- Happiness and peace.
By submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world, you will feel real happiness and inner peace in your heart. Allah the Almighty has said in the Qur’an chapter 13 verse 28: "Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by remembrance of Allah hearts are assured."
However, the one who turns away from the revelation from God and the religion, will have a life of hardship in this world. Allah the Almighty said in the Qur’an chapter 20 verse 124: "And whoever turns away from my remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed (difficult) life, and We will gather him on the day of resurrection blind."
What are the benefits of Islam? (Secular version)
1. Close Relationship with the Creator:
At the core of Islam is the focus of an individual's personal relationship with God, their Creator. It encourages a believer to have sustained awareness of God which is a key to lasting happiness.
Islam teaches that God is the source of peace. By focusing on this important relationship and following God's guidance, believers will be able to acquire inner peace and tranquillity. Seeking lasting happiness through other means, such as following one's desires or the accumulation of material possessions, will never fill the void we have. This need can only be filled with the awareness of God.
True contentment is found in acknowledging and obeying the Creator: "Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest." Qur'an 13:28
The primary reason for this close relationship is that Muslims have a direct connection with their Creator. There is no intermediary, such as praying to, or through, others, in worshipping God.
2. Positive Outlook on Life:
Islam gives a person a clear perspective on the events that happen in their life, both good and bad, as they are, in fact, tests from God. It encourages a person to understand events in the context of the overall purpose of life, which is to acknowledge God and obey Him. He created humans with intellect and free will to test them as to who will willfully choose to follow His guidance. This life is an ultimate testing ground and although we cannot control everything that happens to us, we can control how we react. Islam encourages a person to focus on what is in their control, to be grateful to God for blessings, and to be patient during hardships. Patience or gratitude - this is the formula for a happy life.
Islam encourages the believer to remain free from the extremes of worldly happiness that may cause one to forget God, and the extremes of sadness that may cause one to lose hope and blame God. By not being overly attached to the material world, a Muslim is empowered not only to better handle any calamities, but to be beneficial and generous to society. This leads to a more balanced and optimistic outlook on life.
3. Pure and Clear Concept of God:
Unlike other religions, Islam is not named after it's founder or the community of it's birth. Islam is an attributive title that signifies obedience to God, the Creator of the Universe. One of it's main beauties is that it acknowledges the complete perfection, greatness and uniqueness of God with absolutely no compromises. This is reflected in Islam's pure teachings of the attributes of God.
4. Emphasizes Both Evidence and Faith:
Islam is a religion in which faith is based on clear proof. It encourages people to use their God given intelligence to think and ponder over their life and the universe. Although this life is a test, God has provided sufficient signs and guidance to people who are open-minded and sincere to be able to acknowledge the truth.
"We (God) have certainly sent down Signs that make things clear: and God guides whom He wills to the straight path." Qur’an 24:46
5. Forgiveness of Sins:
Islam encourages a balance between hope in God's mercy and fear of His punishment - both of which are required to lead a positive and humble life.
We are born sinless but have the free will to commit sins. God created us and knows we are imperfect and commit sins, but the key is how we react to committing those mistakes.
"Do not despair of God's mercy; He will forgive you of all your sins." Qur'an 39:53
Islam teaches that God is the Most Merciful and will forgive and pardon those who sincerely want to repent. The beautiful steps for repentance include being sincere, remorseful, refraining from committing the sin as well as having the intention not to repeat it. Islam encourages a continuous process of self-development and self-purification. This process happens directly between the individual and God - there is no need for sins to be shared or "confessed" to a righteous person/priest. Furthermore, God does not need to sacrifice himself to forgive sins, nor is anyone "born into sin".
6. Accountability and Ultimate Justice:
Islam teaches that God is the Most Just and that each person will be held responsible for their own actions on the Day of Judgement. Each person is accountable, as they have freedom of choice and intelligence to discern between right and wrong.
It is an absolute demand of justice that there be a Day of Judgement where every person is rewarded or punished, otherwise life would be unjust as not everyone receives true justice in this world.
