Part 16

The Levels of Paradise (i) Evidence that Paradise has various levels and its inhabitants will be in different categories Paradise consists of levels, some of which are above others, and its people will be of differing levels and categories according to their position in Paradise. Allaah (swt) says: "Whoever wishes for the quick passing [transitory enjoyment of this world] we readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell, he will burn therein disgraced and rejected, [-far away from Allaah's Mercy]. And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due to it, [i.e. righteous deeds of obedience to Allaah] while he is a believer [in tawhid] then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, thanked and rewarded [by Allaah]. To each - these as well as those - We bestow from the bounties of your Rabb. And the bounties of your Rabb can never be forbidden" [17:18-20] Allaah (swt) explains how He gives more of His bounty in this world or the next, as He (swt) wills, and His Bounty is not withheld [forbidden] from either the righteous or the sinful. Then He (swt) says: "See how We prefer one above another [in this world] and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preference." [17:21] Allaah (swt) explains that the differences between people in the Hereafter will be greater than the differences between them in this life, and the difference between the levels or ranks of the Hereafter is greater than the differences here in this life. Allaah (swt) also differentiates between His Prophets as He does between the rest of His believing slaves. Allaah (swt) says: "Those Messengers! We preferred some to others; to some of them Allaah spoke [directly]; others He raised to degrees of [honour]; and to 'Eesa the son of Maryam, We gave clear proofs and evidence, and supported him with Ruh al-Quddus [Jibreel]..." [2:253] and "...And indeed We have preferred some of the Prophets above others.." [17:55] Muslim reports from Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said "A strong believer is better and more beloved to Allaah (swt) than a weak one although both are good..." and al-Bukhaari and Muslim report from Abu Hurayrah and 'Amr ibn al-Aas that the Prophet (saw) said, "If a judge seeks to form an independent judgement [ijtihaad] and is correct, he will have two rewards; if he seeks to form an independent judgement and is wrong, he will have one reward." Allaah, subhaanahu wa ta'ala, says: "Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the conquest [of Makkah] [with those among you who did so later]. Such are higher in degree that those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all, Allaah has promised the best [reward]." [57:10] And "Not equal are those of the believers who sit [at home] except those who are disabled [by injury or are blind or lame, etc] and those who strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allaah with their wealth and their lives. Allaah has preferred in grades those who strive hard and fight with their wealth and their lives above those who sit [at home]. Unto each, Allaah has promised good [Paradise] but Allaah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit [at home] by a huge reward; degrees of [higher] grades from Him, and Forgiveness and Mercy. And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, All-Merciful". [4:95-96]

al-Jannah wa an-Naar – In the Light of the Qur'aan and Sunnah

"Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of al-Masjid al-Haram [at Makkah] as equal to the worth of those who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, and strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allaah? They are not equal before Allaah. And Allaah guides not those people who are the Dhaalimoon. Those who believed and emigrated and strove hard and fought in Allaah's Cause with their wealth and their lives are far higher in degree with Allaah. They are the successful. Their Rabb gives them glad tidings of a Mercy from Him, and that He is pleased and of Gardens for them wherein are everlasting delights. They will dwell therein forever. Verily, with Allaah is a great reward". [9:19-22] "Is one who is obedient to Allaah prostrating himself or standing [in prayer]during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Rabb [like one who disbelievers]? Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember [i.e. learn a lesson from Allaah's Signs]" [39:9] The Prophet (saw) said, narrated by al-Bukhaari from Abu Hurayrah, "...Paradise has one hundred levels which Allaah has reserved for the mujaahideen who fight in His Cause and the distance between each of the two grades is like the distance between the heavens and the earth. So when you ask Allaah for something, ask for al-Firdaws which is the best and highest part of Paradise. Above it is the throne of the Most Merciful, and from it originate the rivers of Paradise". [al-Bukhaari in asSaheeh, Kitaab al-Jihaad, Baab Darajat al-Mujaahideen fi Sabeelillaah, Fath al-Baari, 6/11] al-Bukhaari also reports from Anas that Umm Harithah came to the Prophet (saw) when her son Harithah had been martyred at Badr, killed by an arrow. She said, "O Messenger of Allaah, you know how dear Harithah was to my heart. If he is in Paradise, I will not weep over him, but if he is not there, you will see what I do". He said, "Is there only one Paradise? There are many Paradises and he is in al-Firdaws, the Highest." [sahih al-Bukhaari, Kitaab ar-Riqaaq, Baab Sifaat al-Jannah, wan-Naar, Fath al-Baari, 11/418]

