Chapter on Description of Paradise and Its People

(1) His statement: “And raised couches”: The apparent meaning is that they are stacked one upon another or spread on beds and cushions, elevated in value and preciousness. It is said: The “couches” refer to the women of Paradise, elevated in beauty above the women of this world, as every superior thing is elevated. The context of the hadith supports the first interpretation. (As stated in Al-Lama’at) Al-Turbushti said in Al-Mirqat: The view that it refers to the elevation of the raised couches in the levels, with the distance between each level being like that between the heavens and the earth, is the most reliable and recognized of the mentioned interpretations, as the hadith states: “In Paradise, there are a hundred levels, with the distance between each two levels being like that between the heavens and the earth.”

(۱) قوله: وفرش مرفوعة : الظاهر أي منضودة بعضها على بعض، أو مبسوطة على الأسرة والرماد رفيعة في القيمة والنفاسة. وقيل : المراد بالفرش نساء أهل الجنة رفعن بالجمال على نساء أهل الدنيا، وكل فاضل رفيع، وظاهر سياق الحديث في الوجه الأول. كذا في اللمعات». وقال في المرقاة»: قال التوربشتي له قول من قال: المراد منه ارتفاع الفرش المرفوعة في الدرجات وما بين كل درجة من الدرجات كما بين السماء والأرض، هذا القول أوثق وأعرف الوجوه المذكورة، وذلك لما في الحديث: «إن للجنة مائة درجة ما بين كل درجتين كما بين السماء والأرض.

(1) His statement: “In Paradise, there are a hundred levels”: It is possible that this refers to abundance, as narrated by Al-Bayhaqi from Aisha, raised to the Prophet: “The levels of Paradise are as numerous as the verses of the Qur’an. Whoever enters Paradise from the people of the Qur’an has no level above him.” It can also be said that in Paradise, there are a hundred levels for each of its inhabitants, indicating the least of its vastness and types of blessings. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(۱) قوله في الجنة مائة درجة يمكن أن يراد به الكثرة لما ورد من رواية البيهقي عن عائشة مرفوعا: «عدد درج الجنة عد آي القرآن، فمن دخل الجنة من أهل القرآن، فليس فوقه درجة. ويمكن أن يقال: في الجنة مائة درجة لكل واحد من أهلها، فيكون بيان أقل ما يكون فيها من أنواع السعة وأصناف النعمة. كذا في «المرقاة».

