The Hadiths and the Presence of Paradise and Hell

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Two objections and their answersClarifications

Many hadiths confirm and emphasize that Paradise and Hell already exist. There is a hadith when the companion of Imam Ali Reza asked him about the creation of Paradise and Hell being already created or not and he answered:

“Yes! They have been created. During Meraj the Messenger went to Paradise and had seen Hell also.”

The narrator says, “I asked him “Some people say that have not been created as yet” The Imam answered, “They are not one of us and we are not one of them. He who denies the existence of Paradise or Hell has denied the Messenger and us too” (1)

Many hadiths about the Messenger’s Meraj speak about the existence of Paradise and Hell. They have confirmed what we have explained about the above verses. Qura’n has hinted about the Messenger’s Meraj in Surah Najm.

Ali bin Ibrahim in his commentary of the Qura’n explains the verse “Indeed he saw him at another descent at Sidra (the lote tree) on the utmost boundary and near it is the garden of abode.” and says:

“This verse is the answer to those who deny the creation of Paradise and Hell. “ Sidratol Muntaha” which is a part of the seventh heaven is the eternal paradise.” (2)

There is a hadith about the birth of Janab Fatima Zehra quoted both by Sunni and Shia books in which the Messenger of Islam said:

“On the night of Meraj the Messenger of Islam went to Paradise and ate its fruits and from the fruits was created the seed for Hazrat Fatima Zehra. The Messenger used to kiss her and say “I get the fragrance of Paradise from her” (3)

Verse 37 of Surah Al Imran says:

“Every time he went to her chamber to meet her he would find her supplied with sustenance. He said, “O Mary! From where does all this come?” She said, “From God”

The explanation of this verse has come in most Shia and Sunni books that this food was the fruits of Paradise (without season) But God provided them for Mary.”(4)

There are hadiths that say that God used to send the fruits of Paradise for Hazrat Fatima and the wives of the Messenger, Hazrat Ali and the neighbors would eat them. The Messenger used to compare this with the incident of Lady Mary and said:

“I thank the God who has made you like the leader of the women of Bani Israel.” (5)

 It may be surmised that this is about the Paradise in purgatory, where the souls of the martyrs rest till the Judgment Day but we may say that the Paradise of purgatory is not material but is virtual and the souls will benefit like wise in it. There is no benefit to this material body from the fruits of a virtual paradise and it is more like a dream which a person sees and enjoys.

Some hadiths also say that the Paradise is still being created and its vastness increases with the good deeds of men. Some deeds result in the planting of new trees in it but such hadiths can only be acceptable if the Paradise does exists. Here are some other hadith to learn from:

Hazrat Ayyub Ansari has quoted from the Messenger of Islam: “On the night of Meraj the great Apostle Abraham passed me and said “Order your people to plant more trees in Paradise because its land is vast and the earth is pure and fertile.”

I said, “How do you plant trees in Paradise?”

He said, “Tell them: La haul wila quwata illa Billah.” (6)

There is another hadith from the Messenger:

 “A tree is planted in Paradise for who ever says, “There is no god but Allah” (7)

Imam Jafar Sadiq has quoted the Messenger through his elders:

God will plant a tree in paradise for whoever says, “God is great”

God will plant a tree for whoever says, “Praise God”

God will plant a tree for whoever says, “There is no god but Allah.”

God will plant a tree for whoever says, “God is the greatest”

A man from the Quraysh was sitting there and he said, “O Messenger of God! In this case there will be a lot of trees for us in Paradise.”

The Messenger replied: “Yes but beware that you do not send the fire that will burn them. (8)

There is a very beautiful des c r i p tion in this hadith of the Messenger:

“When I went for Meraj I saw the angels constructing palaces but some times they would stop and I asked them the reason. They said, “We wait for the construction material.” So I asked, “What is that?” they replied, “Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La Ilaha Illallah, and Allaho Akbar” When ever the believer says them we begin constructing and we stop when he stops.” (9)

We end this discussion with a quote from Allama Majlisi recorded in a hadith in Behar-ol-Anwar:

“You should know that believing in the existence of the Paradise and hell without doubts as they have been described in the verses of the Qura’n and hadiths is a tenet of religion. The Ulema of course believe that they have been created and only a few Moatazalli Ulema have refused to accept it. The verses of the Qura’n and the hadiths refute their denial and prove it to be wrong. No Shia Alim accepts their premise and a denial has only been referred to Syed Razi.(10)

 


 

1. Behar-ol-Anwar vol. 8 page 119 hadith 6
2. Tafsir Ali bin Ibrahim vol.2 page 335
3. These hadiths are found in Shia as well as Sunni books like Zakhairol Oqba pages 26and 44, Mustadrakol Sahiyin vol.6 page 156, Durre Manshur of Sayuti and others.
4. See in Tafsir Ayyashi, Tafsir Burhan, Nurus Saqlain, and Daral Manshur for verse 37 of Surah Al Imran.
5. Zamakhrshri in Kashaf, Sayuti in Durre Manshur, for verse 37 of Surah Al Imran and Thalabi in Qasasol Anbiya page 513.
6. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.8 page 149 hadith 83
7. This hadith has been mentioned in many books like Mahasin, Sawabol A’maal, Behar-ol-Anwar and Usul Kafi vol2 page 517 hadith 2
8. Behar-ol-Anwar vol. 8 page 186 hadith 154
9. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.18 page 375 hadith 8
10. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.8 page 205 hadith 62

 

Two objections and their answersClarifications
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