Description of Paradise (Jannah) in the Quran and Sunnah

Paradise (Jannah) is the eternal abode of reward that Allah has prepared for the believers. The Quran and Sunnah provide vivid descriptions of its pleasures to motivate the believers and give them hope. The Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated that Allah said: "I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived" (Sahih al-Bukhari). Despite this ineffable reality, the Quran and hadith offer detailed descriptions to give believers a glimpse of what awaits them.

The Levels of Paradise

Paradise has multiple levels, with the highest being al-Firdaws al-A'la. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If you ask Allah for Paradise, ask Him for al-Firdaws, for it is the highest part of Paradise and the middle of Paradise, and from it spring the rivers of Paradise, and above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful" (Sahih al-Bukhari). Between each level are vast distances. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The people of Paradise will look at the inhabitants of the upper rooms as you look at a bright star far away in the east or west of the horizon, because of their superiority over one another" (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Rivers and Sustenance

The Quran describes four rivers in Paradise: "In it are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey" (Quran 47:15). The fruits of Paradise are abundant, ever-available, and of a quality beyond earthly comparison: "Every time they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, 'This is what we were provided with before,' and it is given to them in likeness" (Quran 2:25), meaning the fruits look similar but each time taste different and better. There is no fatigue, illness, aging, or death in Paradise.

Dwellings and Companions

The inhabitants of Paradise will live in mansions and palaces made of gold and silver bricks, with mortar of musk. The Prophet (peace be upon him) described tents made of hollowed pearls, sixty miles wide. The believers will be accompanied by their righteous spouses from this world, united in perfection: "And We shall unite them with Hur (beautiful companions) with large, beautiful eyes" (Quran 44:54). Children who died before the age of accountability will be in Paradise. Families will be reunited: "And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith, We will join with them their descendants" (Quran 52:21).

The Greatest Pleasure

The greatest pleasure of Paradise, greater than all its physical delights, is seeing the Face of Allah. The Quran says: "Faces that Day will be radiant, looking at their Lord" (Quran 75:22-23). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah will say, 'Do you want anything more?' They will say, 'Have You not brightened our faces? Have You not entered us into Paradise and saved us from the Fire?' Then the veil will be lifted, and they will not have been given anything more beloved to them than looking at their Lord" (Sahih Muslim). This is the vision of Allah (ru'yat Allah) that Ahl us-Sunnah affirm and that the Mu'tazilah denied.