Islam teaches that ultimately we will be judged for how well we fulfilled our responsibilities and exercised our free will. We will be judged by God, the All Knowing and All Wise, who knows and sees everything we do. This encourages a more harmonious society and gives people contentment knowing that justice will ultimately prevail.
7. Practical and Balanced Way of Life:
Islam provides the right balance between faith and action, as both are required for a stable life. It provides guidance for all situations and circumstances. It is a practical religion with practical acts of worship that are designed to fulfill the spiritual, physical, psychological and social needs of people.
Examples of practical acts of worship that have numerous benefits include:
• The five daily prayers - Enriches the soul by satisfying the spiritual need of being in regular contact with God (especially in today's busy lifestyle); makes one humble by bowing and prostrating to God; removes any barriers/pride/racism between believers praying in congregation; helps one refrain from committing sins given the person stands regularly before God.
• The obligatory charity - Purifies a person from selfishness; encourages empathy to the poor; reminds one of the blessings of God; helps reduce poverty; bridges the gap between rich and poor.
• The fasting in Ramadan - Promotes spiritual self-purification, self-restraint and growth; scientifically proven health benefits; empathy and awareness of those less fortunate; trains people to acquire the habit of obeying God.
• The pilgrimage - Unites people of every color, race, status and nationality, as pilgrims wear simple and similar clothing, while performing a range of good deeds in congregation.
• Given that Islam is from God, every command found in the religion is ultimately good and beneficial to the individual and society when practiced correctly. Qur'anic examples include being honest, forgiving, truthful, kind to one's wife, patient, fair, moderate, modest, sincere, and respecting parents, family and the elderly. There are also many principles in the teachings of Islam that prevent or reduce many of the individual and social ills facing the world today.
8. Universal and Timeless Message:
Islam has a message that applies to all people at all times, from the creation of Adam up until the Day of Judgement. It is applicable today as it always has been.
God is accessible to everyone. People may distinguish themselves and earn God's favor through belief and righteous actions only - not through race, wealth, gender, nationality or social class.
What are the benefits of Islam? (Hereafter version)
★ Paradise . .
- Paradise is the place where the righteous bondmen of Allah Almighty will get excellent reward for their righteous deeds and which Allah Almighty has prepared for His obedient bondmen.
What is Paradise?
Paradise is a place which Allah Almighty has made for those who have faith. It has the blessings which neither have been seen by eyes nor heard by ears nor has anyone ever thought of. Whatever example is given for defining it is only to make people understand, otherwise, the best thing of this world has no relation to anything of Paradise. (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, pp. 152).
How is Paradise?
The Beloved Prophet (pbuh) has said: One brick of Paradise is of gold and one brick is of silver. It's kneaded clay is of pure musk; it's gravel is of pearls and ruby; it's earth is saffron. Whoever enters it will remain happy; he will never feel sad; he will always be there; he will never die; his clothes will not wear out and nor will his youth end. (Tirmizi, vol. 4, pp. 236, Hadith 2534).
The width of Paradise is such as if pages are made of all the seven skies and seven earths and then they are joined together so whatever is it's size, it will be the width of Paradise. (Tafseer Khaza`in-ul-‘Irfan, part 27, Al-Hadeed, Taht-al-Ayah: 21, pp. 997; summarized).
Amongst the Heavenly doorframes, the distance between two doorframes is equal to the travel of 40 years. (Sahih Muslim, pp. 1213, Hadith 7435).
Most beloved blessing of Paradise-dwellers:
The greatest blessing Paradise-dwellers will get will be the sight of Allah Almighty. It has been stated in a blessed Hadith: Allah Almighty will remove the Hijab and they will be given no other thing more beloved than the sight of Allah Almighty. (Tirmizi, vol. 4, pp. 248, Hadith 2561).
Everything will be given as per wish in Paradise:
A villager humbly asked the Prophet, ‘Will there be camels in Paradise?’ He (pbuh) replied: "If Allah Almighty makes you enter Paradise so over there will be every such thing for you which your heart wishes and eyes like." (Tirmizi, vol. 4, pp. 243, Hadith 2552).
