Why rewards of paradise are frowned upon earth?
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:
The Holy Quran says "those
who have followed the right path will be entering the heaven and they will have
virgins and Sharab for their pleasure"
If Sex and
intoxications are rewards, how come it is frowned upon in this life?
(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 rewards of paradise are
frowned upon earth?
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.
Your Statement: The Holy Quran says "those who have followed the right path
will be entering the heaven and they will have virgins and Sharab
for their pleasure"
Beloved
brother in Islam, one must be careful to quote the exact verbatim what is
stated in the Glorious Quran. The above quote which you have quoted is
definitely not a translation from the Holy Quran!
Here are
a few quotations regarding the subject in the Glorious Quran:
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 55 Surah Rahmaan verses 56-57:
56 In them (
57 Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny?
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 56 Surah Waqiah verses 10-24:
10 And those Foremost (in Faith) will be
Foremost (in the Hereafter).
11 These will be those Nearest to Allah:
12 In Gardens of Bliss:
13 A number of people from those of old
14 And a few from those of later times.
15 (They will be) on Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones).
16 Reclining on them facing each other.
17 Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness).
18 With goblets (shining) beakers and cups (filled) out of
clear-flowing fountains:
19 No after-ache will they receive therefrom,
nor will they suffer intoxication:
20 And with fruits any that they may select;
21 And the flesh of fowls any that they may desire.
22 And (there will be) Companions with beautiful big and lustrous
eyes--
23 Like unto Pearls well-guarded.
24 A Reward for the Deeds of their past (Life).
Your Question: If Sex and
intoxications are rewards, how come it is frowned upon in this life?
Beloved
brother in Islam, neither sex nor drinks are frowned upon in Islam in the life
of this world! Allah Subhanah,
Who created us and our nature, has recognized these two as natural needs and
necessities in the life of this world; and both sex, and drinks are deemed halaal in Islam, provided the guidelines and boundaries
laid down by Allah and His Messenger (saws) are followed.
Islam not
only considers it legal, but has encouraged the believers to enjoy sexual and
conjugal relations with one’s legally wedded wife, and made it a means of
earning great reward from Allah Subhanah.
Narrated Abu Dharr al Ghaffari that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “there is
a reward for you, [even] in sex with your wife.” He asked: "O Messenger of
Allah (saws) is there a reward if one satisfies his passion?" He (saws)
said: "Do you know that if he satisfies it unlawfully he has taken a sin
upon himself? Likewise, if he satisfies
it lawfully, he is rewarded."
Related by Muslim.
Similarly,
every legal morsel of food or drink a believer consumes, and is grateful to
Allah Subhanah for His Bounty, he will earn a reward
from Allah Subhanah for consuming what Allah has
Declared halaal, and abstaining from that which He
has Declared haraam.
Thus it
is not as if sex or drinks are frowned upon in the life of this world in Islam;
but what is frowned upon is if one transgresses the boundaries of Allah and His
Messenger (saws) and indulges in the forbidden; be it sex or be it drinks! Sex outside of marriage is strictly forbidden
to the believers, and so are drinks or substances which intoxicate.
Even in
the life of the Hereafter, Allah has promised as some of the rewards to the
fortunate residents of
A simple
example will explain the point in question:
Islam and indeed the world has made it legal for one to earn wealth as
much as one possibly can; but the world and indeed Islam has forbidden one to
take the path of deceit, theft, burglary, dishonesty, etc. to earn his
wealth! One who earns wealth in a
dishonest way will be deemed a criminal in this world and in the
Hereafter!
Just as
the worldly society has recognized that the path of deceit, theft, burglary,
etc. in earning one’s wealth in this world is illegal and forbidden for it
would create chaos and disorder; the All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord has Declared
that illegal sex and the consumption of intoxicants would create disharmony and
disorder in this world; and has thus declared these forbidden and haraam for those who believe and submit their wills to
Him.
Thus it
would be absolutely incorrect to say that sex and drinks are frowned upon in
Islam in the life of this world; what is forbidden is only illegal sex out of
marriage and intoxicating drinks! Legal
sex and drinks, which do not intoxicate, are absolutely legal for the believers
in Islam.
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,
Wister