Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab narrated that he met Abu Hurairah, who said: “I ask Allah to unite you and me in the market of Paradise.” Sa’id asked, “Is there a market in it?” He replied, “Yes, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) informed me: ‘When the people of Paradise enter it, they settle in it according to the merit of their deeds. Then, they are given permission, equivalent to
1 a Friday in this world, to visit their Lord. His Throne is displayed to them, and He reveals Himself to them in a garden of Paradise. Pulpits of light, pearl, ruby, peridot, gold, and silver are set up for them. The lowest of them—and none among them is lowly—sit
2 on dunes of musk and camphor, and they do not consider the occupants of the pulpits to have a better seat than them.’ Abu Hurairah said, ‘I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord?” He said, “Yes. Do you dispute seeing the sun and the moon on the night of the full moon?” We said, “No.” He said, “Likewise, you will not dispute seeing your Lord. No one in that gathering will remain without Allah addressing him personally, until He says to one of them, ‘O so-and-so, son of so-and-so, do you remember when you said such-and-such?’ reminding him of some of his shortcomings in this world. He will say, ‘O my Lord, have You not forgiven me?’ He will say, ‘Yes, by the vastness of My forgiveness, you have reached this station.’ While they are in that state, a cloud covers them from above, raining upon them a fragrance they have never smelled before. Our Lord says, ‘Rise to the honor I have prepared for you, and take what you desire.’ They come to a market surrounded by angels, containing what
3 eyes have never seen, ears have never heard, and hearts have never conceived. Whatever we desire is brought to us; nothing is bought or sold there. In that market, the people of Paradise meet one another. A person of high rank approaches someone of lower rank—though none among them is lowly—and the latter is awestruck by the garments he sees on him. Before their conversation ends, something even more beautiful appears to him, for it is not fitting for anyone to grieve in it. Then we return to our homes, and our spouses greet us, saying, ‘Welcome! You have returned with greater beauty than when you left us.’ He replies, ‘We sat today with our Mighty Lord, and it is fitting that we return with such beauty.’”
Commentary and footnotes (4)
Note 1
(1) His statement: “I have prepared”: This indicates that Paradise is created, supported by the fact that Adam and Eve resided in Paradise. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)
Note 2
(2) His statement: “and no human heart has conceived”: If you ask why “human” is specified here, unlike the previous two phrases, I say: Because humans are the ones who benefit from what has been prepared for them and are concerned with it, imagining it in their minds, unlike the angels. The hadith serves as an explanation of the verse, as the verse negates knowledge, and the hadith negates the means of attaining it. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)
Note 1
(۱) قوله : أعددت فيه دليل على أن الجنة مخلوقة ويعضده سكنى آدم وحواء الجنة. كذا في « المرقاة».
Note 2
(۲) قوله: ولا خطر على قلب بشر : فإن قلت: لم خص البشر هنا دون القرينتين السابقتين. قلت: لأنهم هم الذين ينتفعون بما أعد لهم ويهتمون بشأنه ويخطرون ببالهم بخلاف الملائكة، والحديث كالتفصيل للآية؛ فإنها نَفَتِ العلم والحديث نفى طريق حصوله. كذا في « المرقاة».