Human Beauty in the Garden

One of the greatest delights in this world is human beauty. If a person lives in a wonderful house, eats the finest food and goes on holiday to the most wonderful places, the pleasure he takes from these things will be limited if he is alone. All these only have meaning if they are shared with others. Allah has breathed spirit into the human being and he is of value because of his worship of Allah, obedience and character. If perfect physical beauty accompanies these qualities, the blessing becomes complete, and is something that everyone can appreciate.

Here is a hadith in which human beauty in the Garden is described:

The maidens of the Garden are like ruby and coral. One looks at one maiden’s face and sees himself even more clearly than he would in a mirror, and the smallest jewel therein will illuminate the east and the west. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 2, p. 337/7)

The Messenger of Allah compared the beauty of the maidens of the Garden to rubies and beautiful natural things like coral. The beauty of their smooth skin and the brightness of their faces are described as being clearer than when a person looks at himself in the mirror.

In this world, the firmness of the skin lasts a very short time. The smooth beauty of young skin ages and becomes worn out and it gains wrinkles from the problems associated with age. Therefore, such beauty in this world is transient. However, Allah promises those slaves who please Him perfect and endless beauty in the Garden. The Messenger of Allah said that beauty and youth will continue in the Garden:

The inhabitants of the Garden will be hairless on their bodies, beardless and blackeyed; their youth will not end, nor will their clothes become old. (Narrated by Abu Hurayra, at-Tirmidhi)

The inmates of the Garden will be beardless and hairless. Their colour will be white and their eyes anointed with kohl. They will be youths of thirty-three years of age. (Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, vol. 4)

Whoever enters the Garden will be in bliss and suffer no distress; his clothes will not wear out nor will his youth end. (Narrated by Abu Hurayra, Sahih Muslim)

But as for those who have iman and do right actions, We will admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and evet. Allah's promise is true. Whose speech could be truer than Allah's? (Surat an-Nisa': 122)

He also says in the hadith that the eyes of the People of the Garden will be dark as if lined with kohl. Kohl makes the colour and shape of the eye stand out. In this world, people try to attain this beauty by artificial means but it can never be perfect; in the afterlife, it will be a natural attribute of believers.

We also notice that both Allah in the Qur’an and the Messenger in his hadith speak about the sweet nature of women in the Garden. In another verse of the Qur’an Allah tells us of the people in the Garden and the beauty of their environment and of the maidens there:

In them are sweet, lovely maidens. (Surat ar- Rahman: 70)

In another hadith, the beauty of the people in the Garden is described thus:

… Each maiden has seventy sets of clothing, all of different colours. Likewise, each is given seventy different scents... Each maiden has seventy thousand female servants and seventy thousand male servants to serve and attend to her needs. Each servant is accompanied by golden trays with different foods, in which believers will find new flavours not found in the one before… (Mukhtasar Tadhkirah al- Qurtubi, p. 333/591)

In many hadith the Prophet described the beauty of the faces of the People of the Garden and even said that this beauty will increase:

In the Garden there is a market to which they will come every Friday. The north wind will blow and will scatter fragrance on their faces and on their clothes and add to their goodness and beauty, and then they will go back to their wives who will also have increased in goodness and beauty, and their wives will say to them: “By Allah, you have increased in goodness and beauty after leaving us,” and they will say: “By Allah, you have also increased in goodness and beauty after us.” (Narrated by Anas ibn Malik, Sahih Muslim)

Another hadith mentions the bright faces of the women in the Garden:

If one of the women of the Garden peeped into this world, she would illuminate and fill with fragrance everything between [heaven and earth]. Her veil is better than the earth and everything in it. (Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, vol. 4; Sahih al-Bukhari)

When asked what the beauty described in the hadith was like, the famous scholar, Bediuzzaman, answered:

Its meaning is truly beautiful and its beauty is most lovely. It is like this: in this world, which is ugly, inanimate, lifeless, and for the most part just a husk, beauty and loveliness only appear beautiful to the eye, and so long as familiarity is not an obstacle, that is sufficient. Whereas in the Garden, which is beautiful, living, brilliant, and entirely essence without husk and kernel without shell, like the eye, all man’s senses and subtle faculties will want to receive their different pleasures and various delights from the houris [maidens of the Garden],… and from the women of this world, who will be like houris and even more beautiful… That is to say, just as the houris are clothed in seventy of the varieties of the adornments of the Garden, and not just one sort, none of which conceal the others; so they display beauty and loveliness perhaps seventy times greater than their own bodies and beings, all of different sorts and varieties. (Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Risale-i Nur Collection, The Words, The Twenty-Eighth Word)

The Beauty and Variety of Clothing in the Garden:

Everyone likes to wear fine clothing of quality fabrics, and the various colours of the beautiful clothing of the Garden will appeal to all the people there. No matter how fine clothing is in this world, there will always be some imperfection. In time, all clothing becomes old, its colours fade and the wearer loses the pleasure he had when he first wore it. How much clothing a person has in this world is not important, because the pleasure he derives from it is limited by his lifespan, among other things. Like all other things, this too is left behind at the time of death. However, clothing in the Garden is flawless in its beauty and variety and lasts forever.

