The meeting with Allah S.W.

Verily Allah loves to meet His righteous slaves and He (Glorified and Exalted is
He) has called upon the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians) to fulfill
their Deen by accepting Muhammad (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) and
to meet Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) under good terms. However they have
breached their agreement with Allah so the curse of Allah be upon them.
(see Qur’an 5: 12- 15).
The righteous and God -Fearing among mankind love to meet Allah and are
eager to return to Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) with their book of records
proudly on their right. For there is only One Creator, who is the Supreme Judge of
all the worlds, the god not of man-made conceptions but the perfect and highly
praised Allah Who created the universe and the Prophets and Messengers and
then made Islam as His (Glorified and Exalted is He) final and perfected source of
guidance. In fact Islam was decreed by Allah before the existence of time (and
Allah knows better) that is why in the glorious Qur’an Allah calls the people of
the scripture (Jews and Christians) to accept the final revelation from the Prophet
Muhammad (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him). The Torah, Psalms and the
Bible were only valid during the time Allah had ordained and also because it was
prescribed to a certain group of people, while the Qur’an is valid until the Day of
Resurrection and was not sent to one nation or group of people, the Qur’an is
applicable to everybody in the world.

Imam Ibn Al Qayim has said: “and if you ask about the Day of increase in reward,
and the visit of the All Mighty, All Praiseworthy, and the sight of His Face- free
from any resemblance or likeness to anything. The narration was traced back to
the Prophet (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) :” and so it shall occur,
listen on the day that the caller will call: ‘O people of Paradise! your Lord has
requested you to visit Him, so rush to visit Him.’ So they will say: ‘we hear and
we obey,’ until when they hasten to their appointed places, to finally reach the
wide valley where they will all meet, and none of them will turn down the request
of the caller – The Lord – Blessed and Exalted – will order His Chair to be bought
there, then pulpits of light will emerge as well as pulpits of pearls, pulpits of
gemstones, pulpits of gold and pulpits of silver. The lowest of them in rank will sit
on sheets of musk and will not see what those who are on the chairs above them
are given, when they are comfortable where they are sitting and secure in their
places, and the caller calls: ‘O people of Paradise! you have an appointment with
Allah in which He wishes to reward you,’ so they will say: ‘and what is that
reward? Has He not already made our faces bright, made our scales heavy and
entered us into Paradise and pushed us away from the Fire?’ And when they are
like that all of a sudden a light shines that encompasses all of Paradise. So they
raise their heads, and, behold, the Compeller – Exalted is He and Holy are His
Names has come to them from above them and majestified them and said: ‘O
people of Paradise! peace be upon you.’ So this greeting will not be responded to
with anything better than: ‘O Allah You are Peace and from You is peace, blessed
are You O possessor of Majesty and honour’. So the Lord – Blessed and Exalted
will laugh to them and say: ‘O people of Paradise! where are those who used to
obey Me without having ever seen Me? this is the Day of increase.’ So they will
all give the same response: ‘we are pleased so be pleased with us.’ So He will
say: ‘O people of Paradise if I were not pleased with you, I would not made you
inhabitants of My Paradise. So ask of Me.’ They will all give the same response:
‘show us Your Face so that we may look at it.’ So the Lord – Mighty and Majestic,
will remove His Covering and will majestify them and will cover them with His
Light, which if Allah – The Exalted, had not willed not to burn them would have
burned them. And there will not remain a single person in this gathering except
that His Lord – The Exalted, will speak to him and say: ‘do you remember the day
that you did this and that?’ and He will remind him of some of his bad deeds in
the worldly life, then the individual will say: ‘O Lord will You not forgive me?’ so
He will say: ‘of course! you have not reached this position of yours [in Paradise]
except by My Forgiveness.’

SubhanAllah! how sweet is this speech to the ears and how cooled are the
righteous’ eyes by the glance at His Noble Face in the Hereafter.