Conclusion:
Islam's timeless and beautiful message is the same message of all Prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). They all called their people to "Submit to the One True God" which, in Arabic, means to become a "Muslim". This submission to God enables one to fulfill the purpose of life by acknowledging the greatness of God and sincerely worshipping him alone. In doing so, one will acquire the countless benefits of Islam mentioned above.
(What is the end of Muslims?)
- We are going to explore the end of human life on this Earth, and what truly happens after death. Death is not the final destiny! In fact, there is a series of events awaiting us all after death! These include life in the grave, The Day of Judgement then our final destination: Paradise or Hell?
Let's start off with the concept of death in Islam, and it’s certain nature.
We humans are generally greatly invested & interested in discovering how we came to be and how life began. However, we fail to understand the real reason to the central question of life:
"Why are we given this life?" or
“What is the purpose of life?”
The answer to this question is only fully clarified when we accept that death is certain for every single soul.
Allah says in the Qur'an chapter 29 verse 57:
(كُلُّ نَفسٍ ذائِقَةُ المَوتِ ثُمَّ إِلَينا تُرجَعونَ)
"Every soul will taste death. Then to Us will you be returned."
In this verse, Allah, the Creator, confirms that every soul He has created will die, leaving this worldly life behind them. In other words, He says: “Every soul shall taste death, and then to Me alone you shall return on the Day of Judgment to give account and be requited.”
Another fact that many people tend to forget: Death is always near us. Death is the reality from which none can escape. It draws nearer every day; every hour; every minute. Statistics indicate that almost two people die each second. In 2022 alone, the number of deaths reached a 67.1 million people! Every single being will reach this inescapable fate, regardless of their age, health, background, social status or piety.
Have you ever taken a second to question: Where are the past kings, the billionaires and the powerful? Where are the once, the famous, and the intellectual elite?
And where will you, me, and everyone around us be in the coming one hundred years or so?
Many people perceive death to be a disaster. However, the reality of death is that death is not a disaster, but simply a passing from this world onto the next. It should make us reflect and ponder about the purpose of life, and what will become of us after death.
Allah Almighty has informed us in the Qur’an chapter 51 verse 56 that He has created us with the purpose of worshipping Him alone and that He made this life a test to see who will worship Him appropriately. Allah says:
(وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ)
“And I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
Allah also says in chapter 67 verse 2:
(الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ)
“He (Allah) is who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed- and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -”
So, how do we prepare for death?!
One does not prepare for death by pre-paying funeral services or selecting a coffin in advance. The correct way to prepare for death is by fulfilling one’s purpose in life – to worship Allah alone, to live according to His commandments, and to perform good deeds. Keep in mind that the concept of worship in Islam is all encompassing and is not merely restricted to praying. In fact, any action that is pleasing to Allah is considered an act of worship, and a person will be rewarded for it.
You may believe that a “peaceful” death is one with neither pain nor violence. No! That is not the case! The peacefulness or unease of the soul will be a direct result of how well a person fulfilled their purpose in this life and has little to do with the cause of death.
Consider an example of two people who have a one-way ticket to a destination they have never been to before. The first person takes the time to learn about the language, culture and practices relating to the destination. He acquires the right currency and when it is time to travel, he arrives without any surprises. He is safe and content because he has taken the time to prepare.
In contrast, the second person is careless in his preparations and simply lives for the moment until the time comes to depart. He arrives at the unknown destination scared and confused. His unpreparedness causes him to end up with a dreadful fate, as all the things he has brought with him were useless.
This metaphor symbolizes life now & after death. Describing such a heedless person, Allah says in the Qur’an chapter 23 verse 99 to100:
(حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ ❋ لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّا ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَائِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ)
“(For such is the state of the disbelievers), until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back. That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind." No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.”
As portrayed in this verse, no amount of regret will ever be of use after death. Those who were unprepared will be regretful, begging to return to life and to do one good deed. But all this is of no use. The time for repentance has passed.