The clothing of the people of the Garden is created for their comfort. The clothing they wear will not cause them any discomfort in the perfect beauty of the Garden. In the Garden, clothing does not fade, wrinkle, become soiled or grow old as it does in this world, and there are no preparatory stages such as weaving the fabric and sewing the garment. By Allah’s blessing, everything in the Garden is already perfectly prepared. Here are some more details about the clothing believers will wear in the Garden:

… The garments of the Garden are not woven. The fruits of the Garden split open and garments emerge from them… (Mukhtasar Tadhkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 21) Whoever enters the Garden will live in happiness. He will want for nothing, his clothing will not grow old and his youth will not end. (Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, vol. 4)

…the leaves [of the date-palms in the Garden] are clothing to be worn by the people of the Garden. One part are undergarments, one part are lined over-garment. (Mukhtasar Tadhkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 314)

… They [the inmates of the Garden] will proclaim the glory of Allah morning and evening… each wife will have seventy dresses. (Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, vol. 4)

But Allah will admit those who have iman and do right actions into Gardens with rivers flowing under them where they will be adored with gold bracelets and pearls, and where their clothing will be of silk. (Surat al-Hajj, 23)

Allah also says in the Qur’an that clothing will be rich and made of silk:

They will wear green garments of fine silk and rich brocade… (Surat al-Insan: 21)

But Allah will admit those who have iman and do right actions into Gardens with rivers flowing under them where they will be adorned with gold bracelets and pearls, and where their clothing will be of silk. (Surat al-Hajj: 23)

The Natural Beauty of the Garden

The human spirit has been created so that it takes pleasure in form, symmetry, beauty, purity, order, harmony of colour, in short, in perfection. All colours and sights in nature correspond most to this delight in the human spirit.

The places that people choose to relax and be comfortable in are often closely associated with natural beauty: woods, forests, seacoasts and river banks. With their clean air and open spaces and often near water, these give people a sense of well-being and happiness.

Places far from natural beauty where there is no sunshine and fresh air do not appeal to human beings.

They will have fruits there and whatever they request. 'Peace!' A word from a Merciful Lord. (Surah Ya Sin: 57-58)

One of the reasons why we human beings look for natural beauty is because Allah has created us to take pleasure in the beauties of the Garden. Whether a person is aware of it or not, he is waiting for the blessings of the Garden. Allah describes the Garden to us in the Qur’an with all the attributes of nature:

But those who have iman and do right actions will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them. That is the Great Victory. (Surat al- Buruj: 11)

Shaded by spreading branches. (Surat ar-Rahman: 48)

The Trees of the Garden:

We enjoy being in places where trees grow. If we live in the middle of crowded cities, we generally would like to be in places where there are trees and green spaces. We take pleasure in the sight of an area with trees and we even like looking at photographs or paintings of such places. Trees have been created to be of great benefit for the earth and they are a blessing offered to us by our Lord. With their wonderful appearances, type and colour variations, and the pleasing shade they provide, trees have been created for human pleasure. The Prophet mentioned the enormous dimensions of the trees of the Garden, illustrating it by mention of their shade:

In the Garden, there is a tree under whose shade a rider could travel for a hundred years without covering [the distance] completely. (Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa’d, Sahih Muslim)

In the Garden there is a tree under whose shade a rider can travel for one-hundred years. And if you wish, you can recite: “and wide-spreading shade.” (Qur’an 56:30) (Narrated by Abu Hurayra, Sahih al-Bukhari)

In the Qur’an Allah describes shade as a blessing:

But as for those who have iman and do right actions, We will admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. In them they will have spouses of perfect purity and We will admit them into cool, refreshing shade.(Surat an-Nisa’: 57)

What is the Garden promised to those who have taqwa like? It has rivers flowing under it and its foodstuffs and cool shade never fail. That is the final fate of those who have taqwa. But the final fate of the kuffar is the Fire. (Surat ar-Ra‘d: 35)

They and their wives reclining on couches in the shade. (Surah Ya Sin: 56)

The people with taqwa will be amid shade and fountains. (Surat al-Mursalat: 41)

Reclining in it on couches, they will experience there neither burning sun nor bitter cold. (Surat al-Insan: 13)

In several hadith, our Prophet describes the trees of the Garden:

The trunk of every tree in the Garden is of gold. (At-Tirmidhi)

In the Garden we will witness Allah’s incomparable and endless creation in which everything is possible. For example, the fruit of the trees in the Garden will resemble rubies, diamonds, sapphires and other precious stones but become edible when people pick them.

