Islam

 12. abu Hurairah, narrated: We were siting around the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam: abu Bakr and ´Umar, were also there among the audience. Meanwhile the Messenger of Allah stood up and left us. He delayed in coming back to us, which caused anxiety that he might have been attacked by some enemy when we were not with him; so being alerted we rose. I was the first to be concerned. I therefore went out to search for the Messenger of allah salla alayhi wa sallam and came to a compound belonging to Banu An-Najjar - a section of the Ansar. I wnt round it lokkfor a gate but failed to find one. Seeing a Rabi´´ (i.e. streamlet) flowing into the compound from an external weel. I crouched, like a fox, and slunk into (the place) where Messenger of Allah was. Then the Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam asked: ´´It is Abu Hurairah?´´ I replied: ´´Yes, O Messenger of Allah.´´ He said: ´´ What is the matter with you?´´ I replied: ´´You were amongst us but rose, went away and delayed for ...

 9. Uthman narrated: The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said, ´´He who died knowing (fully weel) that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, entered Jannah. 10. Either Abu Hurairah, or Abu Sa´id (the narrator A´mash has a little doubt about the name) narrated. During the day of the Tabu holy battle, the (provisions) ran short and the men (of the army) suffered from  starvation. They said: ´´O Messenger of Allah, will you permit us to slaughter our camels? We shall eat them and use their fat.´´ The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Do as you please.´´ He (the narrator) said: Then ´Umar, came there and said: ´´O Messenger of Allah! If you do that (giving your consent to slay their camels), we shall be run short of riding-animals. But )I should suggest that you) summon them to bring their remaining provisions. Then invoke Allah´s blessing on them. Perhaps, it is goped Allah shall bless on them.´´ The Messenger of Allah replied in the affirmative...

 Paradise is of different levels and peole will occupy them according to their deeds. Just as the believers vary in their desire to obey (Allah) and attendance to good deeds in the world, so shall the levels they accupy in the Hereafter be in accordance with their deeds. Allah says: ´´But whoever comes to Him (allah) as a believer (in the Oneness of allah, etc.) and has done righteous good deeds, for such are the high ranks (in the Hereafter).´´ (Taha: 75) He also says: ´´Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the conquering (of Makkah) (with those among you who did so later). Such are higher in degree than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all, Allah has promised the best (reward).´´ (Al-Hadeed: 10) How are the levels of Paradise? What is the distance between them? How can a person increase in levels?

 The bodies of the residents of Paradise will be fully formed both in length and breadth, in a most beautiful form. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ´´The people of Paradise will enter Paradise jurdan, murdan, white skinned, ji´adan, their eyes laced with antimory, in the figure of Aadam; whose height was sixty dhiraa´a (handsoan or cubits) and breadth seven cubits.´´192 Their eyes will be laced with antimony, their bodies will be fine, their skin colour will be white, and their hair will be ji´aad. ji´aad is the plural of ja´d which applies to hair that is neighter rough noor too tender. Their ages will be thirty-three years and the height of each of them will be sixty cubits and his width will be seven cubits. Allah will turn them into a figure bigger than they had while they were in the world so that their pleasure may be more and their enjoyment be immense.

 The people of Paradise willl remain perpetually young and will not grow old. The Messenger of Allah said: ´The people of Paradise will be jurdan, murdan and their eyes will be laced with antimony. Their youthfulness will not terminate and their dress will not fade.´´ 191

 The residents of Paradise will enter it in a most beautiful form at the age of thirty-three; in the full bloom and vitality of youth. The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´The people of Paradise will enter Paradise jurdan (hairless), murdan (Beardless) and their eyes laced with antimony at the age of theirty or thirty-three years. ´´190 Jurd is the plural of ajrad which is skin that is hairless. Murd is the plural of marad which means bardless or cheeks deviod of hair due to beauty. Khol is a well-known black coloured substance used to lance the lower part of the eyes to beaitify them.