(1) His statement: “It is a river”: meaning a stream of water, with two basins at its ends, one in Paradise and the other at the gathering place. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(1) His statement: “In Paradise, there is a sea of water, etc.”: Al-Tayyibi said: By “sea,” he means something like the Tigris or Euphrates, and by “river,” something like the Mu’qil River, branching from one of them, then into streams. The apparent meaning is that the mentioned seas are the sources of the rivers described in the Qur’an, as Allah says: “In it are rivers of water unspoiled, rivers of milk whose taste does not change, rivers of wine delightful to those who drink it, and rivers of purified honey” [Muhammad: 15]. His statement: “branch out” omits one of the tas, meaning the rivers split into streams after the rivers are established, flowing through the gardens of the righteous and beneath the palaces of the virtuous. It can be said that the rivers are the rivers themselves, called so because they flow, unlike the seas of this world, which are mostly stationary. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(1) His statement: “are all among the rivers of Paradise”: These four rivers are considered among the rivers of Paradise due to their sweetness, digestibility, divine blessing, and the honor of prophets drinking from them. This is like Allah’s statement about the dates of Madinah: “They are among the fruits of Paradise.” It is possible that the rivers that are the sources of Paradise’s rivers are named after them to indicate that they are in Paradise like these four rivers in this world, or they share the same names. The commentator said: Al-Qadi said: The four rivers are so called for the sweetness of their water and the abundance of their benefits, as if they were from the rivers of Paradise. It is possible that they are the rivers that are the sources of Paradise’s rivers, named after the greatest, most famous, sweetest, and most beneficial rivers of this world among the Arabs, by way of analogy, to show that they are comparable in Paradise, and that the benefits and delights of this world are samples of what is in the Hereafter, as are its harms and unpleasant things. In Al-Nawawi’s commentary on Muslim, Al-Qadi Iyadh said: Their being from Paradise means that the lands of these rivers are for the believers, and the bodies nourished by their water are destined for Paradise. The sounder view is that they are literally so, having a source from Paradise, as they exist today according to the Ahl as-Sunnah. Muslim narrated in the Book of Faith, in the hadith of the Isra, that the Euphrates and Nile flow from Paradise. In Bukhari, it is from the root of Sidrat al-Muntaha. Ibn Abbas narrated in Ma’alim at-Tanzil that Allah sent these rivers from a single spring in Paradise, from the lowest of its levels, on Gabriel’s wings, entrusted them to the mountains, and made them flow on earth, providing benefits to people, as Allah says: “And We send down water from the sky in measure” [Al-Mu’minun: 18]. When Gog and Magog emerge, Allah sends Gabriel to lift the Qur’an, knowledge, the Black Stone, the Station of Ibrahim, Moses’s ark, and these rivers from the earth, as Allah says: “And indeed, We are able to take it away” [Al-Mu’minun: 18]. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(1) His statement: “It was mentioned to us”: This is in the status of a raised hadith, as it is typical for a senior Companion not to take from anyone but the Prophet (ﷺ) or other Companions, and the narrations of Companions are authoritative by consensus, meaning it reached us. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(2) His statement: “there will come a day when it is crowded”: Both pronouns “it” and “when it is” likely refer to “what,” the first by meaning, as “what” refers to places, and the second by wording. The meaning is: while the space between them is so. His statement: “crowded”: meaning filled. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(۱) قوله: ذكر لنا هو في حكم المرفوع؛ لأن الغالب في الصحابي الكبير أن لا يأخذ من غير النبي ﷺ أو من الصحابة، ومراسيل الصحابي حجة بالاتفاق المعنى بلغنا. كذا في «المرقاة».

(۲) قوله: وليأتين عليها يوم وهو : لعل كلا من ضميري عليها»، «وهو» يرجع إلى «ما». فالأول باعتبار المعنى؛ لأن «ما» عبارة عن أماكن، والثاني باعتبار لفظه، فالمعنى والحال أن ما بينهما. وقوله: «كظيظ أي ممتلئ. كذا في «المرقاة».

(1) His statement: “for three”: An adverbial clause for “journey,” meaning three nights or years, the latter being more apparent as it conveys greater emphasis. It refers to abundance to avoid contradicting the earlier statement that the distance between two gates of Paradise is a journey of forty years. It is possible that he was first inspired with a smaller number, then informed of a greater one, or it refers to different gates for different people. Allah, Exalted is He, knows best. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(۱) قوله : ثلاثا : ظرف مسيرة، والمعنى ثلاث ليال أو سنين، وهو الأظهر؛ لأنه يفيد المبالغة أكثر، ثم المراد به الكثرة؛ لئلا يخالف ما سبق من أن ما بين مصراعين من مصاريع الجنة مسيرة أربعين سنة على أنه يمكن أوحي إليه أولا بالقليل، ثم أعلم بالكثير أو يحمل على اختلاف الأبواب باختلاف أصحابها، والله تعالى أعلم. كذا في «المرقاة».