For those who have faith and do right actions there are Gardens of Delight. (Surah Luqman: 8)

The Rivers and Seas in the Garden:

Sources of water are abundant, refreshing and cleansing, and places near water often have a climate that is both more liveable and pleasing to people because of its temperateness. For this reason, places that people choose for relaxation are often near the sea, on lake-shores or on the banks of rivers. So, in the Qur’an, Allah, glorious is He and exalted, says that those who have taqwa will, by Allah’s mercy, be “amid Gardens and Springs.” (Surat al-Hijr: 45)

The Prophet made frequent mention of the rivers in the Garden:

The rivers of the Garden spring from mountains or hills of musk. (Mukhtasar Tadhkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 307/501)

Sayhan, Jayhan, the Euphrates and the Nile are among the rivers of the Garden. (Sahih Muslim)

Allah reveals in the Qur’an that there will be rivers of milk, honey and wine in the Garden (Surah Muhammad: 15), but these are quite different from the milk, honey and wine of this world, and are created according to the special conditions of the Garden. In the Garden, each of them is delicious and refreshing. For example, the wine of the Garden is not like earthly wine. It will not make the People of the Garden drunk or cloud their awareness. Allah describes “a cup from a flowing spring” He has prepared in the Garden as, “white as driven snow, delicious to those who drink, which has no headache in it and does not leave them stupefied.” (Surat as-Saffat: 46-47)

This example of rivers of milk, honey and wine points to other wonderful things in the Garden that may await Allah’s faithful slaves. Milk is a perishable food, but the fact that there are rivers of it in the Garden points to the perfection of the blessings there. It is very easy for Allah to create such manifestations when the People of the Garden desire them.

But as for those who have iman and do right actions, We will admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. In them they will have spouses of perfect purity and We will admit them into cool, refreshing shade. (Surat an-Nisa': 57)

The use of the word rivers emphasises the abundance of these blessings in the Garden. In this world, people can only have a limited number of these blessings, in jars, glass bottles and in other types of packaging, but the fact that there are never-ending and unadulterated streams of them in the Garden is a wondrous blessing.

These rivers are described in detail in the Qur’an:

An image of the Garden which is promised to those who have taqwa: in it there are rivers of water which will never spoil and rivers of milk whose taste will never change and rivers of wine, delightful to all who drink it, and rivers of honey of undiluted purity; in it they will have fruit of every kind and forgiveness from their Lord… (Surah Muhammad: 15)

In this verse Allah gives examples including water, milk, honey and wine. But it is possible for rivers of other imperishable blessings, abundant and pure as water, to flow for the delight of the believers. Allah tells us that drinks will be offered in goblets in the Garden, and that the People of the Garden will not get headaches from them or lose their self-composure. In another verse of the Qur’an, Allah says, “a cup from a flowing spring passing round among them.” (Surat as-Saffat: 45) The inmates of the Garden, “… are given the choicest sealed wine to drink, whose seal is musk – mixed with Tasnim,” which has been prepared for believers (Surat al-Mutaffifin: 25-27). Tasnim is a fountain in the Garden.

Allah, exalted is He, also says in the Qur’an that these beverages are fragrant.

An image of the Garden which is promised to those who have fear of ALLAH: in it there are rivers of water which will never spoil and rivers of milk whose taste will never change and rivers of wine, delightfulto all who drink it, and rivers of honey of undituted purity;..." (Surah Muhammad: 15)

The Beautiful Landscape of the Garden:

The Prophet described the beauty of the landscape of the Garden:

[It is built of] one brick of gold and one brick of silver, its mortar is of strongly scented musk, its stones are pearls and emeralds, and its soil is of saffron … (At-Tirmidhi; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad)

In this hadith, the soil of the Garden is said to be saffron, a spice and dyestuff obtained from a valuable plant. This plant, with its vanilla-like aroma and its bright golden colour is a very special spice. To obtain one kilogram of saffron, between 70 thousand and 250 thousand flowers must be picked. Today, the production of saffron decreases daily. The most important factor in this is the difficulty in growing the plant because it takes between 3-4 years for saffron to be harvested. That such a valuable plant, which is grown with such difficulty in this world, is so plentiful in the Garden that it covers the whole landscape shows that the blessings there will be beyond reckoning.

The people with taqwa will be amid shade and fountains and have any fruits that they desire: 'Eat and drink with relish for what you did. (Surat al-Murselat: 41-43)

The Expanse of the Garden:

When the People of the Garden settle in Allah‘s Garden a wide space will be left over. There, Allah will populate three hundred and sixty worlds, each one of which is larger than the world from its creation to its end. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al- Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 1, p. 30/5)

As the Prophet points out in this hadith, there is vast spaciousness in the Garden. Contrary to the narrow restriction of the Fire described in the Qur’an, the Garden is expansive. It has been created in this way so that the human spirit may delight in open horizons and take pleasure in its expanse. Allah, in the Qur’an, describes the breadth of the Garden in these words:

Race each other to forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the people who have taqwa. (Surah Al ‘Imran: 133)

Allah expands provision to anyone He wills and restricts it. They rejoice in the life of this world. Yet the life of this world, compared to the akhira, is only fleeting enjoyment. (Surat ar-Ra'd: 26)

