Jannah

·        This khutbah is about the greatest blessing that Allah SW will bless us with. My brothers and sisters do you know what this greatest blessing is.

·         For those of you who have a strong imaan you might answer that it is the blessing of being guided by Allah SW or in other words that this blessing; is the blessing of Islam.

·        But that is not what I am talking about, indeed Islam is the greatest blessing in this life, but the blessing that I am talking about is one from the next life,

·        One that even the prophets have pleaded to Allah for; it is one that all of humanity makes dua for.

·        This is the un-imaginable grand gift from Allah, the gift of Jannah – Paradise.

·        At the beginning I wish to point out the hadith of the Prophet found in both Bukhari and Muslim;

Abu Hurairah reported a Hadith Qudsi (Allah says): `I have prepared for my righteous slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and the mind of no man has conceived.'

 If you wish, recite: (As-Sajdah: 17) `No person knows what is kept hidden for them, of joy as a reward for what they used to do.’ ''

·        An important point to be made here is the way Allah SW addresses this issue.
- 1st the sight, then the hearing, and finally the imagination, all 3 fail to comprehend that which will be in heaven. This order is so special:

  1. Because our sight covers what we have seen ourselves and therefore is personally gained knowledge. But also therefore the least amount of our Knowledge comes from things we have personally observed.
  2. Our hearing could include someone else’s experiences and therefore covers a broader spectrum of our knowledge.
  3. And finally comes our imagination !! This is indeed the very broadest form of knowledge and covers everything possible for us. Yet even this unbelievably awesome level of knowledge cannot come close to comprehending Jannah.

·        This proves to us that beyond doubt, paradise is such a place that no degree of our worldly understanding will ever be able to comprehend it.

·        Yet throughout the Quran and the hadith we find some mention of what heaven will be like and I wish to remind us of these ayat in an attempt to make us truly struggle to achieve this greatest gift of Allah.

Allah, the Exalted, tells us about Jannah - Heaven :

  (Al-Hijr: 45-48) "Truly, the Muttaqun (the pious and righteous persons) will be surrounded by Gardens and water-springs (Jannah). (It will be said to them): `Enter here (Jannah), in peace and security.' And We (Allah) shall remove from their breasts any deep feeling of bitterness (that they may have). (So they will be like) brothers facing each other on their thrones. No sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they (ever) be asked to leave it (heaven).''

  (Az-Zukhruf: 68-73) "(It will be said to the believers of Islamic Monotheism): `My slaves! No fear shall be on you this Day, nor shall you grieve. (You) who believed in Our Ayat (proofs, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and were Muslims (i.e., who submit totally to Allah's Will, and believe in the Oneness of Allah). Enter Jannah, you and your wives, in happiness.' Trays of gold and cups will be passed round them; (there will be) all that inner-selves could desire, and all that eyes could delight in and you will reside in there forever. This is the Jannah that you have been made to inherit because of your deeds, which you used to do (in the life of the world)[dunya]. In there for you will be fruits in plenty, of which you will eat (as you desire).''

  (Ad-Dukhan: 51-57) "Verily, the Muttaqun (the pious), will be in a place of security (Jannah). Among Gardens and springs. Dressed in fine silk… facing each other… And We shall marry them to Hur (fair females) with wide, lovely eyes. They will call therein for every kind of fruit in peace and security. They will never taste death in jannah except the first death (of this world), and Allah will save them from the torment of the blazing Fire. As a bounty from your Rubb! That, will be the supreme success!''

1. Entering Jannah

S. Muslim Abu Sa`id and Abu Hurairah reported: "When the dwellers of Jannah enter Jannah, an announcer will call: (You have a promise from Allah that) you will live in here and you will never die; you will stay healthy in here and you will never fall ill; you will stay young and you will never become old; you will be under a constant delight and you will never feel miserable.''

  We live in this world according to our life span but we never know when this life may come to an end. One cannot even be sure about the ease in this life. Any time one may land into hardships. In short, nothing is constant in this world.

