuddin Abdul-Azim bin Abdul-Qawi bin Abdullah bin Salamah Abu Muhammad Al-Mundhiri, orginally Ad-Dimashqi (his family was from Damascus, Syria) and then Al-Misri (Egyptian), which was the place of his birth, his home and his death. He was born in the year 581 Hijri. His Teachers: He memorized the Qur´an and was well-educated in islamic etiquette and jurisprudence. then he began to study the Science of Hadith and excelled in it. He heard Hadith from a group of the scholars of Hadith. From them was al-Hafiz Abdul-Hasan Ali bin Al-Mudaddal al-Maqdisi. He remained with him for a period of time and he completed his studies with him. In the Prophetic city of Al-Madinah, he heard Hadith from Al-Hafiz ja´far bin Amusan. In Damascus he heard Hadith from Umar ibn Tabarzed. He also studied with Hadith scholars in Najran, Alexandria, Ar-Raha and in Bait Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). He first began hearing from Hadith scholars in the year 591 Hijri when he was a te...

 In name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful All praises are due to Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving, the Most Generous, the Controller of the hearts and the gazes, the All-Knowing of that which is open and that which is hidden. I praise Him with a praise that is eternal, throughour the night and the day. And I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except allah Alone, Who has no partners. This is a testimony that will save whoever says it from the torment of the hell-fire. And I testify that Muhammad is His chosen Prophet and His selected Messenger from the nobelst descent. May Allah´s blessing be upon him, his family, his wives and his worthy Companions, with magnitude and greatness. May this blessing be upon them always and forever, as long as the night and the day remain. Thus, to proceed, I have summarized this book from the Sahih of Al-Imam Abul-Husain Muslim bin Al-Hajjaj Al-Qushairi An-Naisaburi. It is a summariztion that makes memorization ...

 The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Al-Jannah is surrounded by detestable (things) and Hellfire is surrounded by desires.´´161 The believer overcomes his desires, prefers Allah´s wish over his own whims. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam has mentioned numerous routes leading to Paradise; we hereby cite some of them.

 The muttaqun are the inhabitants of al-Jannah. They are those who are eager to avoid the prohibitions and carry our acts of obedience. Some acts of worship are obligatory upon the slaves; hence, when the eemaan is strong, the slave overcomes his desires, magnifies the commands of his Lord, complies with the requirements of obedience and abstains from the prohibited. Al-Jannah has routes which are affirmed in texts of the Qur´an and Sunnah. What are these routes? Which is the best of the routes? How do we invite people to it?

 Allah does not cease to prepare Paradise and adorn it for His slaves as the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam mentioned: ´´Allah created the Garden of Eden with His Own Hand and lowered therein its fruits and split its rivers and He looked at it and said: ´The believers are indeed successful.´ Then He added saying: ´By Honour the miserly will not live in you, close to me´´´158 The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´A space equal to that of a whip of any one of you in Paradise is better than the entire would and another like it along with it. The space of a bow of anyone of you in Paradise is better than the world and another like it along with it. A woman´s veil from Paradise is better than the world and another like it along with it.´´159 Ibn Abbaas said: ´´There is nothing of al-Jannah that exists in the world except in name.´´160 This is from the enhoyment of Paradise; there will be food and fruits like the ones in the world but similar in name only. For ...

 I Cannot Remember how old I was when I completed the first book I read which gave a proper history of the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). But I was probably 12, or a little younger, when my Arabic teacher, Mr Muhammad al-Jabi, gave me a book on the Prophet´s character as a prize for being top of the class in Arabic. Although I read the book at that time, I confess I did not understand it well. Maybe its superb literary style, or its philosophical outlook, was a little too hard for me. Yet I treasured the book and kept referring to it now and then, using it to mucj advantage eventually. My first job after graduation was with the Syria Radio in Damascus. I was still receiving training when the post of Controller was given to a man with a clear version of what a radio station being monitored in neighbouring countries should be broadcasting. In his brief spell at the post, he changed the whole outlook of Syria Radio and gave unwavering encouragement to younger talent. It...