The Fragrant Aromas of the Garden

Fragrant aromas are a gift that Allah has given us. In this world, the most beautiful scent only lasts a short time. The molecules of a particular scent evaporate into the air and our noses quickly become used to the scent; this limits the pleasure that we can obtain from a scent. But the duration of a scent can be as important as the immediate pleasure it gives. In his hadith the Prophet describes the delight that beautiful aromas from the Garden can give:

If one of the women of the Garden peeped into this world, she would illuminate and fill with fragrance everything between [heaven and earth]. (Sahih al-Bukhari; Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, vol. 4)

In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah told us about the beautiful aromas of the food in the Garden:

… the best smelling and finest foods are produced. (Al-Hafiz ibn ad- Dayba ash-Shaybani, Taysir al-usul ila Jami al-usul, p. 448/3)

Aroma is an important element in the pleasure we derive from food. The pleasure we take from the scent of a cake in the oven comes from the aroma of the vanilla and the chocolate, for example, wafting through the air. In the same way, the pleasure we take from roasting meat, oranges, tomatoes or any other food is due to the aromas they exude. If we had no sense of smell we would not be able to distinguish the foods we eat in this particular fashion and we would not experience their tastes in quite the same way. From this point of view, smells are complementary to the pleasure we find in delicious tastes.

Another hadith mentions the beauty of the aromas of the Garden:

The north wind will blow and will scatter fragrance on their faces and on their clothes and add to their goodness and beauty. (Narrated by Anas, Sahih Muslim)

Another hadith speaks of plants that are known by their beautiful scents:

Henna [a dye and scent] is the chief scent of the Garden… When Allah created the Garden He filled it with the scent of sweet basil, and surrounded the sweet basil with the scent of henna… (Mukhtasar Tadhkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 342/619)

Basil, mentioned in the hadith, is one of the plants known for its beautiful scent. However, the scents we know in this world are only a pale reflection of those in the Garden, and Allah knows best.

All aromas in the Garden have been created as blessings to please the senses of the believers, and none of the unpleasant odours we often encounter in this world will be found there. Those foul odours remind people of the imperfections of this world and make them long for the Garden. There will be no such imperfections in the Garden and every place will be redolent of the sweet aromas that please the human spirit. In one of his hadith, the Prophet says the following of the Garden:

… its mortar is of strongly scented musk … (At-Tirmidhi)

The Beautiful Voices and Conversations of the Garden

Among the reasons why those who live in this world without the teachings of the Qur’an are sad and anxious is because they always have to deal with conversations that are filled with apprehension, pessimism, dishonesty and negativity. Even the slightest negativity in conversations can make the best environment uncomfortable. On the other hand, a heartfelt compliment, a word spoken to honour someone, a word that evokes pleasure, courage and hope, or an honest and sincere conversation are sometimes more important than the material blessings surrounding us. In this world, we often encounter conversations that make us uncomfortable. However, Allah tells us that there will be no such things in the Garden; believers will have delightful conversations with one another in comfortable surroundings. Along with the great blessings of sincere converse that Allah’s beloved slaves will have in the Garden, believers will also be far removed from lies and empty, negative chatter. In the Qur’an, Allah tells us that this will be a wonderful gift for His slaves:

Where they will hear no prattle and no denial, a recompense from your Lord, a commensurate gift.Where they will hear no prattle and no denial, a recompense from your Lord, a commensurate gift. (Surat an-Naba’: 35- 36)

The Messenger also tells us about the beauty of the conversations in the Garden:

Allah will fill the ears of the person of the Garden with people‘s praise of him, which he will hear. Allah will fill the ears of the person of the Fire with people‘s evil remembrance of him, which he will hear. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al- Ahadith, vol. 1, p. 155/2)

Some hadith also indicate that the sincere converse that believers have in this world will continue in the afterlife. Another hadith tells us that, in their conversations in the Garden, believers will recall what they have done in their earthly lives:

When the people of the Garden settle in the Garden some brothers will wish to see each other. One will go to one side of a couch and the other to the other. When they meet they will remember and speak together of the things between them in this world. One will say, “My brother, do you remember how we prayed to Allah in such and such a mosque in the world? And Allah has forgiven us.” (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al- Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 1, p. 29/12)

Beautiful Sounds in the Garden:

Beautiful sounds are another blessing given to believers in the Garden. In the world, shrill noises, music with static in the background, noisy surroundings, loud motors and sirens make our environment uncomfortable even if they only last a short time. So screaming, shouting and cries of anguish or pain make believers think about the Fire. As the Prophet told us, in the Garden everyone’s voice will be beautiful and every sound that strikes the ear will be pleasant. The beautiful sounds of the Garden are described in the following hadith:

There will certainly be an assembly of the dark-eyed maidens who will raise up voices the like of which people will not have heard. (Narrated by Ali, at-Tirmidhi)

Eternal Life and Youth in the Garden

In this world human life may last 6-7 decades on average, which is a very short time. Allah tells us in the Qur’an the kinds of things people will say about their earthly lives on the Last Day:

