Surah At Tawbah Tafseer

Good News for the Believers of Eternal Delight

Allah tells;

وَعَدَ اللّهُ الْمُوْمِنِينَ وَالْمُوْمِنَاتِ

Allah has promised the believers -- men and women, --

Allah describes the joys and eternal delight He has prepared for the believers, men and women in,

جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الَانْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا

Gardens under which rivers flow to dwell therein forever, (for eternity),

وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً

فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ

and beautiful mansions,

built beautifully in good surroundings.

In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abu Musa, Abdullah bin Qays Al-Ashari said that the Messenger of Allah said,

جَنَّتَانِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ انِيَتُهُمَا وَمَا فِيهِمَا وَجَنَّتَانِ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ انِيَتُهُمَا وَمَا فِيهِمَا

وَمَا بَيْنَ الْقَوْمِ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَنْظُرُوا إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ إِلاَّ رِدَاءُ الْكِبْرِيَاءِ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فِي جَنَّةِ عَدْن

Two gardens, their pots and whatever is in them are made of gold, and two gardens, their pots and whatever is in them are made of silver.

Only the Veil of Pride of Allah's Face separates the people from gazing at Him, in the garden of Eden.

He also narrated that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ لِلْمُوْمِنِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَخَيْمَةً مِنْ لُوْلُوَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ مُجَوَّفَةٍ طُولُهَا سِتُّونَ مِيلً فِي السَّمَاءِ لِلْمُوْمِنِ فِيهَا أَهْلُونَ يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرَى بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا

For the believer in Paradise there is a tent like a hollow pearl which is sixty miles high in the sky, and in the tent the believer will have (so large) a family that he visits them all and some of them would not be able to see the others.

The Two Sahihs collected this Hadith.

It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَنْ امَنَ بِاللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَةَ وَصَامَ رَمَضَانَ فَإِنَّ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ هَاجَرَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ أَوْ جَلَسَ فِي أَرْضِهِ الَّتِي وُلِدَ فِيهَا

Whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger, offers prayer perfectly and fasts the month of Ramadan, will rightfully be granted Paradise by Allah, no matter whether he emigrates in Allah's cause, or remains in the land where he is born.

The people said, "O Allah's Messenger! Shall we acquaint the people with this good news"

He said,

إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِايَةَ دَرَجَةٍ أَعَدَّهَا اللهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ بَيْنَ كُلِّ دَرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالاَْرْضِ فَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللهَ فَاسْأَلُوهُ الْفِرْدَوْسَ فَإِنَّهُ أَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَأَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ وَمِنْهُ تَفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّةِ وَفَوْقَهُ عَرْشُ الرَّحْمَن

Paradise has one-hundred grades which Allah has prepared for the Mujahidin who fight in His cause, the distance between each two grades is like the distance between the heaven and the earth. So, when you ask Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaws which is the best and highest part of Paradise, from it gush forth the rivers of Paradise and above it is the `Arsh (Throne) of the Beneficent.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِذَا صَلَّيْتُمْ عَلَيَّ فَسَلُوا اللهَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَة

If you invoke Allah for Salah (blessings) on me, then also invoke Him to grant me Al-Wasilah.

He was asked, "What is Al-Wasilah, O Allah's Messenger!"

He said,

أَعْلَى دَرَجَةٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَا يَنَالُهَا إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ وَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنَا هُو

The highest grade in Paradise, it will be for only one man, and I hope I am that man.

The Musnad contains a Hadith from Sa`d bin Mujahid At-Ta'i, that Abu Al-Mudillah said, that Abu Hurayrah said,

"We said, `O Allah's Messenger! Talk to us about Paradise, what is it built of?'

He said,

لِبَنَةُ ذَهَبٍ وَلِبَنَةُ فِضَّةٍ وَمِلَطُهَا الْمِسْكُ وَحَصْبَاوُهَا اللُّوْلُوُ وَالْيَاقُوتُ وَتُرَابُهَا الزَّعْفَرَانُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُهَا يَنْعَمُ لَا يَبْأَسُ وَيَخْلُدُ لَايَمُوتُ لَا تَبْلَى ثِيَابُهُ وَلَا يَفْنَى شَبَابُه

A brick of gold and a brick of silver. Its mortar is from musk, its gravel is pearls and rubies. Its sand is saffron. Whoever enters it will enjoy the delights, will never be hopeless, and will live forever and will not die. His clothes will never decay nor will his youth ever end."

Allah said next,

وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ أَكْبَرُ

But the greatest bliss is the good pleasure of Allah,

meaning, Allah's pleasure is more grand, greater and better than the delight the believers will be enjoying (in Paradise).

Imam Malik narrated, that Zayd bin Aslam said that `Ata' bin Yasar said that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ لاَِهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ

Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, will say to the people of Paradise, `O residents of Paradise!'

فَيَقُولُونَ لَبَّيْكَ رَبَّنَا وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ فِي يَدَيْكَ

They will say, `Labbayka (here we are!), our Lord, and Sa`dayk (we are happy at your service!) and all the good is in Your Hand.'

فَيَقُولُ هَلْ رَضِيتُمْ

He will ask them, `Are you pleased?'

فَيَقُولُونَ وَمَا لَنَا لَا نَرْضَى يَا رَبِّ وَقَدْ أَعْطَيْتَنَا مَا لَمْ تُعْطِ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ

They will say, `Why would not we be pleased, O Lord, while You have given us what You have not given any other of your creation!'

فَيَقُولُ أَلَا أُعْطِيكُمْ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ

He will say, `Should I give you what is better than all this?'

فَيَقُولُونَ يَا رَبِّ وَأَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ

They will say, `O Lord! What is better than all this!'

فَيَقُولُ أُحِلُّ عَلَيْكُمْ رِضْوَانِي فَلَ أَسْخَطُ عَلَيْكُمْ بَعْدَهُ أَبَدًا

He will say, `I will grant you My pleasure and will never afterwards be angry with you.'

The Two Sahihs collected the Hadith of Malik.

And,

ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

That is the supreme success