Paradise: Its Description and Bliss

All praise is due to Allah — the One who grants the hopeful more than they expect, and gives the one who asks even beyond his request; the Most Gracious to the repentant with His pardon and acceptance. He created man and established for him a dwelling place, and made this worldly life a brief station. Yet he who does not realise the honour of the Hereafter, due to his slumbering heedlessness, settles in this world—only to be taken from it unwillingly before attaining his desire. Neither wealth nor offspring availed him, and he was left broken in retreat. Do you not hear the crows of separation mourning over his ruins?

As for the one granted divine success, he recognised the deception of this world and was not beguiled by its illusions. He raced towards forgiveness from his Lord and to a Paradise whose width is as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messenger.

“Race to forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, in which is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and has never occurred to a human heart.”

Allah the Exalted said, what means:

“The example of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised: beneath it rivers flow, its provision is everlasting, and so is its shade. That is the ultimate outcome for the God-fearing — but the outcome for the disbelievers is the Fire.” [Surah Ar-Raʿd, 13:35]

And He said, what means:

“The example of Paradise, which the God-fearing are promised: in it are rivers of water unpolluted, rivers of milk whose taste does not change, rivers of wine — delightful to drinkers — and rivers of purified honey. In it they will have every kind of fruit, and forgiveness from their Lord. Can they be like those who abide eternally in the Fire and are given boiling water to drink that tears apart their intestines?” [Surah Muhammad, 47:15]

And He said, what means:

“And give glad tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with fruit therein, they will say, ‘This is what we were provided with before,’ and it will be given to them in resemblance. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein forever.”

[Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:25]

And He said, what means:

“Its shade will be close above them, and its fruit clusters will hang low in submission. Vessels of silver and cups will be passed around them — crystal-clear goblets made of silver, perfectly measured. And they will be given a cup whose mixture is of ginger — from a spring therein named Salsabīl. And when you look there, you will see bliss and a great kingdom.” [Surah Al-Insān, 76:14–20]

And He said, what means:

“In an elevated garden, where they will not hear any vain speech. In it is a flowing spring, elevated couches, placed cups, arranged cushions, and spread-out carpets.” [Surah Al-Ghāshiyah, 88:10–16]

And He said:

“They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein will be of silk.”

[Surah Al-Ḥajj, 22:23]

And He said, what means:

“They will wear green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade, and they will be adorned with silver bracelets. And their Lord will give them a pure drink.” [Surah Al-Insān, 76:21]

And He said, what means:

“Reclining on green cushions and fine, beautiful carpets.” [Surah Ar-Raḥmān, 55:76]

And He said, what means:

“Reclining therein on adorned couches; they will see neither sun nor bitter cold.” [Surah Al-Insān, 76:13]

And He said, what means:

“Indeed, the righteous will be in a secure place — in gardens and springs. They will wear fine silk and heavy brocade, facing one another. Thus We will pair them with fair-eyed maidens. They will call therein for every fruit, safe and secure.” [Surah Ad-Dukhān, 44:51–55]

And He said, what means:

“Enter Paradise — you and your spouses — in delight. There will be passed around them plates of gold and cups, and therein is whatever the souls desire and the eyes delight in, and you will abide therein forever. And this is the Paradise you were made to inherit for what you used to do. For you therein is abundant fruit from which you will eat. Indeed, the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally therein.” [Surah Az-Zukhruf, 43:70–74]

And He said, what means:

“Therein are those who lower their gaze, untouched before by any human or jinn — as if they were rubies and coral.” [Surah Ar-Raḥmān, 55:56–58]

And He said, what means:

“Therein are good and beautiful companions — fair maidens sheltered in pavilions.” [Surah Ar-Raḥmān, 55:70–72]

And He said, what means:

“No soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for the eyes — as reward for what they used to do.” [Surah As-Sajdah, 32:17]

And He said, what means:

“For those who do good is the best reward — and even more. Their faces will not be covered with dust or humiliation. They are the companions of Paradise, abiding eternally therein.” [Surah Yūnus, 10:26]

The “best reward” (al-ḥusnā) refers to Paradise — for there is no abode more excellent than it.

Descriptions of Paradise in the Prophetic Sunnah

The Structure and Nature of Paradise

Abū Hurayrah (may Allah raise his rank) reported:

We said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell us about Paradise — what is its construction?”

He replied:

“A brick of gold and a brick of silver, its mortar is musk, its pebbles are pearls and rubies, and its soil is saffron. Whoever enters it will enjoy and never suffer, will live eternally and never die, their clothes will never wear out, and their youth will never fade.”

Narrated by Aḥmad and at-Tirmidhī.

ʿUtbah ibn Ghazwān (may Allah raise his rank) once delivered a sermon, praising Allah and glorifying Him, then said:

“Verily, the world has announced its departure and is turning its back. There remains from it only the residue of a vessel soon to be drained. You are transitioning from it to an abode that will never perish — so go there with the best provisions you have. It has reached us that the two doors of Paradise are so vast that the distance between them is forty years’ travel — and a day will come when they are crowded with throngs.”