He will say, “How many years did you tarry on the earth?” They will say, “We tarried there for a day or part of a day. Ask those able to count!” (Surat al-Muminun: 112-113)

However, in the Garden life is limitless. Allah tells us in the Qur’an that the believers will be immortal and that their blessings will be eternal; “They will not taste any death there – except for the first one…” (Surat ad-Dukhan: 56). We must consider carefully the idea of eternity, about which we speak so easily, because it does not refer to a thousand or a million years, but to timelessness. Therefore, people in the Garden will not think about time or calculate it as in this world. Life will not end with the passing of years. Allah revealed this to us in the Qur’an:

As for those who are glad, they will be in the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, for ever, as long as the heavens and earth endure, except as your Lord wills: an uninterrupted gift. (Surah Hud: 108)

Again in the Qur’an, Allah tells us that the service of ageless youths will be one of the blessings enjoyed in the Garden:

There will circulate among them, ageless youths.(Surat al-Waqi‘a: 17)

The hadith also tell us about the endless life of the Garden:

Allah will admit the inmates of the Garden into the Garden and the inmates of the Fire into the Fire. Then the announcer will stand between them and say: “O inmates of the Garden, there is no death for you, O inmates of the Fire, there is no death for you. You will live forever therein.” (Sahih Muslim, vol. 4)

Whoever enters the Garden will be in bliss and suffer no distress; his clothes will not wear out nor will his youth end. (Ahmad, Musnad; at-Tirmidhi; Narrated by Abu Hurayra, Sahih Muslim)

Seeing them, you see delight and a great kingdom. They will wear green garments of fine silk and rich brocade. They will be adorned with silver bracelets. And their Lord will give them a pure draugth to drink. (Surat al-Insan: 20-21)

No matter how beautiful, wealthy or healthy a person is, he cannot escape death. Therefore, even if a person is wealthier than others, the conditions of this world determine that this wealth can come to an end and he may even be left destitute. One reason why worldly blessings are transitory is because we desire the real and original blessings of the Garden. All the beautiful things we see and the pleasures we enjoy in this world are imperfect and transitory. However, these blessings in the Garden have been created without being subject to time or causality. For this reason the blessings of the Garden will last forever. In the Qur’an, Allah announces the glad tidings of this eternity that will be enjoyed in the Garden:

Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and good pleasure and Gardens where they will enjoy everlasting delight, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. Truly there is an immense reward with Allah. (Surat at-Tawba: 21-22)

[Those who have iman will be] remaining in them timelessly, for ever, with no desire to move away from them. (Surat al-Kahf: 108)

Eternal Youth in the Garden:

Those who are remote from the teachings of the Qur’an are even afraid of growing old while young. They think about the sickness and helplessness that old age brings and are worried about whether or not there will be someone to look after them when they get to that point. There are many people who have such anxieties, who look pessimistically towards old age.

Gardens of Eden, whose gates will be open to them, where they will recline, calling for plentiful fruit and drink; and there will be dark-eyed maidens with them with eyes reserved for them alone. This is what you are promised on the Day of Reckoning. (Surah Sâd: 50-53)

Beginning in our 20’s cell renewal in our bodies slows down and our skin starts to lose its former elasticity. With the passing years the effects of ageing become visible. This worries people. They sorrow as they watch their youth slip away. Of course, this scenario applies to people who have no iman. Believers submit to Allah in all the illnesses and weaknesses they may encounter in this transitory world; as an act of worship they accept everything that happens to them and, unlike those who have no deen, they live their lives without regret or fear and anxiety. Moreover, they realise that the good things of this world are intrinsically flawed and that the real life is the timeless life of the world to come. And they make every effort hoping to attain the Garden.

Life in this world is fleeting and temporary. Allah has already created all the real blessings of the Garden, just as He has already created the torments of the Fire. On the Last Day He will grant the blessings to His faithful slaves. People in the Garden will always be young, attractive, healthy and robust.

Ageless youths will circulate among them, serving them. Seeing them, you would think them scattered pearls. (Surat al-Insan: 19)

No matter how long an individual may live within the limitations of this life, no matter how late the signs of ageing appear, and no matter how healthy he is, his life will certainly come to an end one day. However, Allah points out in the Qur’an as does the Prophet that eternal youth will be one of the blessings of the Garden:

The people of the Garden will enter the Garden hairless on their bodies, beardless and dark-eyed, aged thirty or thirty-three years old. (Narrated by Mu’adh ibn Jabal, at-Tirmidhi)

The thirties are the best time of life when the personality matures and facial features, and the manner of speaking and acting become established. But we must not forget that youthful vigour in the Garden is not the same as it is in this world. That is because under earthly conditions even a young person can live in great helplessness.

