What are some of the biggest hassles of life? A lot of people complain about being tired. Not having enough time to enjoy life. Some people wish they had better relationships with others. And others just want it all.
In the next life, we can have it all, and more than we ever dreamed.
Because God made us for Paradise, human beings are naturally attracted to having whatever we want, whenever we want it. Paradise is full of delights, and pleasures that contrast the hardships of this world.
When we consider some of life’s most common drawbacks, we see that God has placed in the Quran descriptions of their opposites.
Here is a list of the things that Paradise holds for us, God willing.
No Poverty
We’ll never experience being poor in Paradise. To be poor means that resources have run out, or are limited. Paradise is limitless.
The food, drink, and fun of Paradise is never-ending. It is eternal, just as we are.
“Dishes and goblets of gold will be passed around them with all that their souls desire and their eyes delight in.” (43:71)
“They will have gardens of lasting bliss graced with flowing streams..” (18: 31)
No Bad Weather
Whether you are a fan of the hot or the cold weather, there are harsh extremes that no one likes in this life. A beautiful, sunny day can get really hot with no shade.
A nice, cool day can become really miserable when a harsh wind blows. In Paradise, the weather is always pleasant. No harsh heat or cold.
“They will sit on couches, feeling neither scorching heat nor biting cold.” (76:13)
No death nor sickness
Death is an unfortunate part of life on this earth. The sickness and death of others causes pain that lasts a while, and after death, the pain of missing them. In Paradise there is neither sickness, nor death.
Messenger Muhammad told us, “(The people in Paradise) will never fall ill, blow their noses or spit.” And he also told us that a call will be made, addressing the people of Paradise:
“Indeed may you be healthy and never be sick again
May you live and never die again,
May you be young and never grow feeble again,
May you enjoy, and never feel sorrow and regret again.”
Sickness and pain in this life can help us get forgiveness for our sins, and serve as a reminder to be grateful for healthy times, or for the sickness to not be worse than it is.
But in the next life, we are forgiven, and the tests of sickness and death have gone with all other earthly discomforts.
No hunger
Even if we’ve always had plenty of food, it is very sad to see that others go hungry. And if we ourselves have been hungry, then we know how bad it feels.
No one should go hungry on this earth, if people are responsible and share the earth’s resources.
There is no greed nor injustice in Paradise. The provision of God in Paradise is limitless and overflowing.
“Here is a picture of the Garden that those mindful of God have been promised: flowing streams and perpetual food and shade. This is the reward that awaits those who are mindful of God…” (13:35)
“This is what you are promised for the Day of Reckoning: Our provision for you will never end.” (38: 53-54)
No fading beauty
As we age we see the changes that bring us farther away from our youth and the beauty we used to enjoy. But in Paradise, everyone is the same age.
Not only do we never decline, we actually increase in beauty and attractiveness!
In a motivating narration from the Messenger Muhammad, we learn the transformation that happens every week in Paradise:
“In Paradise there is a market in which (the inhabitants of Paradise) will come to every Friday. The North wind will blow and scatter fragrances on their faces and on their clothes. This will add to their beauty and their attractiveness. They will then go back to their families after having an added luster to their beauty and their attractiveness. Their families will say to them, ‘By God you have been increased in beauty and loveliness after leaving us,’ and they will say, ‘By God you too have increased in beauty and attractiveness after us.'”
No people problems
Even if we don’t want to, we have to interact with other people. Sometimes that’s pleasant and other times, it’s not.
We endure insults and harm from others, and sometimes we hurt others. Fights break out. Everyone feels bad, even long afterwards. Words can hurt longer than bruises.
But God has told us that no harmful words are spoken in Paradise.
“They will hear no idle or sinful talk there, only clean and wholesome speech.” (56:25-26)
In Paradise there are no hurt feelings, and any bad feelings we had, we forget.
“We shall have removed all ill feeling from their hearts; streams will flow at their feet…” (7:43)
Messenger Muhammad told us that instead, of wasting time talking badly, people will be praising God:
“There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify God, morning and evening.”
Just nothing like it
We can see that Paradise is a beautiful reward for bearing the harms and discomforts of this life. Our hope is that learning about Paradise will motivate us to work harder for it.
All these delights are wonderful, but what is greater than that? We don’t even know. And we can’t imagine.
“No soul knows what joy is kept hidden in store for them, as a reward for what they have done.” (32:17)