Differences between the Levels of al-Jannah The Prophet (saw) explained that the people will be in different levels in Paradise according to their status. al-Bukhaari and Muslim report from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri that the Prophet (saw) said, "The people of Paradise will look at the people dwelling in the chambers above them in the same way that people look at a brilliant star shining far away on the horizon, in the East or West, because of their superiority [in reward] over them." The people asked, "O Messenger of Allaah, are these the dwellings of the Prophets which no one else can attain?" He replied, "No by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, they are for the men who believed in Allaah, and also in His Messengers." [sahih al-Bukhaari, Kitaab Bid' al-Khalq, Baab Sifaat al-Jannah wan-Naar, Fath al-Baari, 6/220; sahih Muslim Kitaab al-Jannah, Baab tara'i Ahl al-Jannah Ahl al-Ghuraf, 4/2177, no. 2831] Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah and Ibn Hibbaan reported from Abu Sa'eed that the Prophet (saw) said,"The people in the higher levels will be seen by those below them as if they were looking at a star rising on the horizon. Abu Bakr and 'Umar will be among them; what good people they are!" [sahih al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 2/187, no. 2026] al-Qurtubee said, "Know that these chambers will differ in height, and appearance according to the deeds of their occupants. Some of them will be higher than others. When the Prophet (saw) said, "No by the One is Whose Hand is my soul, they are for the men who believed in Allaah (swt) and also in His Messengers; he did not mention deeds or anything other than faith and belief in the Messengers, with no doubts or questions. Otherwise, how could these chambers be reached through the faith and belief of the ordinary people? If that were the case, then all the Muslims would reach these highest levels, and that is impossible" as Allaah says, "Those will be rewarded with the highest place [in Paradise] because of their patience.." [25:75]

al-Jannah wa an-Naar – In the Light of the Qur'aan and Sunnah

This patience often involved self sacrifice and being steadfast for the sake of Allaah, focussing on Him, being a true slave to Him. These are the attributes of al-Muqarraboon, as Allaah (swt) says: "And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us, but only he [will please Us] who believes and does righteous deeds; for such there will be twofold reward for what they did, and they will reside in the high dwellings [Paradise] in peace and security". [34:37] Here Allaah mentioned the highest chambers or dwellings of Paradise and states that they will not be attained by means of wealth and children, but through faith and righteous deeds then they will have a double reward. Their place will be the high dwellings, which tells you that this is faith that gives one tranquility and certainty, and fills the heart. A person with such faith is content no matter what happens to him, and in all situations and circumstances. If he does a good deed, he does not mix it with the opposite, which are evil deeds. Good deeds that are uncontaminated with evil deeds cannot be achieved except by the one whose imaan is very great and who is content and has no doubts, no matter what his circumstances. The faith and deeds of the one whose good deeds are contaminated are not like that, so his status will be lower" [alQurtubee, at-Tadhkirah, p. 464] The inhabitants of the highest levels of Paradise will enjoy greater pleasures than the people below them. Allaah (swt) has promised two gardens to those who fear Him: "But for him who fears the standing before his Rabb, there will be two gardens" [55:46] Allaah (swt) described these Gardens, then He (swt) said, "And besides these two, there are two other Gardens [i.e. in Paradise]" [55:62] These two gardens will be lower in status. Whoever thinks of the characteristics of the two gardens which Allaah mentioned second will realise that they are lower than the first two, because the first two are for the muqarraboon [those who are close to Allaah], whilst the second two are for ashaab al-yameen [those of the Right Hand] as Ibn 'Abbaas and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said [at-Tadhkirah, 440]. al-Qurtubee said: "When He described the two pairs of gardens, He referred to the difference between them. Describing the first two, He said "in them [both] will be two springs flowing free" [55:50] whereas in the second two "..will be two springs gushing forth water" [55:66]. Gushing or bubbling water is not the same as flowing water; bubbling is of a lesser degree than flowing. Allaah says that in the first two gardens "..will be every kind of fruit in pairs" [55:52] - all kinds of fruit, well known and rare, moist and dry; this is a general statement. But in the second two gardens "..will be fruits, date palms and pomegranates" [55:68] Allaah does not say that there would be every kind of fruit in pairs. In the first two gardens the people will be "reclining upon the couches lined with silk brocade" [55:54], while in the second two gardens they will be "reclining on green cushions and rich beautiful mattresses" [55:76] which means embellished or embroidered, and there is no doubt that a couch lined with silk brocade is superior to an embroidered cushion. The Hoor al-'Eeyn in the first two gardens are described as "like rubies and coral" [55:58] whilst those in the second two gardens are described as "fair [wives] good and beautiful" [55:70]; not everything that is beautiful is as beautiful as rubies and coral.