Wednesday 4 January 2012

Will the Muslim see whoever he wants of the women of Paradise?

If a Muslim is one of the people of Paradise, will he be able to see the females companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in Paradise if he reaches their status? And will he be able to see righteous women such as Rabia al-‘Adawiyyah and other believing women? May Allaah reward you with good.

Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly: 
In Paradise, there will be no evil looks or sickness of the heart such that men in Paradise will seek women other than his own womenfolk. And women will not seek men whom they knew in this world. Paradise is the place where Allaah honours people and there is no evil there, and no haraam desires or wishes.  
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first group to enter Paradise will look like the moon when it is full. They will not spit or blow their noses or defecate therein. Their vessels and combs will be of gold and silver, their incense burners will be of aloeswood and their sweat will be musk. Each of them will have two wives, the marrow of whose calves will be visible from beneath the flesh because of their beauty. There will be no dissent or enmity among them and their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify Allaah morning and evening.” 
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3073) and Muslim (2834). 
According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari: “they will not envy one another.” 
Secondly: 
One of the blessings of Paradise for men is that Allaah will bestow upon them wives whose love and gaze will be only for them, and he will not see anyone who is better than them, and he will not desire anyone else. 
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“And beside them will be Qaasiraat‑at‑Tarf [chaste females (wives), restraining their glances (desiring none except their husbands)]”
[al-Saaffaat 37:48]. 
Imam al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 
Allaah, may He be exalted, says: With these sincere slaves of Allaah in Paradise will be qaasiraat al-tarf (chaste females restraining their glances), who will be wives who lower their gaze and refrain from looking at anyone other than their husbands, and will not desire anyone but them, and they will not look at anyone but them. 
Tafseer al-Tabari (21/41). 
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “And beside them will be Qaasiraat‑at‑Tarf [chaste females (wives), restraining their glances” means: With the people of the abode of bliss in their places will be al-hoor al-‘iyn, perfect in appearance and restraining their glances. Either they will restrain their glances by looking at no one but their husbands, because they will be chaste and have no desire  for anyone else, and because their husbands will be so handsome and perfect that they will not seek or desire anyone else in Paradise, or because they will be so beautiful that their husbands will look only at them. This is indicative of their perfect beauty which will make their husbands restrain their glances and look only at them. Restraining the glance also indicates that his love will be restricted only to her. Both meanings are possible and both are valid. All of this indicates that the men and women in Paradise will be beautiful and will love one another, a love that does not desire anyone else. They will all be extremely chaste and there will be no envy or hatred there, because the causes of that will not exist. 
Tafseer al-Sa’di (p. 702) 
The apparent meaning of the verses “And beside them will be Qaasiraat‑at‑Tarf [chaste females (wives), restraining their glances (desiring none except their husbands)]” [al-Saaffaat 37:48] and “And beside them will be Qaasiraat‑at‑Tarf [chaste females (wives) restraining their glances (desiring none except their husbands)], (and) of equal ages” [Saad 38:52] is both al-hoor al-‘iyn and the women of this world who enter Paradise. What is meant by ‘iyn is wide-eyed and what is meant by “of equal ages” is of the same age. 
Thirdly: 
No woman will be unmarried in Paradise. Every woman will have a husband, and there will be no single people in Paradise.  
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “…there will be no one in Paradise who is unmarried.” Narrated by Muslim (2834).  
Fourthly: 
With regard to this specific issue, it seems from the texts that women will live with their husbands and children in their own realms in Paradise, and a woman will be content with her husband and have no need to see other people, as stated above. There is no text to suggest that she will see non-mahrams there, or that the righteous men will see righteous, worshipping believing women in Paradise. 
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (may Allaah preserve him) said: 
There is no way to know matters of the unseen except by information from the infallible one (i.e., the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)), because matters of the unseen cannot be known by reasoning and thinking. Information about Paradise is one of the matters of the unseen that are hidden, and we must adhere to what has been stated in the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah. We must believe in Paradise and what Allaah has told us of the various delights therein, whilst remembering that its realities are known only to Allaah. There is nothing in the texts to say that a man will meet the wives of others, and there is nothing to confirm or deny the seeing asked about here. We cannot say that a person will be able to see the Mothers of the Believers or that it is not possible; rather we must refrain from thinking about that or indulging in discussion of it, for it is superfluous and is not something that it is prescribed to pray for or wish for. But what is indicated by the Qur'aan is that the believers will meet and sit facing one another on thrones, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“A multitude of those (foremost) will be from the first generations (who embraced Islam).
14. And a few of those (foremost) will be from the later generations.
15. (They will be) on thrones woven with gold and precious stones.
16. Reclining thereon, face to face”
[al-Waaqi’ah 56:13-16] 
“And We shall remove from their hearts any deep feeling of bitterness (that they may have). (So they will be like) brothers facing each other on thrones”
[al-Hijr 15:47] 
We should not indulge in discussion of matters of the unseen without knowledge, rather if such a question comes up, we should answer by saying Allaah knows best, and the questioner should be told not to indulge in such topics, because there is no benefit in that. 
“And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do not, or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by Allaah)”
[al-Isra’ 17:36] 
“They (angels) said: Glory is to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise”
[al-Baqarah 2:32] 
We ask Allaah to guide us to the Straight Path and to make us all people of Paradise. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon His slave and Messenger Muhammad and upon his family and companions. 
Quoted from Islam Today website. 
And Allaah knows best.

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