Ayesha Nasir narrates how some of the teen attractions in this world will find expression in Jannah.
As a child, I was always fascinated by the descriptions of Jannah my parents presented before me. I underwent a thrill thinking of this unknown realm, which I had yet to discover – a land more beautiful than the pictures in my storybooks.
The Quran speaks a lot regarding the pleasures of today and compares them to those of the Hereafter. “And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them (polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), the splendour of the life of this world that We may test them thereby. But the provision (good reward in the Hereafter) of your Lord is better and more lasting.” (Ta-Ha 20:131)
The joys of this world are nothing compared to those of Jannah. The Prophet (sa) said: “A space the size of a whip in Paradise is better than this world and all that is in it.” (Bukhari)
Partners
The dwellers of Jannah will have companions with them. There will be no need for worrying about marriage – a dilemma that the youth of today constantly faces. Instead, Allah (swt) will assign His servants the best of partners. “They and their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones.” (Yasin 36:56)
The Prophet (sa) described the women of Jannah very beautifully: “If one of the women of Paradise were to look at the people of this world, everything in between them would be lit up and filled with her fragrance. The veil on her head is better than this world and everything in it.” (Bukhari)
No Brands Needed
Our world has much to offer, but Jannah has in store the unimaginable. Today, we dress with the labels of our time, with the best clothing that money can offer and with the comfort of wearing decent clothes. Unfortunately, today we are judged by the clothes we put on. In Jannah, there will be nothing of this sort. The clothing of its inhabitants is from silk and gold of the finest quality.
Muslim teenagers undergo a lot of stress because of the accessories they have. Today’s ‘normal’ teen has lots of makeup to put on and lots of glam to portray.
A dweller of Jannah, be it a man or a woman, does not have to worry about such things. The dweller’s mind is free from complexes and confusions. The believers are so pure that they do not need gold or silver to be adorned, though there will be enough of these in the hereafter. “They will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls and their garments therein will be of silk.” (Al-Hajj 22:23)
No Aging
I laugh at the creams, which claim to remove your wrinkles and make you look younger. In Jannah, there will be no need of hiding your age, because everyone will be in the prime of their youth. Describing the dweller of Jannah, the Prophet (sa) says: “He will remain there forever and never die; his clothes will never wear out, and his youth will never fade”. (Bukhari)
The faces of the inhabitants of Jannah will be like the image of the moon. There will be tranquility in their expressions, and Noor pouring from them as they speak.
Food and Shelter for All
For the person, who worries about his job, family and future – there is nothing of that sort to worry about in Jannah. There is shelter for all believers, food for everyone and, most importantly, a place in Jannah, for those who strive for it.
“But those who fear Allah and keep their duty to their Lord (Allah), for them are built lofty rooms; one above another under which rivers flow (i.e. Paradise). (This is) the Promise of Allah: and Allah does not fail in (His) Promise.” (Az-Zumar 39:20)
The dwellers of Jannah will have food far more delicious than anything we have ever tasted. “Trays of gold and cups will be passed round them, (there will be) therein all that the one’s inner-selves could desire, all that the eyes could delight in, and you will abide therein forever.” (Az-Zukhruf 43:71)
No Worldly Fears
We often worry about the results we would get of all the hard work we do. We worry whether the teacher will mark the assignment well, or whether the boss will find our report satisfactory.
These are trivial things, if we look at it from a different perspective. In Jannah, you will be in eternal bliss, because you have achieved the purpose of your being – attaining Allah’s (swt) pleasure.
“…and whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad (sa)) will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and that will be the great success.” (An-Nisa 4:13)
Jannah is free from all the disappointments and fears we face in this world. The Lord will be in control of everything. There will the sense of security and belonging.
Allah (swt) states in the Quran: “And We shall remove from their breasts any deep feeling of bitterness (that they may have). (So they will be like) brothers facing each other on thrones.” (Al-Hijr 15:47)
Meeting of the Dwellers
What fascinates me most is that the believers will meet those that went before them – those that they only heard about: the Sahabahs, the Prophet (sa) and, most importantly, Allah (swt).
Imagine the exultant joy of the believers, when they will finally meet their Lord! Imagine the tears that will pour out of their eyes and the awe that will confound them. Allah (swt) clearly states: “Some faces that Day shall be Nadirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allah).” (Al-Qiyamah 75:22-23)
Conclusion
What Allah (swt) has kept hidden from us (the delights of Paradise) is beyond our ability to comprehend; the Prophet (sa) said that Allah (swt) said: “I have prepared for My slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart can imagine.” (Bukhari)
The Prophet (sa) compared this earth with the Hereafter: “By Allah, this world in comparison with the Hereafter is nothing more than as if one of you put his finger (and he motioned with his forefinger) in the sea; let him see, how much water he would retrieve.” (Muslim)
The pleasures of this world are temporary and will fade away. This life is like a lonely boat caught in a storm – it has no idea where to go; there is no shore for it to land on. One day, the storms will engulf it, and it will fade from the face of the earth as a mere junk of wood. Whereas the Hereafter is like the arrival of this boat upon a safe shore – its purpose complete, once and for all. Praise be to Allah (swt), Lord of the worlds!
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