Allah also warns us in the Qur’an chapter 59, verse 18:
(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ)
“O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow - and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”
We all have an appointed time with death, and we will all travel to this unfamiliar destination. Ask yourself - have you prepared for it?
But what comes after death?!
Allah answers this in the Qur’an, saying:
(قُل إِنَّ المَوتَ الَّذي تَفِرّونَ مِنهُ فَإِنَّهُ مُلاقيكُم ثُمَّ تُرَدّونَ إِلى عالِمِ الغَيبِ وَالشَّهادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِما كُنتُم تَعمَلونَ)
“Say, "Indeed, the death from which you flee - indeed, it will meet you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed (Allah), and He will inform you about what you used to do." Chapter 62 verse 8.
So, after death, there will be a day where we will be resurrected then we will stand in front of Allah and be informed about every single deed we performed. Yes! You heard that correctly!
Allah says in the Holy Quran, chapter 25 verse 115:
(أَفَحَسِبتُم أَنَّما خَلَقناكُم عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُم إِلَينا لا تُرجَعونَ)
"Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?"
As we discussed earlier, life is a test that ends in death. However, death does not mark the end of one’s existence. Once death arrives, the opportunity to do good ceases. It will be too late to repent from our sinsand our fate will be determined solely by our beliefs and deeds that we did during our life.
Man's life is divided into three main parts: a brief stay in this world, an interim period in the grave, then a final, eternal life in the hereafter (afterlife). Any logicalmind will conclude that eternal bliss is far more beneficial than short lived pleasures on Earth!
How is our fate determined? Are we really going to be judged?
Allah created mankind and made us responsible for our actions by granting us freedom of choice, and intelligence to discern right and wrong. If there was no afterlife in which the good were rewarded and the bad punished, that would contradict the perfect justice of Allah.
Hence it is an absolute demand of justice that there be a Day of Judgement on which every soul is brought to account.
Allah describes this in the Qur'an chapter 68 verses 35 to 36:
(أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ ❋ مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ)
“Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals (people of sin)? What is (the matter) with you? How do you judge?”
Thus, having a Day of Judgement where every person is held accountable is an absolute need to fulfill justice. In fact, all our deeds in this life are meticulously recorded and preserved, as Allah reports in the Qur’an chapter 18, verse 49:
(وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَٰذَا الْكِتَابِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا أَحْصَاهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا)
“And the record [of deeds] will be placed (open), and you will see the sinful fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present (before them). And your Lord does injustice to no one.”
We will be amazed by the accuracy of such a record of all our actions, as we will be reminded of matters long forgotten. The Almighty says:
(يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا ۚ أَحْصَاهُ اللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ)
“On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all and inform them of what they did. Allah had enumerated it, while they forgot it; and Allah is, over all things, Witness.” Qur’an chapter 58 verse 6.
There is absolutely no doubt that the Day of Judgement will occur. For those disbelievers who doubt Allah’s abilities to resurrect and judge them, Allah quotes them in chapter 36 verses 78 and 79 as saying:
(وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ ۖ قَالَ مَن يُحْيِي الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ ❋ قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ)
“And he (the disbeliever) presents for Us an example and forgets his (own) creation. He says, "Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated? Say, "He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing."
Allah the Almighty easily created us humans and gave us life … Do you really think He cannot resurrect us after we die?!
But what will happen on the day of Judgement?
The Day of Judgement is full of a series of events, where Allah the Almighty, the Most Fair, and the Most Just will judge our deeds and determine our fate: Paradise or Hell. If we were to discuss all the events, we would need a full series!
However, lets highlight a key scene on the Day of Judgement. Allah the Almighty says in the Qur'an, chapter 6 verse 130:
(يا مَعشَرَ الجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ أَلَم يَأتِكُم رُسُلٌ مِنكُم يَقُصّونَ عَلَيكُم آياتي وَيُنذِرونَكُم لِقاءَ يَومِكُم هذا قالوا شَهِدنا عَلى أَنفُسِنا وَغَرَّتهُمُ الحَياةُ الدُّنيا وَشَهِدوا عَلى أَنفُسِهِم أَنَّهُم كانوا كافِرينَ)
"O company of jinn and mankind, did there not come to you messengers from among you, relating to you My verses and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say, "We bear witness against ourselves"; and the worldly life had deluded them, and they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.”
