Wall Between People Of Paradise And People Of Hell

Wall Between People Of Paradise and Hell
Knowledge of the hereafter

Another explanation of A'raaf is that it is a wall which will be erected between people of paradise and people of hell on Siraat as mentioned in Surah Al Hadeed. The Lord of the Universe says: (O My Dear Messenger!) On that Day, you will see the Faithful in such a condition that their Noor (Radiance/Light) will enlighten their front and their side. (A voice will be heard): Good tidings to you for you will get the eternal paradise beneath which rivers will flow. It is indeed a very big success of yours.

On that Day, the hypocrites will tell the Faithful: Just look at us also! We too may benefit from your radiance. They will be told: Return to the world and find some other light. Then a wall will be raised between the said two groups. There will be a door in that wall. On one side of it will be only Mercy (for the Faithful) and on the other only punishment (for the deniers and hypocrites).

Fa Zu Re Ba…Azaab. (Surah Hadeed 57:13)

Translation: Then a wall will be raised between the Momineen and the Munafiqeen (believers and show-makers). There will be a door in it the inside of which is Mercy and outside of it is chastisement.

One’s Noor Will Be Of No Use To Others

It is mentioned in commentaries that the Noor is front of believing men and believing women will be the light of their beliefs and love for and friendship with Aale Muhammad (A.S.). The Noor at their right will be the radiance of the prayers and worship. The Noor of some will be so bright that it will make things visible for eyes and that of some will be sometimes bright and sometimes dim. Such people will go on falling down and getting up and crying Rabbanaa Atmin Lana Noorana (8:66). Meaning: O Lord! Make our light full so that we may reach our destination.

Here one's noor will be of no avail to another. Though the hypocrites and the offenders will go on asking for the light of the lucky ones but it will be of no use. A wall will be erected between them and the faithful Momineen. According to tafsir, it is A'raaf.

Be Anxious About That Day’s Noor Only Today

Yunaa Doo Na Hum…Maseer (Surah Hadeed 57:14-15) meaning: The Munaafiqueen (hypocrites) will say: (O Faithfuls!) Were we not with you? The faithful will reply: Indeed you were! But your desired way laid you and lengthy aspirations fooled you. You kept a distance from God and remained unmindful of this Day. Now there is no escape for you today. Your dwelling place is only Hell which is your shelter. What a bad shelter!

By the way, let there be some admonition also so that we may worry today about the light of that Day before the arrival of the moment when there will be no remedy or escape.

A’raaf, A Place Between Paradise And Hell

Third explanation of A'raaf is that it is a place (between paradise and hell where those people will dwell who were helpless such as minors, lunatics, children. Though they will not be as happy as those in paradise, they will be saved from the punishment of hell.

Hooraane bihishti raa dozakh buwad a'raaf az dozakhiyaan purs ke a'raaf bihisti ast

For the fairies of heaven, A'raaf is hell. But if you ask the people of hell, they will reply that A'raaf is paradise.

Paradise, The Greatest And Everlasting Bounty

The Lord of the universe has reserved a place in the Hereafter for those people who leave this world with fear of God in their heart. There, God has kept innumerable and unimaginably tasteful things for the righteous be fitting that highest host. To get an idea of those comforts and tastes and pleasures of that place in the Hereafter is as difficult for the residents of this world now as are the things in this world for a child which is yet in its mother's womb.

That is why it is mentioned in the Holy Quran: Fa Laa Ta'Lamu…Ya'Maloon. (Surah Sajdah 32:17). It means no one knows how great and unparalleled bounties, a look at which will brighten eyesight's have been gathered for them as a reward of their good deeds.

It is also said as a general hint about the heavenly bounties: La Hum Maa…Mazeed. (Surah Qaf 50:35). It means, in paradise, there are all those things which they (the people of paradise) will desire and what is with Us in even more than what can wish.

At yet another place it is said: Wa Hum Fee…Khalidoon (Surah Anbiya 21:102) meaning: The people of paradise, as they wish, will remain in those bounties forever.

True DaarusSalaam (Peaceful Resting Place) Is Paradise

In brief, paradise is the place wherein there will be no sign of failure, grief, sorrow, difficulty, hardship, trouble, weakness, agedness, illness, tiredness and idleness. There will be safety and security in every sense. That is why it is named Daar-us-Salaam. The real kingdom, in a sense, has so much power that whatever is wished will be available at once. It is available only to the people of paradise.

Inna Ahlil Jannati Mulookun

Almighty God says in Surah Dhar: Wa Iza Raai Ta…Kabeera. (Surah Dahr: 20) meaning: When you will look there you will see profound bounties and a great kingdom and grand rule.

Here we hint at some of the heavenly bounties mentioned in the Holy Quran: Wa Lahmi…(Surah Waqiah 56:21) meaning: Mutton of birds desired by them is available in paradise.

Wafaa Kihatun… (Surah Ibid: 20) meaning: And all kinds of fruits where from they will pick up as they wish.

Wafaa Kihatun… (Surah Ibid: 32-33) meaning: And there will be many many fruits which will never decrease nor the people of paradise will be stopped from enjoying them.

Fee ha…ruhman (Surah Rahman 55:68) meaning: In paradise there will be fruit trees, dates and pomegranates.

