Chapter :39 Section: The Width of the Gates of Paradise

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We ask Allah to make us among its people. In the Two Sahihs, it is reported from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, in the lengthy Hadith about intercession (that the Prophet said):

«فَيَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَدْخِلْ مَنْ لَا حِسَابَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ مِنَ الْبَابِ الْأَيْمَنِ، وَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ النَّاسِ فِي الْأَبْوَابِ الأُخَرِ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ إِنَّ مَا بَيْنَ الْمِصْرَاعَيْنِ مِنْ مَصَارِيعِ الْجَنَّةِ مَا بَيْنَ عِضَادَتَيِ الْبَابِ لَكَمَا بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَهَجَرٍ أَوْ هَجَرٍ وَمَكَّةَ وفي رواية مَكَّةَ وَبُصْرَى»

(Allah will say: "O Muhammad, admit those of your Ummah who are not to be brought to account, through the right-hand gate, and they will be counted among those who will enter from other gates as well.'' By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the distance between the two gateposts of the gates of Paradise is like the distance between Makkah and Hajar -- or Hajar and Makkah.)'' According to another report: (between Makkah and Busra.) It was recorded in Sahih Muslim from `Utbah bin Ghazwan that (the Prophet ) gave them a speech in which he told them that the distance between the two gateposts of Paradise was the distance of a forty-year journey, but there would come a day when they would be packed with crowds of people. Allah says,

[وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلَـمٌ عَلَيْكُـمْ طِبْتُمْ]

(and its keepers will say: "Salam `Alaykum (peace be upon you)! You have done well,'') meaning, `your deeds and words were good, and your efforts were good, and your reward is good.' The Messenger of Allah issued commands during some of his military campaigns that it should be shouted out to the Muslims:

«إِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لَا يَدْخُلُهَا إِلَّا نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ وفي رواية مُؤْمِنَة»

(No one enters Paradise except a Muslim soul) or, according to one report, (A believing soul.)'' Allah says,

[فَادْخُلُوهَا خَـلِدِينَ]

(so enter here to abide therein forever.) means, to dwell therein, never seeking any change.

[وَقَـالُواْ الْحَـمْدُ للَّهِ الَّذِى صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهُ]

(And they will say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah Who has fulfilled His promise to us...'') means, when the believers see the great reward and splendors, blessing and grand generosity, they will say,

[الْحَـمْدُ للَّهِ الَّذِى صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهُ]

(All the praises and thanks be to Allah Who has fulfilled His promise to us) meaning, `the promise which He made to us through His Messengers who called us to this in the world.'

[رَبَّنَا وَءَاتِنَا مَا وَعَدتَّنَا عَلَى رُسُلِكَ وَلاَ تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ إِنَّكَ لاَ تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ ]

(Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break (Your) promise)(3:194),

[وَقَالُواْ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِى هَدَانَا لِهَـذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِىَ لَوْلا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ لَقَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ]

(and they will say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has guided us to this, and never could we have found guidance, were it not that Allah had guided us! Indeed, the Messengers of our Lord came with the truth.'') (7:43), and

[وَقَالُواْ الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ الَّذِى أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا الْحَزَنَ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ - الَّذِى أَحَلَّنَا دَارَ الْمُقَامَةِ مِن فَضْلِهِ لاَ يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَلاَ يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا لُغُوبٌ ]

(And they will say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah Who has removed from us (all) grief. Verily, our Lord is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (good deeds). Who, out of His grace, has lodged us in a home that will last forever, where toil will touch us not nor weariness will touch us.'') (35:34-35)

[وَأَوْرَثَنَا الاٌّرْضَ نَتَبَوَّأُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَآءُ فَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَـمِلِينَ]

(and has made us inherit (this) land. We can dwell in Paradise where we will; how excellent a reward for the (pious) workers!) Abu Al-Aliyah, Abu Salih, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said, "This means the land of Paradise.'' This is like the Ayah:

[وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِى الزَّبُورِ مِن بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الاٌّرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ الصَّـلِحُونَ ]

(And indeed We have written in Az-Zabur after Adh-Dhikr that My righteous servants shall inherit the land. ) (21:105) they will say:

[نَتَبَوَّأُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَآءُ]

(We can dwell in Paradise where we will) meaning, `wherever we want, we can settle; how excellent a reward for our efforts.' In the Two Sahihs, it was reported in the story of the Mi`raj which was narrated by Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet said:

«أُدْخِلْتُ الْجَنَّةَ، فَإِذَا فِيهَا جَنَابِذُ اللُّؤْلُؤِ، وَإِذَا تُرَابُهَا الْمِسْك»

(I was admitted into Paradise where I saw that its domes were pearls and its soil was musk.)''

[وَتَرَى الْمَلَـئِكَةَ حَآفِّينَ مِنْ حَوْلِ الْعَرْشِ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَقِيلَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ]

(75. And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne from all round, glorifying the praises of their Lord. And they will be judged with truth. And it will be said, "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exits.'') Allah tells us how He will pass judgement on the people of Paradise and Hell, and put each of them in the place fitting for him and for which he is suited; this is justice from Him and He is never unjust. Then He tells us of His angels who surround His majestic Throne, glorifying the praises of their Lord, extolling and magnifying Him, and declaring Him to be above any shortcomings or injustice whatsoever, for He has passed judgement in the fairest and most just manner. He says:

[وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ]

(And they will be judged) meaning, all of creation.

[بِالْحَقِّ]

(with truth.) Then He says:

[وَقِيلَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ]

(And it will be said, "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exits.'') meaning, all of creation, whether animate or inanimate, will speak words of praise to Allah, the Lord of all that exists, for His wisdom and justice. These words are not attributed to any specific speaker, which indicates that the whole of creation will testify to His praise. Qatadah said, "Allah began His creation with praise, as He said,

[الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ]

(All praises and thanks be to Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth) (6:1). and He ended it with praise, as He says:

[وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَقِيلَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ]

(And they will be judged with truth. And it will be said, "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.'').''


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