(1) His statement: “like the hearts of birds”: meaning in their tenderness, softness, compassion, and purity, free from envy, malice, rancor, and hatred, and overall, free from every sin and fault. Al-Nawawi said: It is said: like them in tenderness, as narrated: “The people of Yemen have the tenderest and softest hearts.” It is also said: in fear and awe, as birds are the most fearful and startled of animals, as Allah says: “Indeed, among His servants, only the scholars fear Allah” [Fatir: 28]. It is also said: in reliance, as narrated: “If you relied on Allah with true reliance, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds, which go out hungry and return full.” Allah says: “And how many a creature carries not its provision. Allah provides for it and for you, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing” [Al-’Ankabut: 60]. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(۱) قوله : مثل أفئدة الطير : أي في الرقة واللينة والرحمة والصفاء والخلو عن الحسد والحقد والغل والبغضاء ومجمله؛ لكونها خالية من كل ذنب سليمة من كل عيب. قال النووي له : قيل : مثلها في رقتها، كما ورد: «أهل اليمن أرق أفئدة وألين قلوبا. وقيل: في الخوف والهيبة، والطير أكثر الحيوان خوفا وفزعا. قال تعالى: ﴿إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَؤُا ﴾ (فاطر: (۲۸). وقيل: في التوكل كما ورد: لو أنكم تتوكلون على الله حق توكله لرزقكم كما يرزق الطير تغدو خماصا وتروح بطانا». وقد قال تعالى: ﴿وَكَأَيْن مِن دَابَّةٍ لَّا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ﴾ (العنكبوت : ٦٠). كذا في «المرقاة».

(1) His statement: “I will bestow My pleasure upon you, etc.”: The meeting follows from the Lord’s pleasure, which stems from the servant’s contentment with the decree, leading to eternal existence after achieving annihilation. Ibn al-Malik said: The hadith indicates that Allah’s pleasure with the servant surpasses admitting him to Paradise. Al-Tayyibi said: Because when the servant knows his Lord is pleased with him, it is greater in his estimation than all other blessings, and he only enjoys them through His pleasure, while His displeasure diminishes them, no matter how great. Al-Tayyibi also said: The greatest form of honor is seeing Allah, Exalted is He. I say: Perhaps the pleasure is greater, as it encompasses attaining the meeting and all forms of blessings. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(۱) قوله : أحل عليكم رضواني إلخ : ثم اللقاء يترتب على الرضا من الرب المتفرع على الرضا من العبد للقضاء ترتيب البقاء بعد تحقق الفناء. قال ابن الملك الله : في الحديث دلالة على أن رضوان الله تعالى على العبد فوق إدخاله إياه الجنة. وقال الطيبي : لأن العبد إذا علم أن مولاه راض عنه فهو أكبر في نفسه مما وراءه من النعم، وإنما يتهنأ له برضاه، كما ينتقص عليه بسخط، ولم يجد لها لذة وإن عظمت. وقال الطيبي الله وأكبر أصناف الكرامة رؤية الله تعالى. قلت: ولعل الرضوان أكبر لاشتماله على تحصيل اللقاء وسائر أنواع النعماء. كذا في «المرقاة».

(1) His statement: “he wishes and wishes”: The apparent meaning of the repetition is to indicate abundance. Al-Tayyibi said: His statement “is that he is told” is the predicate of “that,” meaning the lowest station of any of you in Paradise is that he attains all his wishes, leaving no wish unfulfilled. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

(۱) قوله: فيتمنى ويتمنى والظاهر أن المراد بالتكرير هو التكثير. قال الطيبي : قوله : أن يقول خبر أن، والمعنى أن أدنى منزلة أحدكم في الجنة أن ينال أمانيه كلها بحيث لا تبقى له أمنية. كذا في «المرقاة».

(1) His statement: “eighty of which are from this nation”: This does not contradict his saying, “I hope you will be half of the people of Paradise,” as it is possible that he initially hoped for that, then was increased and given glad tidings of more from Allah afterward. Al-Tayyibi’s suggestion that the eighty may be equal in number to the forty is unlikely. (As stated in Al-Lama’at)

(۱) قوله: ثمانون منها من هذه الأمة: لا ينافي هذا قوله : أرجو أن تكونوا نصف أهل الجنة» ؛ لأنه يحتمل أن يكون رجاءه ذلك أولا ثم زيدَ وبُشِّرَ من عند الله بالزيادة بعد ذلك، وأما قول الطيبي يحتمل أن يكون الثمانون مساويا في العدد للأربعين فبعيد. كذا في «اللمعات».