Let’s take a deeper look at this important verse.
Allah says that on the Day of Rising (Also known as the Day of Judgement), He will address Jinn, a creation of Allah hidden from our eyes, and humankind, and ask them if messengers from their own species had not come to them reciting to them what Allah had revealed to them and warning them that they will meet and experience this day, which is the Day of Rising. They will say: Of course, they did. Today we confess against ourselves that Your messengers did communicate Your message to us, and we admit that we will meet this day; but we had rejected Your messengers and denied the meeting of this day. The life of the world with its temporary beauty, decorations and luxuries had deceived them, and they will admit against themselves that they disbelieved in Allah and His messengers in the world. Yet this confession and acceptance will not be of any use to them, as the time for its usefulness would have already passed.
Do you want to be among those who confess their sins and disobedience and face eternal Hellfire? Or do you want to be from those believers who are proud of their achievements and are promised eternal paradise?
It is your choice.
You may ask …When is the Day of Judgement?
No one knows the exact time the Day of Judgement will happen except for Allah the Almighty. Allah says in the Qur’an chapter 7 verse 187:
(يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّي ۖ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ ثَقُلَتْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةً ۗ يَسْأَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنْهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ)
“They ask you, (O Muhammad), about the Hour: when is its arrival? Say, "Its knowledge is only with my Lord. None will reveal its time except Him. It lays heavily upon the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except unexpectedly." They ask you as if you are familiar with it. Say, "Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most of the people do not know.”
However, Allah has disclosed to us through his Prophet (peace be upon him) minor and major signs that indicate the closeness of this day. The minor signs, for the most part, will occur a long time before the Resurrection begins.
Some of them have alreadyoccurred and ended – but they may be repeated – and some of them are currently ongoing, while some have not yet happened, but they will happen. Meanwhile, the major signs are serious matters, the appearance of which will indicate that the Day of Resurrection & Judgement is at hand and that there is only a short time until that great Day comes.
Some of the minor signs include:
- The sending of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his death.
- The conquest of Jerusalem.
- The plague of ‘Amwas (Emmaus), which is a city in Palestine.
- Widespread wealth and lack of need for charity.
- The appearance of fire in the Hijaz, which appeared in the middle of the 7th century after hijra (AH), in 654 AH. This was a great fire, which the scholars who were alive at the time of its appearance and those who came after them described in detail.
- The spread of zina, which is adultery and fornication.
- The spread of riba, which is usury and interest.
- Widespread drinking of alcohol.
- Prevalence of musical instruments.
- Widespread killings.
- Widespread earthquakes.
- The Land of the Arabs will become meadows and rivers once again.
- The Euphrates will uncover a mountain of gold.
Among many others! As you can see, most of these signs have already occurred while some have yet to appear. These are all indicators that the day of judgement is approaching quickly!
Some of the Major signs, which have yet to occur, include:
- The appearance of the Dajjal, also known as the Antichrist. He is a man created by Allah, who will appear at the end of time because of something that makes Allah angry. He will spread corruption on earth and will claim divinity, calling on people to worship him.
- The Descent of Prophet ‘Isa ibn Maryam to Earth, who is Jesus son of Mary.
- The appearance of Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog).
- The occurrence of three landslides: one in the east, one in the west, and one in the Arabian Peninsula.
- The emergence of the Beast, which is a great creature sent by Allah when people become corrupt. It will speak to mankind and exhort them, having the ability to reason and speak. It will make marks on the people’s noses which will distinguish the believers from the disbelievers.
- The appearance of the smoke.
- The rising of the sun from its place of setting.
- And the fire that will drive people to their place of gathering.