 Allah explains that the people of al-Jannah worked for it and exerted efforts to attain it as mentioned by Sahl Ibn sa´d: I witnessed a sitting during which the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam described al-Jannah till he said at the end of his speech: ´´In it is what eyes have not seen, ears have not heard and whose inagination has not occurred to the human mind.´ then he recited these verses: ´Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (charity in Allah´s Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.´´´156 The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam exlained that the least thing in Paradise is better than the world and all that it contains. The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´If a man from the people of al-Jannah was to appear and his bracelet is exposed, its illumination will outshine the sun just as the sun outshines the stars.´´...

 Whenever the hearts yearns for something , it desires to strive to attain it. Allah has described al-Jannah, adorned it for His slaves, invited them to it and goaded them towards it. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam explained that our Lord, the Mighty and Exalted, has prepared Paradise for His righteous slaves. He said: ´´Allah said: ´I have prepared for My righteous slaves what eyes have not seen, ears have not heard and whose imagination has not occurred to the human mind.´ And read if you wish: ´No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.´´´155

 Whoever enter Paradise will forget the world and all that it contains. The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´One amongst the denizens of Hell who had led a life of ease and plenty amongst the people of the world will be made to dip in Fire only once on the Day of Resurrection and then it will be said to him: ´O son of Aadam, did you find any comfort, did you happen to get any material blessing?´ He will say: ´By Allah, no, my Lord,´ And then that person from amongst the persons of the world will be brought who had led the most miserable life (in the world) from amongst the dwellers of Paradise; and he will be made to dip once in Paradise and it will be said to him. ´O son of Aadam, did you face any hardship? Or had you suffered anu distress?´ And he will say: ´By Allah, no, O my Lord, never did I face anu hardship or experience any distress.´´´152 The Companions used to yearn for Paradise and imagine what their situation would be when they enter it. A man had asked...

 It is Daar us-Salaam - the abode of peace; free from all tribulations and diseases. It is Daar ul-Khuld - the eternal abode, wherein no one will die or grow old. It is Daar ul-Muqaamah - the abode that endures. Its dwellers will not leave and turn away (to somewhere else). It is Jannar ul-Maawaa - the Paradise of abode to which the believers resort after leaving the abode of unhappiness and tribulations. It is Jannat ul-adn - the Garden of Eden. It is Al-Firdaws, al-Maqaam ul-Ameen (the abode of security), Maq´ad sidq inda Maleek Muqtadir - a seat of truth near of Omnipotent King. Allah says: ´´Verily, the muttaqun (pious), will be in the midst of gardens and rivers (Paradise). In a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise). mear the Omnipotent King (Allah, the All-Blessed, the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honour),´´ (Al-Qamar: 54-55) What are the names of Paradise? Who will be the first to enter Paradise and what are their attributes? Who will be the last person to enter Paradise? Who...

 This is the precious security to which every pursuer races and for which the believers compete. It is the yearning of the hearts´ of the adorer. It keeps the worshipper´s night sleepless and the reason why he suffers hardship and endures periods of affications. It is the abode of the pious, the martyrs and the righteous. It is a light that sparkles and sweet smell that radiates. It is an abode of fruits and greenery which blessed servants shall occupy; who will eat, but will not defecate. They will drink, but will not urinate. They will live in perpetual purity and will not blow their noses. They will perpetually laugh and will never cry any more. They will live therein forever and will never leave. They will live forever and never die. In there, faces will be radiant, smiling and conveying glad tidings. What is al-Jannah? What is its description? Who are its occupants? What is the path leading to it?

 Iblees will not be faithful to his followers rather, he will curse and disown them. 

