PARADISE MIGHT NOT BE BORING!

Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq*

 

As human beings, the ultimate goal of many of us is to achieve salvation or Allah's pleasure. Paradise is merely the objectified reflection of Allah's pleasure. There is vivid and elaborate description of Paradise in both the Qur'an and Hadith. It is the Abode of everlasting peace and happiness. Generally, people desire peace, happiness, abundance of provision, freedom from anxiety, injury, disease, toil and suffering. The Qur'an confirms all these and invite people toward such an eternal Garden of delight and felicity.

As to the righteous, (they will be) in a position of security.
Among Gardens and Springs.
Dressed in fine silk and in rich brocade, they will face each other.
So: and We shall join them to companions with beautiful eyes.
There can they call for every kind of fruit in peace and security.
Nor will they there taste death, except the first death;
And He will preserve them from the penalty of the Blazing fire.
As a Bounty from your Rabb! That will be the Supreme Achievement. 
[44/ad-Dukhan/51-57]

Thinking deep about it, one can't help but feel the most profound sense of relief as well as excitement. However, the sense of excitement is not the same for everyone. I am a father of two daughters, 13 and 8, raised in the USA. Once we were discussing about food in Paradise. Like most other people my children get excited about almost any kind of celebration or feast. So I read the following Hadith about the feast for the inhabitants of Paradise.

The Rasulullah (s) said: The earth would turn to one single bread on the Day of Resurrection and the Almighty would turn it in His hand as one of you turns a loaf while on a journey. It would be a feast arranged in the honor of the people of Paradise. ... [Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, #6710] In the same Hadith, the Prophet informed that the seasoning on the bread would be Balam and fish. Upon being asked what is Balam, he responded that it is ox and fish from whose huge livers seventy thousand people would be able to eat.

My children were fascinated, but quite interestingly, I did not feel that they relished or salivated at the idea of bread, liver and so on. They inquired whether there would be their favorite food, such as pizza, or not in Paradise. Of all the good foods in the world, their realm of joy and excitement becomes quite dull and boring without Pizza! What about if someone wanted mashed potatoes, khichuri (a rice dish), or a lolly-pop?

One of my daughters lost one of her baby parakeets. She inquired whether she could have her baby parakeet that passed away in Paradise. What about if someone loves to travel and does not want to rest in a single place, or if someone enjoys nature where birds sing?

I haven't, of course, been there before, but wish very much to go there if Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassion, will be generous to me with His mercy and forgiveness. I knew that no search of Islamic index or concordance is going to be of any help to find out whether there would be Pizza in Paradise or not. In response to their inquisitiveness I can only refer to them what I generally know from the Qur'an and the Hadith.

According to the Qur'an:

"... those who believe and work righteous deeds will be in the luxuriant meads of the Gardens: they shall have, before their Rabb, ALL THAT THEY WISH FOR. That will indeed be the magnificent bounty (of God)." [42/ash-Shura/22]

"Enter therein (the Paradise) in peace and security; this is a Day of Eternal Life! There will be for them therein ALL THAT THEY WISH, AND MORE besides in Our presence." [49/al-Hujurat/34-35]

The information provided in the Qur'an and Hadith is, of course, merely to give us some imagery so that we can somewhat indulge in our imagination about the life in Paradise. Suppose you love woodwork and can't think of not being able to enjoy your woodworking in Paradise? What about poets who can't salivate at the notion of not writing poetry any more? Or, potters not doing pottery? Chefs not doing any cooking? What is important to realize is that not these people have to do any of these things, but what about if they want to? Or, say that they would experience things better than what they have enjoyed in this world, but still they desire something more worldly? Their sense of enjoyment, excitement, and boredom may differ from others. Just in case, you wonder whether your favorite, non-sinful activities would be available in Paradise, the following Hadith might give you some clue. Of course, Allah knows best.

Narrated Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (r): Once the Prophet was preaching while a Bedouin was sitting there. The Prophet said, "A man from among the people of Paradise will request Allah to allow him to cultivate the land Allah will say to him, 'Haven't you got whatever you desire?' He will reply, 'yes, but I like to cultivate the land (Allah will permit him and) he will sow the seeds, and within seconds the plants will grow and ripen and (the yield) will be harvested and piled in heaps like mountains. On that Allah will say (to him), "Take, here you are, O son of Adam, for nothing satisfies you.' "On that the Bedouin said, "O Allah's Apostle! Such man must be either from Quraish or from Ansar, for they are farmers while we are not." On that Allah's Apostle smiled. [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 610]

All authentic Hadith are sources of learning and wisdom. However, there are some Hadith that lighten our heart. Many of these end with the reference to the fact that the Prophet (s) smiled. These are among some special Hadith that deeply touch my heart.

[The author is an associate professor at Upper Iowa University.]

---

HOME
Index of my writings
Have you visited my site on Kazi Nazrul Islam?
Genocide 1971 Page?
Hadith Humor Page?