“Some faces that Day will be shining and radiant looking at their Lord.”
Qur’an 75: 22-23

Description of Paradise :
The recompense for the muttaqeen shall be Paradise with silk garments because
they were patient. Reclining on raised thrones, they will see neither the
excessive heat of the sun, nor the excessive bitter cold (as in Paradise there is
no sun and no moon). The shade will be close and bunches of fruit will hang low
within their reach. Vessels of silver and cups of crystal will be passed around
amongst them, crystal-clear, made of silver. They will determine the measure of
them according to their wishes. They will be given a cup (of wine) mixed with
Zanjabeel (ginger), and a fountain called Salsabeel. Around them will (serve)
boys of perpetual youth. If you see them, you would think they are scattered
pearls. When you look there (in Paradise) you will see a delight (that cannot be
imagined), and a Great Dominion. Their garments will be of fine green silk and
gold embroidery. They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will
give them a pure drink. And it will be said to them ‘verily this is a reward for you
and your endeavor has been accepted.’
Qur’an 76:12-22

The description of Paradise is that it is what pair of eyes hasn’t seen, what ears
haven’t heard and what has not crossed the heart of a human. Its ground and its
soil are musk and saffron and its roof is with-thrown with the Most Merciful, its
rocks are pearls and jewels, its buildings are made with bricks of gold and silver,
it doesn’t contain a single tree except that its trunk is of gold and silver, its fruits
are softer then butter and sweeter then honey, its leaves are softer then the
softest cloth, the rivers are milk whose taste doesn’t change, and wine that is
delicious for the one who drinks it, rivers of honey that is pure and rivers of water
that is fresh, its fruits are from wherever one will chose and meat of whatever
bird you desire, the drinking cups are crystal clear, made from gold and silver
laid out on the highest of its levels, the faces of its inhabitants are like of the
moon and they are young [33 years old] in the image of Adam, the father of
humanity. There are rivers of water the taste and smell of which are not
changed, rivers of milk of which the taste never changes, rivers of wine delicious
to those who drink, and rivers of clarified honey [clear and pure] therein for them
is every kind of fruit, and forgiveness from their Lord. [Are these] like those who
shall dwell forever in the Fire and be given to drink boiling water so that it cuts
up their bowels.”
Qur’an 47: 15
And those foremost (In Tawheed and obedience to Allah and His Messenger in
this life) will be foremost (in Paradise). They will be those nearest to Allah in the
Gardens of Delight. A multitude of those (the foremost) will be from the first
generation (who embraced Islam) and a few of those (the foremost) will be from
the later (generations). They will be reclining, face to face, on thrones woven
with gold and precious stones. They will be served by immortal boys, with cups
and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine, from which they will have neither
any headache, nor any intoxication. They will have fruit from which they may
choose, and the flesh of fowls that they desire. There will be Hur (fair females)
with wide, lovely eyes (as wives for the muttaqeen), like preserved pearls, a
reward for deeds that they used to do. They will hear no vain or sinful speech
(like backbiting, etc.) but only the saying of: ‘Salam, Salam’ (greetings of peace).
And those on the Right Hand. Who will be those on the Right Hand? They will be
among thorn-less lote-trees among Talh (banana trees) with fruits piled one
above another, in long-extended shade, by constantly flowing water, and fruit in
plenty, whose season is not limited, and their supply will not be cut off. They will
be on couches or thrones raised high. Verily, We have created for them
(maidens) of equal age, loving (their husbands only) for those on the Right
Hand."
Qur’an 56: 10-38

Verily, the dwellers of Paradise that Day, will be busy in joyful things. They and
their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones. They will have therein
fruits (of all kinds), and all that they will ask for. It will be said to them :
"Salamun" (Peace be on you), a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful."

Qur’an 36:55-58

For those who disbelieve in the meeting of Allah:

On the Day of which they used to doubt (the Day of Judgment) all repentance will
not be accepted, even if they wanted to ransom themselves with all their wealth,
their properties and all their worldly possessions it would not benefit them on
this Day. Allah is severe in punishment– for those that associate things with Him,
no one can be saved from His punishment besides the help of Allah Himself.
Allah is the most equitable in His decree that no soul will enter the Hell-Fire until
they themselves are certain that they deserve to be there because Allah is not
an oppressor. He will call His slaves one by one to question what is in their
hearts and they will read their records, as they do so they believe that they will
surely enter Paradise until they read the crimes they have committed against
Allah and these crimes will be forced to be revealed- their mouth will be sealed
and their limbs will be made to bear witness to the crimes that they committed.
The soul will then blame family members and friends- even Allah the All-Wise will
suggest “perhaps it was shaytaan” and they will blame shaytaan for leading
them astray.
Qur’an 7: 172