Narrated by Muslim.

The Gates of Paradise

Sahl ibn Saʿd (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Paradise has eight gates. Among them is a gate called ‘al-Rayyan’ which none shall enter except those who fast.”

Agreed upon (Bukhārī and Muslim).

Its Incomparable Delight

Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Is there anyone eager for Paradise? Verily, there is nothing like it. By the Lord of the Kaʿbah — it is radiant light, aromatic breeze, lofty palaces, flowing rivers, ripe fruits, beautiful spouses, abundant garments, everlasting comfort, and joy in a serene, noble dwelling — full of fruit, greenery, delight, and grace.”

They said, “O Messenger of Allah, we are indeed eager for it.”

He replied:

“Then say, ‘In shāʾ Allāh.’”

They said, “In shāʾ Allāh.”

Narrated by Ibn Mājah, al-Bayhaqī, and Ibn Ḥibbān in his Ṣaḥīḥ.

Abū Hurayrah (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“In Paradise there are one hundred levels that Allah has prepared for those who strive in His cause. The distance between each level is like that between the sky and the earth. So when you ask Allah, ask Him for al-Firdaus, for it is the highest and best part of Paradise. Above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful, and from it flow the rivers of Paradise.”

Narrated by al-Bukhārī.

The Degrees of the People of Paradise

Abū Saʿīd (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“The people of Paradise will look at those above them as one of you looks at a distant brilliant star in the horizon — east or west — due to the superiority of their ranks.”

They said, “O Messenger of Allah, are those the ranks of the Prophets which none else will attain?”

He replied:

“Rather, by the One in whose hand is my soul, they are men who believed in Allah and affirmed the Messengers.”

Abū Mālik al-Ashʿarī (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Indeed, in Paradise are chambers whose outside is visible from their inside and their inside from their outside. Allah has prepared them for those who feed the hungry, fast regularly, and pray at night while others sleep.”

Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī.

Unique Blessings and Experiences

Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Indeed, the believer in Paradise will have a tent made of a single hollowed pearl — sixty miles high. He will have wives therein whom he visits, but they will not see each other.”

Agreed upon.

In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Abū Hurayrah (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“The first group to enter Paradise will do so like the full moon on a clear night. Those who follow will shine like the brightest star in the sky. They will neither defecate, urinate, spit, nor blow their noses. Their combs will be of gold, their sweat will smell like musk, and their incense burners will burn aloeswood. Their wives are the wide-eyed ḥūr, and their appearance will be in the form of a single man, in the stature of their father Ādam — sixty cubits tall.”

And in another narration:

“There will be no differences among them, nor hatred. Their hearts will be united, and they will glorify Allah morning and evening.”

Jābir (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“The people of Paradise will eat and drink therein, but they will not urinate, defecate, spit, or blow their noses. Their food will exit as a burp and perspiration that smells like musk. They will be inspired to glorify and praise Allah just as they breathe.”

Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad — one of them (in Paradise) will be given the strength of one hundred men in eating, drinking, desire, and intimacy. And his need will exit as musk-scented sweat, and his belly will shrink.”

Narrated by Aḥmad and an-Nasāʾī.

A Glimpse of the Eternal Joy

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“The space of a bow or even the place of a foot in Paradise is better than the world and all it contains. And if a woman from Paradise were to appear to the people of the earth, she would illuminate all that is between them and fill it with fragrance. The veil upon her head is better than the world and all it contains.”

Narrated by al-Bukhārī.

And in another narration from Anas:

“Indeed, in Paradise there is a marketplace to which the people of Paradise will come every Friday. A north wind will blow upon them, scattering fragrance on their faces and clothing, increasing them in beauty. When they return to their families, their spouses will say: ‘By Allah, you have become more beautiful!’ And they will reply: ‘And you, by Allah, have become more beautiful!’”

Narrated by Muslim.

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, a caller will proclaim: ‘Indeed, you will be healthy and never fall ill again. You will live and never die again. You will remain young and never grow old. And you will enjoy and never suffer again.’”

Then he recited:

“And they will be called, ‘This is Paradise, which you have been made to inherit for what you used to do.’”

[Surah al-Aʿrāf, 7:43]

Agreed upon.

Ṣuhayb (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, a caller will proclaim: ‘O people of Paradise! Indeed, your Lord has a promise to fulfil!’

They will say, ‘Has He not already brightened our faces, made our scales heavy, entered us into Paradise, and saved us from Hell?’

Then the veil will be lifted, and they will gaze upon Him — and by Allah, no gift will be more beloved to them than that vision. Nothing will bring more joy to their eyes than looking at their Lord.”

Narrated by Muslim.

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah raise his rank) also reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Allah will say to the people of Paradise: ‘I bestow My eternal pleasure upon you, and I shall never be displeased with you again.’”