After the command (of Allah) has been executed and the world has come to an end, the meezan has been set, the scroll has been laid spread, the people of the right have received their record of deeds on the right hand and the people of the left have received theirs on their left hand, Allah will descend to deliver judgment and He will reward everyone according to what is in his record. Hence, everyone will be held in pledge for what he has earned. The people of Paradise will have entered Paradise and the people of Hell will have entered Hell. Shaytaan will rise to give a final adress after which there will be no other one. What will he say? Allah explains that in the following verse of the Qur´an: ´´And Shaytaan (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: ´Verily, allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had not authority over you except that i called you. So you responded to me. So blame me not, but blamde yourselves. I cannot helt you...

 The source of Iblees´ creation is fire but his present state is not fire. Similarly, the source of the creation of human being is day but at the moment he is nt day. A human being may possibly be punished with day. If a man were to be submerged in day, it will suffocate and kill him. If a man were to be hit with day, he would feel pain and if he was pelted with solid day, it may even kill him. 150 In the same way, even though the source of Shaytaan´s creation is fire, he will still be punished in the Fire; because of the moment he is not fire, rather, he has a physical body with a mouth that contains saliva. The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam was once praying and Shaytaan came to him to distrub his prayer and the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´I seek refuge in Allah from you.´´ Then he said. ´´I curse you with Allah´s curse,´´ three times. Then he stretched out his hand as though he was taking hold of something. When he finished the prayer, we said: ´´O Messenge...

 The abode of the followers and party of Shaytaan is Hellfire. Allah says concerning Shaytaan: ´´Surely, Shaytaan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.´´ (Faatir: 6) Allah also says: ´´Shaytaan (Satan) has overtaken them. So he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Shaytaan (Satan). Verily, it is the party of Shaytaan (Satan) that will be the losers!´´ (Al-Mujaadalah: 19)

 The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam informed us that Iblees placed his throne on water. This is where he dispatches his brigades from among his Shaytaan followers, to mislead mankind and to cause disaffection among them. He organizes his aids from here and it serves for him as a command centre. The closet to him in status is the shaytaan that causes the greatest type of dissension and he rewards his foot soldiers. ´´One of them will come and say: ´I did so and so,´ and he will say: ´You have done nothing.´ Another one will come and say: ´I did so and so,´ and he will say: ´You have done nothing.´ Then another will come and say: ´I did not spare him (his victin among mankind) until I sowed the seed of discord between him and his wife.´ Then Shaytaan will say: ´You have done well.´´´149 Hence, a man should know that the source of every dispute, dissension and anger is none other than Shaytaan. He should seek Allah´s refuge from his evil and be wary of his deceit.

 Shaytaan advances along with man, step by step, in the bid to mislead him. He centices him to commit a sin; which leads to a more grievous one, until he deceives some of them into committing shirk; which is a footstep whose end is Hellfire. allah says: ´´And follow not the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy.´´ (Al-Baqarah: 168) He also says: ´´O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan), then, verily he commands al-fahsha´ [i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.)],  and al-munkar (disbelie and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds; to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islam, etc.)]. And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure sins. But Allah purifies (guides to Islam) whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.´´ (An-Noor: 21) Which explanation can be more explicit than th...

 From Allah´s benevolence and vast mercy, for He is Forgiving and Merciful Who loves the penitent and repentant slaves, is that whenever Shaytaan whispers to man a hundred times, one good deed performed by the man will wipe out all the evil he has done. Allah will not punish anyone except after sending warning to him. Allah says: ´´And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning).´´ (Al-Israa: 15)

 Both good and evil are from the creation of Allah. Allah has clarified two paths to mankind. He says: ´´And by nafs (Aadam or a person or a soul, etc.), and Him Who perfected him in proportion; then He showed him is wrong for him and what is right for him; indeed he succeeds who purifies his own self (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds). And indeed he fails who corrupts his own self (i.e. disobeys what Allah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, etc. or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds).´´ (As-Shams: 7-10) Allah also says: ´´Then, for him who tagha (transgressed all bounds in disbeliev, oppressopm amd evil deeds of disobedience to Allah). And preferred the life of his world (by following his evil desires and lusts), verily, his abode will be Hellfire; But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself f...