Imagine being skinned alive slowly and excruciatingly, the unbearable pain, the
crimson blood pouring forth. Think of how one will sound screeching in agony
and pleading for mercy but the punishment will not end nor will it be lightened as
Allah will burn all of the hypocrites, the polytheists and the disobedient until the
flesh and bones of the inhabitants of the Hell-Fire will completely burn. Then
Allah will renew the body so they can feel the severe punishment again and
again and Allah will not show any of the disbelievers His Mercy, for the Mercy of
Allah are only deserving for those that sincerely worked for it.

“Those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allah], for them will be the Fire of Hell.
Neither will it have a complete killing effect on them so that they die; nor shall
its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!"
Qur’an 35: 36

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace
and mercy of Allah be upon him) said: “the [Hell] Fire is surrounded by all kinds
of desires and passions, while Paradise is surrounded by all kinds of disliked
undesirable things.”[Bukhari] Thus one’s excessive desires and animalistic passions
lead to the Fire while self control, perseverance, chastity and all other virtues
along with the obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and mercy of Allah
be upon him) lead to Paradise. What leads to Hell-Fire is easy to do while what
leads to Paradise is difficult to do. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him)
related that the Prophet (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) said: “none will
enter Paradise except that he will be shown the place that he would have
occupied in Hell-Fire if he had been evil–so that he will be more thankful; each
one of those who enter Hell-Fire will be shown the place that he would have
occupied in Paradise if he had been good–so that he will increase in regret.”
[Narrated by, Bukhari]

The description of Hell-Fire:

Jahanam is a reality as Allah has warned mankind in His glorious Qur’an:

“and fear the Fire which is prepared for the disbelievers.”

Qur’an3: 131

“O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is
men and stones, over which are [appointed] Angels, stern and severe, and who
do not disobey Allah in what He orders them and who do precisely what they are
commanded.”
Qur’an 66: 6

The description of Jahanam (Hell-Fire) is clearly beyond the realm of this world.
The Prophet (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) said: “it will be brought
forward [on the Day of Resurrection] by seventy thousand ropes each of which
will be held by seventy thousand Angels.” [Muslim]

The seven gates of Hell are opened to specified groups of sinners (See Qur’an
15: 43-44). They will enter it whereupon its gates will suddenly lock behind them
in a way that implies eternal doom and imprisonment (See Quran 90: 19-20). The
intensity of its heat described by the Messenger of Allah (peace and mercy of
Allah be upon him): “your ordinary fire is one of the seventy potions of the Hell-
Fire,’ then someone commented: ‘O Messenger of Allah (peace and mercy of
Allah be upon him), would it [ordinary fire] not be sufficient [to burn the
wrongdoers]?’At that, Allah’s Messenger (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him)
said: ‘the Hell-Fire has sixty-nine more portions than ordinary [worldly] fire, and
all of them are as hot as this [worldly fire].” [Bukhari] Indeed the worldly fire is able
to burn a body to death but Allah is swift in retribution and Jahanam is far
greater in intensity.

The Angels that are the gate keepers of Hell are nineteen in number (See Qur’an
74: 30) each one able to subdue all of humanity. Though the inhabitants of Hell
outweigh them in number the Angels have the strength to unleash their reign
and they never disobey the commands of their Lord. The inhabitants will call out
to the chief Angel whose name is Malik: “O Malik! Let your Lord make an end of
us’ He will say: ‘Surely, you shall abide forever.’ Indeed We have brought the
truth to you, but most of you have a hatred for the truth… We wronged them
not, but they were the wrongdoers.’” And so the torment will not be lightened for
them, and they will be plunged into misery with deep regrets, sorrows and
despair. (See Qur’an 43: 74-78)

