Why paradise with rivers and gardens?
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's
Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Wherever paradise is mentioned it is described
as gardens with rivers flowing beneath. Is there a significance to this? I am
very curious to find out why the same description is given every time specially
with the `rivers flowing beneath`.
Thank you.
(There
may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum
does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from
our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)
Answer:
Why paradise with rivers and gardens?
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no
grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 50 Surah
Qaaf verse 35: There they (the men and women of
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah
Furqan verses 15-16: Ask them, “Is this
(the Fire) better, or the everlasting
gardens which have been promised to the God-fearing, righteous people (men and women)?”. That will be the recompense of their good
deeds and the final destination of their journey, wherein, they will get everything they desire, and wherein they will dwell forever. This is a promise which your Lord has taken
upon Himself to fulfill.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.303 Narrated by Abu Huraira
The Prophet (saws) said, "Allah said, 'I
have prepared for My pious worshipers such things as no eye has ever seen, no
ear has ever heard of, and nobody has ever even imagined. All that is reserved and, compared to all
that you have seen is nothing."
The Lord, High and Exalted He is, declares that the
rewards and gifts He has prepared for the righteous in Paradise are absolutely
unimaginable to the human mind, and the fortunate dwellers in Paradise will get
there whatever their hearts might desire!
If one thinks deeply or asks any person that if he had absolutely
no financial or any limitations whatsoever, what would be the condition of his
‘dream’ house; one would reply that he would love a huge palace, surrounded by massive
lush green gardens filled with mature trees and fruits and flowers, and lakes
and rivers and waterfalls in it! It is
in the nature or the ‘hard disc’ of man that he loves lush greenery and water;
and that is exactly what the Lord Most Bounteous has promised in simple terms
to His righteous believing slaves in the Realms of the Hereafter.
It is not that the fortunate dwellers of
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah
Zumar verse 20: But it is for those who fear their Lord
that lofty mansions one above another have been built: beneath them flow rivers
(of delight): (such is) the promise of Allah: never doth Allah fail in (His)
promise.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah
Hajj verse 23: Allah will admit those who believe and
work righteous deeds to Gardens beneath which rivers flow: they shall be
adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their garments there
will be of silk.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 31: For them will be Gardens of Eternity;
beneath them rivers will flow; they will be adorned therein with bracelets of
gold and they will wear green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade; they
will recline therein on raised thrones.
How good the recompense! How beautiful a couch to recline on!
May Allah Subhanah have mercy
upon you and us, forgive you and us our sins, and guide us to do deeds that
will enable us tread the Path that reaches His Mercy and His Grace. Ameen.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your Brother in Islam,
Burhan
Wister