Allah has made a new creation in the Hereafter for the inmates of the Garden without any flaw or imperfection. In the Qur’an, Allah tells us about this and in particular how the people of the Garden will be served by eternally young people:

Ageless youths will circulate among them, serving them. Seeing them, you would think them scattered pearls. (Surat al- Insan: 19)

The People of the Garden are the Same Age:

The fact that the people of the Garden are the same age is a great blessing from Allah. Among people without deen, difference in age often leads to discord and lack of communication. People often form groups of persons of the same age in order to feel more relaxed among themselves. Of course, this ought not to apply to Muslims. No matter what age they may be, Muslims should understand one another very well and form friendships with people of any age, older or younger than themselves. The fact that Muslims in the Garden are created the same age as one another is another wonderful blessing from Allah. The Messenger of Allah said that the age of the people of the Garden will never change throughout eternity:

Whoever of the People of the Garden die, whether while young or old, will be turned into young people of thirty years of age in the Garden, never growing older than that. And thus will be the inmates of the Fire… (Narrated by Abu Sa’id, Sunan Ibn Majah; at-Tirmidhi)

Another verse of the Qur’an points out that in the Garden the believers’ wives will be the same age as them:

We have brought maidens into being and made them purest virgins, devoted, passionate, of like age. (Surat al-Waqi‘a: 35-37)

...They will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is the Great Victory. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 119)

In the Garden All Desires are Fulfilled

Everything in the universe reflects Allah’s infinite power and eternal wisdom. He has created everything in this world as a test and events in it ordinarily occur according to the laws of cause and effect that human reason can grasp. So, when someone sees a fruit, he or she has no doubt that it came from a seed that grew into a tree, bush or plant which in turn yielded the fruit. According to the custom of Allah in His creation, this is the cause of the fruit in this world. However, it must be remembered that, if Allah wished, He could create the whole universe independent of causes. Allah can create what He wants whenever He wants without depending on any logical pattern and without the need for any substance to create from. People should not be deceived by the fact that in this world everything appears to depend on certain causes and natural laws. As the Creator of all causes, Allah is completely free of them. In the Garden creation will be freed from its need for causes, and so a fruit picked from a tree will immediately be replaced by another, without any loss or decrease. Allah creates both causes and effects. For example, when we look at the shade under a tree, we know it is caused by the angle of the sun’s rays. Light and shade are effects of the sun, but Allah makes the sun the cause of light and shade. This is revealed in the Qur’an:

Do you not see how your Lord stretches out shadows? If He had wished He could have made them stationary. Then We appoint the sun to be the pointer to them. Then We draw them back to Ourselves in gradual steps. (Surat al-Furqan: 45-46)

It is as a result of the artistry of Allah that everything in this world is created in a seeming cause-effect relationship. He can create anything in a moment and in the form that He wants, or turn it into any shape He desires. Allah created the universe from nothing, and, at any time He desires He can dissolve the laws – the causes and effects – that we struggle to grasp. In the Garden, faithful Muslims may ask for anything they think will please them and, as soon as they ask for it, they will have it, if Allah wills. Both they themselves and their surroundings will be in the shape and form that they desire; everything they desire will be granted and they will live amid the blessings that will give them the most delight and joy. This will not be in order to supply any need, make up for a deficiency or repair a flaw; it will be a wonderful blessing from Allah simply for the delight of the people of the Garden, and Allah knows best.

... You will have there all that your selves could wish for. You will have there everything you demand. (Surah Fussilat: 31)

Here is an example of this from the hadith:

A man asked the Prophet , “Messenger of Allah, are there any horses in the Garden?” He replied: “If Allah makes you enter the Garden, if you wish to ride in it on a horse made of red ruby that will fly you wherever you wish you will do so.” At this, another man asked, “Messenger of Allah, are there any camels in the Garden?” but he did not reply as he had to the first man. He said “If Allah makes you enter the Garden you will find everything your self desires and that is pleasing to your eye.” (At-Tirmidhi; Al-Hafiz ibn ad-Dayba ash- Shaybani, Taysir al-usul ila Jami al-usul, p. 431/14)

The everything your self desires and that is pleasing to your eye mentioned in the hadith is not limited by this world’s limitations or our imaginations. In the Qur’an, Allah calls our attention to the richness of His blessings: “… they will have there all that their hearts desire and their eyes find delight in…” (Surat az-Zukhruf: 71) Other verses that tell us about this are the following:

… You will have there all that your selves could wish for. You will have there everything you demand. (Surah Fussilat: 31)

… They will remain there timelessly, for ever, among everything their selves desire. (Surat al-Anbiya’: 102)

There are many things we desire to do in this world but cannot do, because of lack of time or because there is a risk involved. For example, many people like dangerous sports such as driving fast cars or motorcycles, spending hours deep-sea diving or skiing on high mountain slopes or sky-diving from great heights, but these are all sports that put a person’s life at risk.

Others want to play a musical instrument skilfully or wish they had a special talent for painting. Besides talent, such things require expertise and long periods of training. In the Garden, a person can have anything he wants and so he can even have the possibility to do these things whenever he wants without any effort and without the need for any talent, and Allah knows best.