 Hence, Allah obliges us to disobey and show enmity towards him and warned us against obeying and following his steps. Allah says: ´´Surely, Shaytaan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy.´´ (Faatir: 6) Allah also says: ´´Did I not ordain for you, O Children of Aadam, that you should not worship Shaytaan (Satan), verily he is a plain enemy to you.´´ (Yaasin: 60)

 Shaytaan was from the jinn and the jinns prefated mankind on the earth. They caysed corruption and spilled blood (unjustly) and Allah sent an army of angels against them who struck them till they plunged into the sea. The angels captured Shaytaan who exhibited righteousness and began to worship Allah alongside the angels. When allah ordered the angels to prostrate to Aadam, Iblees was amongst them. All the angels prostrated except Iblees; who became arrogant and disobeyed Allah´s order. He asked haughtily: ´´Shall I prostrate to one whom You created from clay?´´ (Al-Israa: 61) Hence, Allah cursed and expelled him from His mercy. Iblees was not remorseful or repentant nor did he seek forgiveness for his error and ask his Lord for pardon. Rather, he became spiteful of Aadam and his children and he began to intimidate and threaten to corrupt mankind and dissuade them from worship. Allah explains his resolve:  ´´And surely, We created you (your father Aadam) and then gave you sha...

 Shaytaan´s name is repeated in the Qur´an 88 times to demonstrate the danger he poses, to declare his enmity, to warn his followers, to expose his scheming and to thwart his plans. On the Day of Resurrection, Shaytaan will be thrown into the worst of abodes. Allah has informed us of his deception and commanded us take him as enemy. He says: ´´Surely, Shaytaan (Satan) in an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.´´ (Faatir: 6) Even the Prophets advised their children concerning him. Prophet Ya´qub advised his son Yusuf when he said: ´´Verily! Shaytaan (Satan) is to man an open enemy.´´ (Yusuf: 5)

 Iblees (Shaytaan) is the head of misguidance, frustrator of hope, enemy of the righteous, supporter of the criminals. Whoever follows him will deteriorate and perish. Whoever disobeys him will succeed and reign. Who is Shaytaan? What is his story? What will be the address of Shaytaan on the Day of Resurrection? What will his followers say?

 ´´Pour on us some water or anything that Allah has provided you with.´´ They will say: ´´Both (water and provision) Allah has forbidden to the disbelievers.´´

 This is a cry borne out of loss and frustration. The denizens of Hellfire, under intense torment; which includes drinking extremely boiling drink of Hameem, swallowing the prickly thorn of Zaqqum, will cry for help. They will call out to the people of Paradise to request for water or wholesome provision. The people of Paradise will respond to them saying: ´Be off and wallow in the Fire. You took religion and faith for play and amusement. You denied the Hereafter and forgot to prepare to meet Allah. Today you are in loss.´ Allah says: ´´And the dwellers of the Fire will call to the dwellers of Paradise; ´Pour on us some water or anuthing that Allah has provided you with. ´They will say: ´Both (water and provision) Allah has forbidden to the disbelievers.´ Who took their religion as an amusement and play, and the life of the world deceived them. So this Day We shall forget them as they forgor their meeting of this Day, and as they used to reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, ...

 It is from Ahl ul-A´raaf (the people of Height) to the dwellers of al-Jannah. Ahl ul-A´raaf are the people whose good deeds are equivalent to their evil ones. Hence, they are detained between Paradise and Hell; neither entering Paradise nor Hellfire. The Ahl ul-A´raaf will recognize the dwellers of Paradise by their marks i.e. their attributes; which include whitness, bloom and attributes of pitch blackness. The Ahk ul-A´raaf will call out to the people of Paradise in salutation. Allah says: ´´And between them will be a barrier screen and an Al-A´raaf (a wall with elevated places) will be men (whose good and evil deeds would be equal in scale), who would recognise all (of the Paradise and Hell people), by their marks (the dwellers of Paradise by their white faces and the dwellers of Hell by their black faces), they will call out to the dwellers of Paradise: Salamun ´Alaikum´ (peace be on you), and at that time they (men on Al-A´raaf) will not yet have entered it (Paradise), but th...