 Paradise has eight gates: Despite its wideness, beauty and ease of passing through it, the gates of Paradise are numerous. ´´There are eight gates in Paradise; and there is a gate which is called Rayyan, through which no one will enter but the observers of fasting:´´188 The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam also said: ´´Whoever spends a pair [of anything] from his wealth for the sake of Allah sbhana wa ta ala will be called from the gates of Paradise, and Paradise has eight gates. Whoever used to pray [regularly and properly] will be called from the gate of prayer; whoever used to give in charity will be called from the gates of charity; whoever used to fight in jihad will be called from the gates of jihad; and whoever used to fast [regularly] will be called from the gate of fasting.´´ Abu Bakr said: ´´ May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam, it will do not harm if a person was called from any one of them but will anyone be called ...

 The hearts of the people of Paradise will be like that of a single person. Their creed will be one; there willl be no difference or hatred between them. They will enter Paradise holding one another´s hands with their bodies in close procimity. This is as Allah said: ´´Seventy thousand or seven hundred thousand of my community shall enter Paradise holding one another till they first and the last of them enters Paradise and their faces are like the light of the moon when it is full.´´ They will enter in one single row i.e. at the same time.

The multitude of people entering Paradise and their joy in entering it demand that its gates be wide and large so that all of them may enter without overcrowding. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam has explained the expanse of the gates of Paradise when he said: ´´The distance between the two gate-panels of one of the gates of Paradise is the distance of seventy-years journey and there is in Paradise, a river of water, a river of wine, a river of milk, a river og honey.´´185 He also said: ´´By the One in whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad the distance between two panels of the gates of Paradise or between the two gateposts, is like the distance between Makkah and Hajar, or between Makkah and Basra.´´186 He salla alayhi wa sallam explained that the distance between the two edges of the gate of Paradise is great indeed; like the distance between Makkah and Hajar and between Makkah and Basra.´´187 The wideness of the gates of Paradise is an indication of the multitude of people that will ...

 Allah describes the entrance of the residents of Paradise into it when He says: ´´And those who kept their dufty to their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups till, when they reach it, and its gates will be opened (before their arrival for their reception) and its keepers will say: ´´Salamun ´Alikum (peace be upon you)! You have done well, so enter here to abide therein).´´ (Az-Zumar: 73) They will approach it in groups, their hearts filled with delight and their happy countenance reaching its pinnacle.

 Paradise is the last abode and a great residence. It is the joy which will not give way to sorrow. It is a comfort that is not followed by pain. Its residents will enter it in a state of joy and receiving glad tidings. They will have casted all anxieties behind them and forgotten all the problems and distress they went through. How will they be escorted to Paradise? What will be the extent their beauty and height? What is the dimension of its gates? Will they crows one another to enter it?

 Paradise is for men and women. How many believing women are there who have outstripped the men?

 Both are righteous women from the preceding nations. Allah honoured them with eemaan, obedience to Ar´Rahman (Allah), patience upon trubulation and avidness for worshop and supplication. As for Maryam, she was the mother of the prophet of Allah, Eesaa Allah mentioned har affair and prepetuated her story in the Qur´an. Asiyah bint Muzaahim was the wife of Fir´aun. She persevered upon her faith despite the severity of the torture. She chose her neightbour before the house. She said: ´´My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir´aun (pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbeliever in Allah).´´ (At-Tahreem: 11) Ibn Abbaas said: ´´The Messenger salla alayhi wa sallam once drew four lines and said: ´Do know what these are?´ The Companions said: ´Only Allah and His Messenger know best.´´ He said: ´The best of the women of Paradise are: Khadeejah bint Khurwalid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint ´Imr...

 Allah´s Messenger´s daugther his beloved a piece of his heart, the fruit of his heart and the wife of the Prophet´s causion, Ali and the mother of Al-Hasan and Al-Husain, the two chiefs of the youths of Paradise. The Prophet salla alayhi wa sallam said: ´´Here is an angels who has never descended to the earth before this night. He saugth the permission of his Lord to say Salaam to me and to give me glad tidings that Faitmah will be the chief of the women of Paradise and Al-Hasan and Al-Husain willl be the two chiefs of the youths of the residents of Paradise.´´ 184