Within Islamic teachings, the descriptions of Paradise (Jannah) often highlight lush gardens brimming with magnificent trees and abundant fruits. These narrations from Hadith and the Qur’an provide believers with a glimpse of the boundless bounties that Allah, the Most Merciful, has prepared for the righteous. Below are several prophetic narrations and scholarly reports illustrating the grandeur of Jannah’s vegetation, their unparalleled fruits, and how they compare—albeit incomparably—to the produce of this world.
1. “No Eye Has Seen, No Ear Has Heard…”
“I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever conceived. If you wish, recite:{No soul knows what delights of the eye are kept hidden for them} (Qur’an 32:17).
He (peace be upon him) further mentioned:
“In Paradise, there is a tree under whose shade a rider could travel for one hundred years and still not cross it. If you wish, recite:{And extended shade} (Qur’an 56:30).And a spot equal to a whip’s length in Paradise is better than the whole world and all it contains. If you wish, recite:{And whoever is removed from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained success, for the life of this world is but the enjoyment of deception} (Qur’an 3:185).”
Key Reflection: This narration underscores the vastness of Jannah. Even the smallest space in Paradise surpasses every luxury in this world.
2. The Immense Shade of the Eternal Tree
Another narration from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah raise his rank) states:
“Indeed, in Paradise there is a tree under whose shade a rider would travel for seventy—or a hundred—years, and it is called the ‘Tree of Eternity.’”
It was also reported that when these verses about the shade of Paradise were mentioned, Ka‘b (a learned Companion who knew earlier scriptures) affirmed:
“By the One who revealed the Torah to Musa (Moses) and the Furqan (the Qur’an) to Muhammad (peace be upon him), if a man were to ride around the trunk of that tree on a strong mount, he would not fully encircle it before growing old and weary.”
Key Reflection: Such descriptions highlight the magnificence of Jannah’s vegetation, far beyond human comprehension or any earthly parallel.
3. Sidrat al-Muntaha: The Lote Tree at the Utmost Boundary
“A rider travels for a hundred years under the shade of one of its branches—or a hundred riders could rest under it. … Its (leaves) are like golden moths, and its fruits are like large water jars (Qilal).”
Reported by Anas (may Allah raise his rank), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said when he was taken to the seventh heaven:
“When Sidrat al-Muntaha was raised before me, I saw its fruits resembling the great jars of Hajar (a well-known place) and its leaves as large as elephant ears. Two hidden rivers and two visible rivers flowed from its trunk. I asked, ‘O Jibreel (Gabriel), what are these rivers?’ He replied, ‘The hidden ones are in Paradise; the visible ones are the Nile and the Euphrates (in the earthly realm).’”
Another narration from Malik ibn Sa‘sa‘ah regarding the Night Journey (Al-Isra’ wal-Mi‘raj) reiterates:
“The fruit of Sidrat al-Muntaha is like great jars, and its leaves resemble the ears of elephants. At its base flowed four rivers—two concealed, two apparent.”
4. The Thornless Lote Tree (Sidr)
It was related that a Bedouin once asked the Prophet (peace be upon him):
“Allah mentions a harmful tree in the Qur’an, and I did not expect any harmful tree to be in Paradise.”He was referring to Sidr (lote trees), which have thorns.The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained that in Paradise it becomes {Sidr Makhdud} (Qur’an 56:28), meaning its thorns are removed and replaced with fruits. Each fruit splits into seventy-two different types, each distinct from the other in appearance and taste. (Another narration mentions the term “tamr,” or date-like fruits.)
Key Reflection: The removal of thorns illustrates how Paradise contains nothing harmful—only perfected blessings prepared by the Most Merciful.
5. Tuba: A Marvelous Tree in Jannah
Narrated by ‘Utbah ibn ‘Abd as-Sulami (through Yahyā ibn Abī Kathīr):
A Bedouin asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) whether there were fruits in Paradise. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned a tree known as Tuba. The Bedouin inquired if it resembled any tree on earth. The Prophet (peace be upon him) compared it to a giant walnut tree in the Levant (Syria) region—tall and expansive. He noted that if a young camel were to circle its base, it would wear itself out from age before completing a full circuit.
When asked about grapes, the Prophet (peace be upon him) confirmed their presence. He described a cluster so large that a crow flying for a month would neither find its end nor rest. One single grape was said to be sufficient for a man, his family, and even his tribe.
6. Grapes of Paradise and the Prophet’s Attempt
Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah raise his rank) in Sahih Muslim regarding the solar eclipse prayer:
The Companions said, “O Messenger of Allah, we saw you stretching out your hand as if to take something, then we saw you step back.”He (peace be upon him) replied, “I saw Paradise, and I reached for a cluster of its grapes. Had I taken it, you would have eaten from it for as long as the world remains.”
7. Palm Trees, Rivers, and Ever-Renewing Fruits
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- Ibn Mubarak narrated (from Al-Mas‘udi, from ‘Amr ibn Murrah, from Abu ‘Ubaydah) that the date palms of Jannah bear fruit in neatly arranged clusters all the way from their base to their crown. Each fruit, once plucked, is instantly replaced, and the water in Paradise flows without carved channels. A single bunch of grapes could span twelve arms’ lengths.
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- Shahr ibn Hawshab, reporting from Abu Umamah al-Bahili (may Allah raise his rank), recounted that Tuba is a tree in Paradise whose branches reach every dwelling in Jannah, housing every beautiful bird and every fruit imaginable.
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Imam Malik (as quoted by Al-Khatib) remarked that bananas in this world best resemble the fruit of Paradise because:{Its fruit is perpetual, and so is its shade} (Qur’an 13:35),and bananas, unlike many other fruits, are available across both winter and summer.
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Conclusion: A Glimpse into the Gardens of Eternity
These Hadith narrations and scholarly discussions paint an awe-inspiring portrait of the Trees and Fruits of Paradise. Whether it is the Sidrat al-Muntaha, the thornless Lote Tree, or the bountiful clusters of grapes from the Tuba tree, each account reaffirms the boundless mercy of Allah.
