The best thing that people of Paradise will be given is the pleasure of Allah and to see His holy and noble face.
Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Allah will say to the people of Paradise: ‘O people of Paradise!’ They will say, ‘We are at Your worship our Lord, and all goodness is in Your hand.’ He will say, ‘ Are you content?’ They will say, ‘why should we not be content, O Lord, when You have given us what You have not given anyone else of Your creation?’ He will say, ‘Shall I not give you better than that?’ They will say, O Lord, what could be better than that?’ He will say, ‘I grant you My pleasure and I will never be displeased with you after that.’” (Bukhari and Muslim)
The greatest joy will be to gaze upon the face of Allah, the Exalted, in gardens of delight (paradise). Ibn al-Atheer said: “Seeing Allah is the ultimate joy
in the Hereafter, the most precious gift of Allah. May Allah help us reach that goal” (Jaami’ al-Usool)
Allah (swt) confirms that His slaves will see their Lord in Paradise: “Some faces that Day will be shining and radiant, looking at their Lord.” (Qur’an 75: 22-23). The disbelievers and the polytheists will be denied that great joy and honour: Allah (swt) said:” Nay, surely they (evildoers) will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day.” (Qur’an 83: 15)
Muslim and Tirmidhi reported from Suhayb ar-Roomi (ra) that the Messenger of Allah said: “When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah will say: ‘Do you want anything more?’ They will say,’ Have You not made our faces white? Have You not admitted us to Paradise and saved us from the Fire?’ Then the veil will be lifted, and they will never have been given anything more dearly to them than looking at their Lord, may He be blessed and exalted.”
Bukhari and Muslim reported from Abu Musa al-Ash’ary (ra) that the Messenger of Allah said: "The believer in Paradise will have a tent from a single hollowed-out pearl, the width of which will be sixty miles. In each corner of it he will have a wife, whom no one else will see, and he will visit each of them in turn. And he will have two gardens of silver, their vessels and everything in them, and two gardens of gold, their vessels and everything in them, and there will be nothing between them and their seeing their Lord but the veil of pride over His face in the Paradise of Eden.”
Seeing the face of Allah is part of the “more”, over and above the blessings of the Paradise which Allah (swt) has promised to those who have done good:”
There they will have all that they desire. And We have more (for them, i.e. a glance at the All-Mighty, All-Majestic).” (Qur’an 50: 35). And Allah (swt)
further said:” For those who have done well is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the countenance of
Allah).” (Qur’an 10: 26)
“The best” (Al-husna) is interpreted as meaning Paradise and “More” (Al-ziyadah) is interpreted as meaning seeing the face of Allah. This supported by
the hadith narrated by Muslim, which we have quoted above.
Seeing Allah, the Exalted, is something that will take place in the literal sense, contrary to the false claims of those whose flawed reasoning has seriously misinterpreted the meaning of the texts and who deny that the believer will see Allah. Imam Malik ibn Anas, the Imam of Al-Madinah, was asked about the verse: “Looking at their Lord.” (Qur’an 75: 23), because some people had said that it meant, the people would be waiting for their reward. Malik said: “They have lied, for how then would they interpret the verse: “Nay! Surely they (evildoers) will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day.” (Qur’an 83: 15)? The people will look at Allah on the Day of Resurrection with their own eyes. If the believers are not going to see their Lord on the Day of Resurrection why did Allah say that
the kuffar would be veiled from seeing Him? For He said: “Nay! Surely they (evildoers) will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day.” (Qur’an 83:15). It is reported in Sharh as-Sunnah.
(Prepared by Umar S. Al-Ashqar)