Allah, exalted is He, in the Qur’an, and the Messenger of Allah tell us that everything the heart desires is possible if Allah wills. Therefore, a person can enjoy unimaginable things in the next life that are impossible to attain in this world. For example, it is not possible in this world to fly on a horse but we are told in the hadith that this is possible in the Garden. In one hadith the Messenger of Allah says that people can fly if they want to:

If you are intended for the Garden and say “I would like to ride a horse of red ruby,“ you will do so. If you say you wish to fly, you will fly. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al- Ahadith, vol. 1, p. 149/5)

In another hadith, the Prophet spoke about the abundance of the blessings in the Garden:

The Messenger of Allah said that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: “I have prepared for My slaves which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and has never occurred to a human heart …” (Narrated by Abu Hurayra, Sahih Muslim, vol. 4)

Desires in the Garden Will Be Fulfilled Instantly:

Ordinarily someone who wants to have a fine meal in this world must do some work for it. The most delightful thing would be to have a meal set before us as soon as it came into our minds and not to have to prepare it ourselves. However, such a thing is impossible within the limitations of this world. However, in the Garden, the most pleasing blessings are offered to human beings without their having to make a purchase, or spend time and effort in the process of preparing them. We have an example of this in the hadith:

If on seeing a bird, one desires to eat its meat, it will immediately be brought, tastily fried. (Buyuk Hadis Kulliyati (Great Ahadith Collection), Cem’ul-Fevaid min Cami’il-usul and Mecma’iz-zevaid,
Imam Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Sulayman ar-Rudani, vol. 5, p. 414/10123)

The following hadith of our Prophet is reported in one account:

… eating the flesh of the bird comes to the mind of that person, at which various meats arrive before him. The people of the Garden eat as much of that as they wish. When they are replete, the bones of the birds are gathered up. It then flies, and begins to feed in the Garden as it wishes. (Mukhtasar Tadhkirah, al-Qurtubi, p. 58)

Again, because a person can do many things he wants in the Garden, the Prophet told us that he can engage in agriculture not out of necessity but for the sake of pleasure:

Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, recounted: “While the Prophet was preaching one day, a Bedouin was present when he said: ‘There was a man in the Garden who sought permission from Allah to engage in cultivation, so Allah asked him, ‘Do you not have what you wish?’ The man answered: ‘Yes, but I like to cultivate.’ Allah granted him leave, so he rushed to plant the seed; then, he watched to see what happens and within the blink of an eye, the seed grew into a huge tree with fruits as big as a mountain…” (Sahih al- Bukhari)

Allah will say, "This is the Day when the sincerity of the sincere will benefit them. They will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them rimelessly, for ever and ever. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is the Great Victory." (Surat al-Ma'ida: 119)

The Ability to Change One’s Form as Desired:

If people were offered the opportunity to choose their facial features and physical characteristics, there is no doubt that most would choose to look flawlessly beautiful. This is because human beings take delight in beauty and always look for perfection. We notice the slightest flaw, but the beauty we seek cannot be found in this world. Even if a person were the most beautiful individual in the world, distress, illness and, most importantly, mortality casts a shadow over this beauty. It is a part of our test that every thing in this world has been created with defects and imperfections. There is a good reason for these: to direct us towards the afterlife and make us yearn for the Garden, the real place to find the beauty and perfection that delights us. In the Garden, Allah will recreate people with perfect beauty and give them the most pleasing forms. And this beauty will not be limited to one form. Allah will give His slaves in the Garden the choice of whatever form they desire at any time so that the people of the Garden can have a variety of beautiful forms whenever they want.

The Prophet tells us that believers can select a form they like from markets in the Garden and assume it:

There is in the Garden a market wherein there will be no buying and selling, but forms of men and women. So when a man wishes a form, he will enter into it. (Narrated by Ali, at-Tirmidhi)

You will see the wrongdoers afraid of what they have earned, when it is about to land right on top of them, whereas those who believe and do right actions will be in the lush Meadows of the Gardens. They will have whatever they wish for with their Lord. That is the great favor. (Surat ash-Shura: 22)

A Person who Wants a Child Can Have One:

If people want to have a child, they can have one with the perfect ease characteristic of the Garden:

When a believer desires a child in the Garden, its gestation and birth will be in one hour, as he desires. (Sunan Ibn Majah; at- Tirmidhi)

Such people are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, for ever, as repayment for what they did. (Surat al-Ahqaf: 14)

There Will Be No Night:

In this world, night has been created for rest. There is no need for sleep or rest in the Garden and so there is no need for the darkness of night:

There is no night in the Garden. It consists of brightness and light. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 2, p. 366/4)

The Companions of the Garden are busy enjoying themselves today, they and their wives reclining ın couches in the shade. (Surah Ya Sin: 55-56)

There Will Be No Sleep:

Sleep is one of the weaknesses that beset us in this world. We have all been created with a need for sleep and cannot resist this urge no matter how much we may want to. Moreover, if the body remains too long without sleep, its resistance to disease is lessened and the individual becomes tired. We spend a great deal of time sleeping: about one third of our lives. Yet, our lives in this world are already short and spending such a large portion of them asleep is like a kind of death. In the Qur’an, Allah says that sleep is similar to death: “Allah takes back people’s selves when their death arrives and those who have not yet died, while they are asleep…” (Surat az-Zumar: 42) But there is no fatigue in the Garden. Allah reveals this in the Qur’an: “They will not be affected by any tiredness there…” (Surat al-Hijr: 48) And in one of the hadith the Messenger of Allah tells us that there is no sleep in the Garden:

A man asked the Messenger of Allah : “Will the inmates of the Garden sleep?” He replied: “Sleep is the brother of death, and the People of the Garden will not die.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

The people with taqwa [piety] will be among Gardens and Fountains, (Surat adh-Dhariyat: 15)

There Will Be No Disagreement

Among the major attributes of the People of the Garden are their noble qualities of character.

Everyone is comfortable when people have clear consciences and fear Allah. But in a place where such qualities are lacking, people experience opposition, jealousy, touchiness, anger, resentment, mockery and even war. People who are far from the teachings of the Qur’an create an environment with their own hands that resembles Hell. While they could choose to live a life of tolerance, friendship and brotherhood in a comfortable, happy and secure environment, they get caught up in their worldly ambitions, personal passions and desires so that they lose a great blessing. For Muslims, living in this world with awareness, moderation, steadfastness, sensitivity, balance, forgiveness, compassion and love gives a deep, faith-strengthening sense of joy. When a Muslim recognises these fine qualities in himself, it gives him a special joy, he gains a particular pleasure when he sees the same qualities in other Muslims. This timeless pleasure, happiness and beauty grow and increase in the Garden. In one of the hadith, our Prophet describes the environment of the Garden:

… There will be no disagreement or any hatred amongst them. Their hearts will be as one heart, and they will glorify Allah morning and evening… (Narrated by Abu Hurayra, Sahih Muslim)

Similar hadith make mention of the character of the people of the Garden:

Their character will be according to the character of one man. (Mukhtasar Tadhkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 329/579)

Similarly, Allah says the following about His faithful slaves whom He finds worthy of the Garden: “We will strip away any rancour in their hearts – brothers, resting on couches face-to-face” (Surat al-Hijr: 47) and He tells us of the sincere, heart-felt friendship in which they live.

There Will Be No Sadness or Anxiety:

Those who have no deen very often experience the pain of sadness and anxiety. They do not consider that Allah has created everything subject to a decree, and are overwhelmed by fear and panic when they experience adversity or difficulty. Because they do not put their trust in Allah, they become anxious, filled with regret and sadness to such an extent that their health is often damaged. However, a human being does not know what is good or bad for himself; only Allah knows this. This is revealed in a verse of the Qur’an:

… It may be that you hate something when it is good for you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know. (Surat al- Baqara: 216)

What appears to be difficult or worrisome in this world can actually turn into a good thing that will lead one to the Garden. Believers who are aware of this have the ability to keep themselves untouched by things that appear to be difficult or worrisome. The person who subjects himself to Allah and accepts everything He has created is content and at ease. He thinks of everything that happens to him as something good that has come from Allah. In the Garden, by Allah’s mercy, he will live far from sadness, worry and other such things. The Prophet told us about the maidens of the Garden who say:

We are those who live forever so we do not perish, and we are those who live in ease so we do not live in want and distress, and we are those who are pleased and contented so we are not dissatisfied. Happy are those who are for us and for whom we are. (At-Tirmidhi)

Whoever enters the Garden will be in bliss and will suffer no distress. (Sahih Muslim)

In the Qur’an Allah tells us about this sense of well-being that the martyrs among the believers will have:

... [They are] delighting in the favour Allah has bestowed on them, rejoicing over those they left behind who have not yet joined them, feeling no fear and knowing no sorrow. (Surah Al ‘Imran: 170)

And He tells us about the gratitude of the believers in general:

They will say, “Praise be to Allah Who has removed all sadness from us. Truly our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful.” (Surah Fatir: 34)

So Allah has safeguarded them from the evil of that Day and has made them meet with radiance and pure joy. (Surat al-Insan: 11)

You will recognise in their faces the radiance of delight. (Surat al-Mutaffifin: 24)

Believers show steadfastness in all the difficulties and distress they encounter in this world, and put their trust in Allah. The Messenger told us that it will be only when a person enters the Garden will he know real contentment:

Only those who enter the Garden will attain ease. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 1, p. 138/13)

In another hadith, our Prophet describes the contented environment of the Garden in these words:

The Garden is an eternal abode, a shining light, a wafted perfume, a well-built mansion, a flowing river, ripe fruit, greenery, joy, coolness and freshness. (Prof. Subhi Salih, Olumden Sonra Dirilis [Resurrection], 2nd edition, Kayihan Publishing House, Istanbul, p. 47)