  In Jannah, however, everything will be permanent. Life will be without any danger of death; there will be health without any risk of disease. There will be happiness without any fear of aging. Everywhere there will be happiness, ease, comfort, and enjoyment without any pain, worry, hardship or distress.

2. The people of Jannah

  S. Bukhari & Muslim; Abu Hurairah: (PBUH) said, "The first group (of people) to enter Jannah will be shining like the moon on a full-moon night. Then will come those who follow them who will be like the most shining planet in the sky. They will not stand in need of urinating or relieving of nature or of spitting or blowing their noses… Their wives will be large eyed maidens. All men will be alike in the form of their father `Adam, sixty meters tall.''

Another narration is: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Their utensils will be of gold, their perspiration will smell like musk; everyone of them will have two wives... They (i.e., the people of Jannah) will neither have difference, nor enmity (hatred) amongst themselves; their hearts will be as if one heart, and they will be glorifying Allah in the morning and in the afternoon.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

i. The people in the Jannah would be similar in shape and height, etc. There would be no differences between them. It won't be that one person is beautiful and the other ugly or one is fair in color and the other is black.

ii. Everyone there would have two wives. They would either be from the houris or from the humans. Then the saying, "One would get in the Jannah what he wants'' may also be considered and so the possibility of more than two wives cannot be denied.

iii. Hur is the plural of Howra  It means white and pink. So it is said that one would be bewildered to see their beauty. `Ein  is the plural of `Aina' It means one having large eyes like a deer. In another narration  from (Sahih Al-Bukhari),it is said that if any one of them just peeps towards our earth, the whole space would be filled with scent and all the space would be lighted. Her sheet of cloth used to cover the head and the bosom would be so precious that its cost would exceed this whole material earth.

 3. Food of Jannah

   (Al-Mutaffifin: 22-28) "Verily, Al-Abrar (the pious and righteous) will be in Delight (Jannah). On throne, looking (at all things). You will recognize on their faces the brightness of delight. They will be given to drink of pure sealed wine. The sealing of it is (with) musk; and for this let (all) those struggle who want to struggle (i.e., hasten earnestly to the obedience of Allah). It (that wine) will be mixed with Tasnim. A spring where of drink those nearest to Allah.''

   S. Muslim; Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The inhabitants of Jannah will eat and drink therein, but they will not have to pass excrement, to blow their noses or to urinate. Their food will be digested producing belch, which will give out a smell like that of musk. They will be inspired to declare the freedom of Allah from imperfection and proclaim His Greatness as easily as you breathe.''

4. The lowest inhabitant of heaven

S. Muslim; Al-Mughirah bin Shu`bah reported: The messenger said, " Moses (PBUH) asked his Rubb: `Who amongst the inhabitants of Jannah will be the lowest in rank?' He said: `It will be a person who will be admitted into Jannah last of all when all the dwellers of Jannah have entered Jannah. It will be said to him: Enter Jannah. But he will say: O my Rubb! How should I enter while the people have settled in their homes and taken their shares? It will be said to him: Will you be satisfied and pleased if you have a kingdom like that of a monarch of the world? He will say: I will be content, my Rubb. Allah will say: For you is that, and like that and like that and like that and like that.(Allah increases the amount each time) He will say at the fifth time: I am well pleased, my Rubb. Allah will say: It is for you and ten times more like it. You will have whatever your soul desires and whatever your eyes could delight in. He will say: I am well-pleased, my Rubb.'

S. Bukhari and Muslim; `Abdullah bin Mas`ud reported: "I know of the last of the inhabitants of the Hell to be taken out from there and the last one to enter Jannah. He is a man who will come out of the Fire, crawling on all fours. Allah, the Rubb of glory and honor will say to him: `Go and enter Jannah.' He will go to it and think that it is full up. He will then come back and say: `O my Rubb, it is full up.' Allah will say to him: `Go and enter Jannah.' He will again go to it and think that it is full up. So he will turn back. Allah will again say: `Go and enter Jannah. For you have what is equal to ten times the world.' He will say: `Are You making fun of me while You are the King?'' At this I (i.e., the narrator) saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) laugh till his premolars were visible and he said, "Such man will be the last dweller of Jannah in its lowest rank.''