In paradise, there will be springs of pure and clean water which will never get deteriorated and there will be rivers of milk the taste of which has neither changed nor will change and there will be canals of grapes wines which will be pleasing to drinkers (will not be smelling bad as is the case with worldly wines and which are also intoxicating and harmful) rather the heavenly wine will be good, fragment, tasteful, harmless, awakening and purifying.

Wa Sukhum…Tahoora (Surah Dahr 76:21) meaning: And their Lord will make them drink extremely pure wine.

Wa Anhaar…Musaffah (Surah Muhammad 47:15) meaning: And there will be rivers of honey which will be clean of every dirt.

Names Of Heavenly Rivers Mentioned In The Holy Quran

There will also be many springs in paradise. The speciality and tastefulness of each and every one of them will be different from one another. They have been named as per their specialities, for example: The Camphor Spring, The Zanjabili Spring, The Salsabeel and The Tasneem. The most important of them all is The Kausar which is flowing from beneath the Divine Throne and which is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey, softer than butter. It will contain precious stone particles (embedded at the bottom) and they will be of Zabarjad, Yaaqoot and Marjaan. Its grass will be saffron and its mud will be more fragrant than musk. Akhbaar (narrations) mention that Kausar will flow from beneath the Arsh-e-Ilahi; that it is flowing like a river in paradise and that it takes the shape of a big cistern (huaz) in the field of Mahshar, as has been said earlier.

Heavenly Dresses

Almighty Allah says in Surah Kahf: Yuhal Law Na…Istabraq (Surah Kahf 18:31) meaning: The people of paradise will be adorned with golden bracelets and they will wear dresses made of sundus (silk brocade) and istabraq (satin).

At another place in the Holy Quran it is mentioned: Wa Libaasuhuma…Hareer (Surah Hajj 22:23). Meaning: The wears of the people of paradise will be silken.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) is reported to have said that when a mu’min (faithful person) will enter his heavenly palace crown of glory will be put on his head and he will be made to wear seventy hillas (robes) of various colors embedded with heavenly precious jewels. It is also mentioned that if any of those dresses is brought to the world people will not be able to see its shining.

Imam Ja'far Sadiq (A.S.) is reported to have said that the Lord of the Universe will provide a Karamat (miracle) to the faithful every Friday in Paradise. On that day, He will send to the faithful mu’min dresses through an angel. Then that mu’min will put one of it on his waist and another on his shoulders. Then from wherever that man will pass the entire environment will brighten up with his radiance (Noor).

Palaces And Precincts In Paradise

God has promised in many places in the Holy Quran: Waa Dallaah…Azeem (Surah Taubah 9:72). Meaning: God has given promises to faithful men and faithful women of heavenly gardens beneath which rivers flow. They will dwell in them forever. He has also promised them palatial buildings in the Eden Gardens (Bihist-e-Adan) and above all of it, the pleasure of God. This verily is the greatest success.

God Almighty says: La Hum Ghurafun…Anhaar (Surah Zumar: 20) which means there will be many ghurafaa (upper chambers) for the people of paradise and rivers will be flowing under them.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said that those chambers will be made of marvarid (pearls), Yaqoot (topaz) and Zabarjad (olivine) and their roofs will be golden. There will be two golden gates in every chamber and there will be a guard and a watch person on every gate.

Sample Of Heavenly Chambers

According to the commentary Masaakin-e-Taiyabah, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that: There is a palace made of pearls in paradise, in that palace there are seventy apartments made of red topaz, in every apartment seventy halls made of Zamarrud. In every hall there are seventy thrones. On every throne there are seventy carpets of various colors. There is a Hoor-ul-Ain on every carpet. In every hall there are seventy dining tables. Tasty eatables of seventy kinds are served on every table. There are seventy maids in every hall. Almighty God will grant the faithful strength enough to enjoy all these bounties.

Chairs, Carpets And Vessels In Paradise

Mutta ki yee na…murtafa qaa (Surah Kahf 18:31) meaning: The people of paradise will be sitting on heavenly chairs (thrones) inclining thereon. This is a good reward and the best one.

He says in Surah Waqiah: Alaa Sururim… meaning: They will be sitting on thrones or couches made of woven gold and decorated with jewels and precious stones.

He says in Surah Rahman: Mutaa Ki Ye Na… meaning: They will be resting on carpets the aster or lining of them will be of istabraq.

The Holy Quran also gives names of some heavenly attires such as Israbraq, Hareer, Sundus, Rafraf, Namaariq and Zarabiyya which can only be seen and enjoyed as their description is beyond speaking and hearing.

Regarding the heavenly vessels or containers. The Almighty Lord says in (Surah Waqiah 56:17-18) Ytoofun…Maeen.

In paradise Ghilmaan (handsome lads) will be taking rounds with wine container cups made of gold and silver and various jewels for the people of the paradise. Their containers will be overflowing with the wine of grapes. They will enjoy the pure drink (sharabun Tahoora).

It is mentioned in Surah Dhar: 15) Wa Yutaafu…Qawaareena. Meaning: The people of paradise will be served drinks in cups made of silver and billor glass (silvery glass), that is, those containers will have the cleanliness and shining of billor and softness and whiteness of silver.

* The Hereafter - Ma'ad. Chapter 3. By Ayatullah Dastghaib Shiraazi (q.s.).