Once one of the major signs occur, the rest will occur one after another quickly and the Day of Judgment will start soon after.
While these signs sound “unbelievable” or “unreal”, they are true signs that will occur. And as Allah said in the previous verse, it will come “unexpectedly.” Many minor signs have already occurred, and we are witnessing many at this moment. Is that not enough evidence for you?
Is it not time to accept the truth and prepare for this day?
Let us move on to another common question:
What happens after the Day of Judgement? Where is our final destination?
After judgement day is over, people head towards their final destination: Paradise or Hell. Allah clarifies this in the Qur’an. He says in chapter 82, verses 13 &14:
(إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ ❋ وَإِنَّ الْفُجَّارَ لَفِي جَحِيمٍ)
“Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure, and indeed, the wicked will be in Hellfire.”
As Allah promises in the Qur’an, the believers are rewarded with eternal paradise while the disbelievers are punished with eternal hellfire, where there is no relief – not even for one second.
But what is Paradise like?
Those who believe in Allah as the only God worthy of being worshipped, and perform good deeds, will be rewarded with Paradise where they will feel eternal joy and peace. There will be no more sadness, anger, or pain.
Allah says in chapter 36, verses 55 to 57:
(إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِي شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُونَ ❋ هُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ فِي ظِلَالٍ عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ ❋ لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَلَهُم مَّا يَدَّعُونَ)
“Indeed the companions of Paradise, that Day, will be amused in [joyful] occupation - They and their spouses will be in shade, reclining on adorned couches. For them therein is fruit, and for them is whatever they request (or wish).”
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) narrated that Allah said: “I have prepared for My righteous slaves such excellent things as no eye has ever seen, nor an ear has ever heard, nor a human heart has ever perceived.” Sahih Muslim.
Paradise is vast and wide, made up of numerous levelswith different doors, where your amount of good deeds determines your level in paradise and which door you will enter through. The beauty of Paradise cannot be described nor imagined by our limited minds, but the promise of eternal heaven is enough to encourage believers to hold on to their religion and to love and worship Allah the Almighty.
What about Hellfire?
The people who deny the Oneness of Allah, unlike the believers, are sentenced to a eternal punishment in Hellfire.
They are told, as Allah mentioned in the Qur’an chapter 36, verses 63 to 64:
(هَٰذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ ❋ اصْلَوْهَا الْيَوْمَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ)
“This is the Hellfire which you were promised. (Enter to) burn therein today for what you used to deny.”
Hellfire, like paradise, has numerous levels, each level being more torturous than the one above it, with the lowest layers being the most severe torture of them all. The least severe torture in hell has been described in a narration by the Prophet (peace be upon him), where he said: “The least severely punished of the people of Hell will be a man who has two shoes and shoelaces of Fire – according to another version: two live coals will be placed on the soles of his feet – because of which his brains will boil as a pot boils. He will not think that anyone is being punished more severely than him, but he will be the one who is punished most lightly.” narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
Imagining this torture sends shivers down any sane person’s mind, yet alone knowing that this is the least severe torture! No one would wish this for themselves at all.
This is only a glimpse into what Paradise and Hell are like. There is so much more to know about the beauty of Paradise and punishments of Hell, and so much that is unknown to us. May Allah grant us His guidance leading to the eternal bliss and guard all of us from the doom of fire.
In conclusion, death is inevitable. Our purpose in life is to worship Allah alone, perform acts of righteousness and to avoid all that is forbidden. Our fate is being decided on the basis of our present actions, so we can either make use of our opportunities on Earth to ensure an eternal place for ourselves in Paradise, or we can waste them and condemn ourselves to eternal punishment in Hell.
It is about time we evaluate what we have prepared for the next life. Now is the time to repent and take the correct path!
Finally, we would like to conclude this with a beautiful supplication from a verse of the Qur’an:
❋ (رَبَّنا آتِنا فِي الدُّنيا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنا عَذابَ النّارِ)
"Our Lord, give us in this world (that which is) good and in the Hereafter (that which is) good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."