This Hadith highlights Allah's endless Mercy and Bounty upon His slaves in Jannah although they do not deserve all that.

S. Muslim; Al-Mughirah bin Shu`bah reported: Musa (PBUH) asked Allah: `Who will be of the highest rank in Jannah.' Allah said: `They are those whom I chose and I established their honor with My Own Hand. I attest with My Seal that they will be blessed with such bounties as no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human mind has perceived.'''

5. Vastness of Jannah

I.  S. Bukhari and Muslim; Abu Musa reported: "In Jannah the believer will have a tent made of a single hollowed pearl of which the length will be sixty miles in the sky. The believer will have his wives with him and he will visit them and they will not be able to see one another.''

II.  S. Bukhari and Muslim; Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said: "There is a tree in Jannah that is so huge that if a rider of a swift horse has to cover its distance from one end to another in one hundred years, he will not be able to do so.''

 Another narration from Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) is: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "A rider will not be able to cross its (the tree's) shade even after traveling for one hundred years.''

 The Arabic word "dhil" translated here as `shade,' in fact, refers to the expansiveness and vastness of the tree.

III.  S. Bukhari and Muslim; Abu Hurairah reported: "A space in Jannah equal to the distance between the middle and the end of a bow will be better than all that upon which the sun rises and sets.''

 My brothers and sisters even a very small space in Jannah is better then all of this world.

6. Life in Jannah

  S. Muslim; Anas reported: "In Jannah there is a market to which the people will come every Friday. The northern wind will blow and shower fragrance on their faces and clothes and, consequently, it will enhance their beauty and loveliness. They will then return to their wives who will also have increased in their beauty and loveliness, and their families will say to them: `We swear by Allah that you have been increased in beauty and loveliness since leaving us.' Thereupon they will reply: `We swear by Allah that you have also been increased in beauty and loveliness since we left you.'''


i. Bazaar refers to a place of gathering, where everything will be available, free of cost. Similarly,
ii. Jumu`ah means that people will gather there for a time period equal to that of Jumu`ah, as there will be no sun, nor night and day.
iii. Another speciality of Jannah is that the beauty and charm of men and women will go on increasing and so the love and affection between husbands and wives will also keep on progressing and increasing. It will be just the opposite of what happens here in this world. 

Conclusion

S. Bukhari; Sahl bin Sa`d reported: I was in the company of the Prophet (PBUH). He gave a description of Jannah and concluded with these words, "There will be bounties which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart has ever perceived.''

 He (PBUH) then recited this Verse: (As-Sajdah:16,17)"Their sides leave their beds, to invoke their Rubb in fear and hope, and they spend (charity in Allah's Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what joys are kept hidden for them as a reward for their (good) deeds.'' 

  • Dear brothers and sisters this ayah should serve as a great reminder for us, because here Allah SW tells us one of the ways of those who deserve Jannah.
  • They “leave there beds to invoke there lord,” indeed my brothers leaving ones bed to pray in the night is a difficult thing, especially in days when people have left prayer during the day !!
  • It is this struggle of undertaking hardships for the sake of Allah that hopefully entitles one to entering paradise.
  • So I remind all of us, if we want to be a part of the community of paradise, lets start working towards it now,...    because you never know tomorrow might just be too late.

Duas

·        I ask Allah to let us enter Jannah

·        O Allah help us to be amongst the people of Jannah

·        O Allah help us to act like the people of Jannah

·        O Allah make us deserving of your blessing of Jannah.

·        O Allah help us be good and true Muslims in this world

·        O Allah give us success in this world and in the hereafter