The fuel of Hell-Fire are stones, the jinns, disbelieving people and the false gods
in which the inhabitants of the Hell-Fire used to worship. There are different
levels and degrees of Hell (as there is in Paradise), and the inhabitants will be
grouped in ranks according to their crime.
The hypocrites will be in the lowest part of Hell-Fire where it is the greatest
intensity of heat. They will receive the most ruthless of punishments for their
conniving demeanor. The polytheists who are those that associate things with
Allah and those arrogant rejecters of the truth of Islam will also be cast into the
lowest part of the Hell-Fire. The sinners and criminals, the transgressors and the
unjust that rebel against Allah and His creations, those that conceal the truth
concerning Allah and are persecutors of the believers, the murderers, tyrants ,
the oppressors and all the disbelievers will be cast in the Hell-fire.
The inhabitants of Hell are clearly diverse but the majority are said to be women.
When Prophet Muhammad (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) was shown
the Hell-Fire, there were two types whom he did not recognize because they did
not exist at the time when he was alive. “These two types of people are those
carrying whips who were beating others [oppressors] and women wearing
revealing outfits”[Muslim] much like the fashionable clothing of today. These women
have unusual hairstyles, perhaps like the ones worn by modern-day women.
Through this Hadith Muhammad (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him)
predicted the nature of women’s clothing in the future, he (peace and mercy of
Allah be upon him) foretold that clothing considered fashionable would reveal
much of the body and he (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) also predicted
the nature of the hairstyles and wigs of modern times worn by those women who
will be among the inhabitants of Hell.
Other specific inhabitants that will be thrown into the Fire include the Pharaoh of
Egypt during Musa’s prophecy (See Qur’an 40: 46), Abu Lahab and his wife (See
Qur’an 111:1-5), Amr bin Luhayy, Amr bin Amir al-Khuya'I[Muslim], the wives of Nuh
and Lut A.S (See Qur’an 66: 10) and Abu Talib. Abu Talib will endure the
minimum in Hell-Fire as Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that
the Messenger of Allah (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) said: “of the
inmates of the Fire, the one with the easiest punishment will be Abu Talib; he will
be wearing a pair of shoes which will cause his brain to boil.” And it is said that
the least punishment will be the like of Abu Talib’s punishment though he will
believe that his punishment is the worst and most severe of punishments. [Bukhari]

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the size of the
inhabitants of Jahanam as the Prophet (peace and mercy of Allah be upon him)
has conveyed: “The molar tooth of an unbeliever or the canine tooth of an
unbeliever will be like [Mount] Uhud, and the distance between the two
shoulders of the non-believer in Hell will be like a three day’s journey for a swift
rider… indeed, the thickness of the disbeliever’s skin will be the length of forty-
two forearms of those of giants and his seat in Hell-Fire [the distance] between
Makkah and Medina.” [Tirmidhi]

The variance of degree of penalties is that the Fire of Hell will reach some to
their ankles, some to their knees, some to their waists and some to whose
collarbones the Fire will reach. [Muslim]
The inhabitants of Hell will be dragged into it from their faces and it will be
surrounding them, their skins and intestines will roast, their face will burn and
they will be screeching and sobbing in agony, in chokes, chains and yokes
feeling regret, sorrow and pain. In the depths of Hell-Fire there is tree in which its
fruits are bitter and its stems are thorny like the heads of devils, it will not
nourish nor satisfy the inhabitant’s hunger and the prophet (peace and mercy of
Allah be upon him) emphasized its dramatic effect: “if a drop of Zaqqum would
have fallen into a house in this world, it would have spoiled all the provisions of
the people of this world. Then how will it be with one whose food it has
become?’” [Tirmidhi] Verily the degree in which the severity of the penalties of Hell-
Fire is beyond the realm of this world. And the drinks of the inhabitants of Hell
will be of boiling water that will cut up their bowels such as those who consumed
the wealth of orphans and the adulterers will drink filthy fluid of pus and blood
(See Qur’an 69: 35-37). Those who used to intoxicate themselves with alcohol
will be made to drink the mud of khabal, which is the sweat of the people of Hell.
[Muslim]
They will be clothed with liquid pitch (melted copper) garments tailored for
them. (See Quran 14: 49-50)

“…and if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which
scalds [their] faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place.”
Qur’an 18: 29
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