Paradise and Hell
Paradise is for one who detaches himself from the innumerable pleasures of this world, and remains disinterested; whereas the Hell is for one who remains immersed in the pleasures of this world until one dies.
A long tradition has been narrated about Paradise and Hell in books of Hadith.
“When God created Paradise, He said to Gabriel: ‘Go and look at Paradise.’ Gabriel went and looked at all the blessings God had provided for man in Paradise. Then Gabriel came back and said: ‘O my Lord, by Your Honour and Might, whoever knows of Paradise will surely enter it.’ Then God covered Paradise, with all kinds of unpleasant things. Then He said to Gabriel: ‘Go and have a look at it.’ Gabriel went to see Paradise, then he came back and said: ‘O My Lord, by Your Honour and Might, I am afraid that no one will enter it.’ God created Hell, then He said: ‘Gabriel go and look at it.’ Gabriel did as he was told. Then he came back and said to God: ‘O my Lord, By Your Honour and Might, anyone who hears of it, will be so frightened that he will never enter it.’ Then God covered hell with carnal desires, then He said to Gabriel: ‘Go and have a look at hell.’ Gabriel went and looked at it, then he came back and said to God: ‘O My Lord, by Your Honour and Might, I am afraid that no one will be able to save himself from entering hell.’ (Sunan Al-Tirmizi, Hadith No.2560, Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith No.4744)
If people were to see Paradise in its real form, everyone would become earnestly desirous of entering Paradise. If people were to see hell in its real form, everyone would flee from it. But the present world is a testing ground. To facilitate this trial, the path of Paradise leads the way through many unpleasant experiences. In contrast to this, the path of hell is surrounded by attractive things. In other words, one has to place curbs on one’s desires in order to become a deserving candidate for Paradise; whereas following one’s desires without any restraint will lead one to Hell. Putting curbs on one’s desires produces a purified personality which makes one a deserving candidate for Paradise. On the contrary, following one’s desires unrestrainedly produces an impure personality, which is destined for hell. This is, thus, expressed in the Quran: “He who purifies it will indeed be successful, and he who corrupts it is sure to fail.” (91:9-10)
To find entry into Paradise it is essential for man to keep a continuous watch over himself. He must set his course after deep thinking. On the contrary one who leads a permissive life will apparently be living a happy life in this world; but he will be fated, finally, to reach a world where he will be eternally bereft of every kind of happiness.
The Paradise of the Hereafter is for one who detaches himself from the innumerable pleasures of this world, and remains disinterested; whereas the Hell of the Hereafter is for one who remains immersed in the pleasures of this world until one dies.