 This is from the people of Paradise to the people of Hell after the people of Jannah have enjoyed their comfort and found that all that Allah had promised them is real. Paradise is real, Hellfire is real, and their enjoyment and torment are real. The people of Paradise will imagine in their hearts what the condition of those who used to dispute in the world about the reality of Paradise and hell, and who revelled in their fortune and comfortable living will be, for they neither retracted from evil nor desired to do good. Then the people of Paradise will call out to the people of Hellfire: ´´And the dwellers of Paradise will call out to the dwellers of the Fire (Saying): ´We have indeed found true what our Lord had promised us; have you also found true, what your Lord promised (warnings, etc.)?´ They shall say: ´Yes, ´Then a crier will proclaim between them: ´The Curse of Allah is on the zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.). Those who hindered (men) from the Path of Allah, a...

 Allah has promise the believers that they will have in al-Jannah all that will satisfy their desires and delight their eyes. Part of the increase in their bliss is the recovery of their hearts from the jets they received from those who used to accuse them of stupidity and imbecility in the world. They might have also endured various other types of harm. On the Day of Resurrection, however, the people of Paradise will behold the punishment of the denizens of Hellfire and they will coverse with them to reproach and humilitate them.

 after the believers have entered Paradise and settled down in their felicity; tasted its water and honey and seen the Face of Allah, and the denizens of Hellfire have also entered it; tasted its punishment and swallowed its zaqqum, (at that time), there will be appeals and conversations between the people of Paradise and the denizens of Hellfire. What are these appeals? What will be the situation of each group? How will it end?

 The residents of Hellfire who will remain therein forever, who will not come out of it and will not also die, are the kuffar and mushrikun. Allah says: ´´But those who disbelieve, (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) for the will be the Fire of Hell. Neither it will have a complete killing effect on them so that they die, nor shall its torment be ligtened for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!´´ (Faatir: 36) Allah also says: ´´But those who disbelieve and beie Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelation, etc.) such are the dwellers of the Fire, they shall abide therein forever.´´ (Baqarah: 39)

 The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Everyone who said, ´laa ilaha illAllah´ and there is in his hearts goodness equal to the weight of a grain of barley will come out of Hellfire. Then everyone who said, ´laa ilaha illAllah´ and there is in his hearts goodness equal to the weight of a grain of wheat will come out of Hellfire. Thereafter, the one who said, ´Laa ilaha illAllah´ and there is in his hearts goodness equal to the weight of an atom will come out of Hellfire. 148 We beseech Allah to protect us from the Fire of Hell and not to deny us the intercession of our Prophet - Ameen-

 Our Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam did not speak from his own desires. The Companions would ask him and he would respond to their questions. One of the questions once put to the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam was that of a believer´s seeing his LORD in Paradise. Abu Hurayrah narrated: ´´Some people said: ´O Allah´s Messenger! Shall we see our LORD on the Day of Resurrection?´ He said: ´Do you crowd and squeeze each other on looking at the sun when it is not hidden b clouds?´ They replied: ´No, Allah´s Messenger.´ He said: ´Do you crowd and squeeze each other on looking at the moon when it is full and not hidden by clouds?´ THey replid: ´No, O Allah´s Messenger!´ He said: ´So you will see Him (your LORD) on the Day of Resurrection. Similarly Allah will gather all the people and say: ´´Whoever used to worship anything should follow that thing.´´ So, he who used to worship the sun will follow it, and he who used to worship the moon will follow it, and he who used to worship false dei...