Where is Paradise?

The Official Website of Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi

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IntroductionTwo objections and their answers

When we pay attention to the two points that we have discussed earlier which are that Paradise exists even at the present and that its width equal that of the entire heavens and the earth then the following questions arise:

Some one may ask “Where is the thing that equal the heavens (combined) and the earth in size?” How is it possible for such as thing to exist and not be felt or sensed by us?

Some people have answered this question by saying that the Qura’nic verses tell us that Paradise is above in the heavens because verse 15 of Surah Najm speaks about the Meraj of the Messenger and says:

“The eternal Paradise is near the final boundaries of Sidratol Muntaha” (1)

Some people have taken it to mean the virtual paradise of purgatory where the souls of the martyrs rest and some have taken it to mean the paradise of Adam but both these explanations are contradictory to the meaning of “Jannatol Mawa”

Verse 22 of Surah Zariyaat says:

“And in heaven is your sustenance and that which you are promised.”

Many commentators opine that the word “Maa-tuu-aduun” means the eternal Paradise that has promised by God to His faithful (2) some have said that it includes both paradise and Hell. Some have said that it mean the punishment in this world inflicted from the heavens on the disbelievers (Like the people of Noah, Lot etc).

It means that the eternal paradise created by god is above the heavens of this world and its width or vastness is equal to the combined with of the heavens and earth or even more because no greater vastness can be imagined above what has been explained by the Qura’n. It exists above the heavens.

Some have criticized this idea and said that if the paradise is above the 9th heaven then it means that it is in oblivion and if it is between two layers of heavens then it will either merge or separate them. This idea is impossible and not compatible with the verse of the Qura’n which says that the vastness of Paradise is equal to the combined vastness of the heavens and the earth.

It is evident that this premise is based on Bartholomew’s version that there are nine heavens covering each other like the skins of an onion with no gap between them.

Now that this idea has been rejected through valid arguments these objections stand no ground. There is no doubt that there may be a universe above the universe of these stars and galaxies which may be greater than ours. This idea will not clash with the verse.

The philosophers have the idea that the paradise and Hell are not material in existence and there is no need for space for it because it is a world above that of seeing or sensing.

Sadrol Mutalihiin Shirazi (Mulla Sadra) writes in his book Asfaar:

“Remember, that there will be a vast country for every obedient soul. It will be in world equal if not greater than all the heavens and the earth combined. This country will not be beyond his soul for it will include all the servants, gardens, trees, Houris, and Ghilmaans. It will create them by the command of God.”

He then adds:

“The things in that world will be similar to those that a person dreams or sees reflected in a mirror but will be different. It is correct to say that they are similar. (None there will be confined in space like in this world and the difference between them that the things in the hereafter are stronger in atomic sense and more founded in existence and they are more effective in pleasure and pain. The dreams and reflections that a person sees cannot be compared to them. The hereafter’s relation with this world is like that of awareness and stupor. (1)

Though he (Mulla Sadra) has brought in many ideas but you cannot judge by them. This des c r i p tion of the Day of Judgment and hereafter is not compatible with the verse but may be construed to be agreeable with those who believe that the resurrection will be only spiritual since he has said that Paradise is within a soul and everything there will be symbolic or virtual or spiritual and their creator too will be human souls.

We have earlier quoted scores of verses that prove resurrection and the hereafter to be physical under various headings. Each topic mentioned can be an answer to his premise.

The third idea about this is that the Paradise and Hell both exist hidden in this world and the screens prevent us from seeing them. The saints of course see them. When the Messenger was afar from the tumult of the people of this world he too was able to see them in Meraj. It is also possible for the especially chosen ones of God to sit and observe them from this world through the powers they have attained. The following verses speak on the same subject:

Verse 54 of Surah Ankabut:

“Hell will surely encompass the disbelievers.”

Verses 13 and 14 of Surah Infitaar:

“As for the righteous they will be in bliss and the wicked will be in the Fire.”

Verses 5 and 6 of Surah Takathur:

“No! If you knew with certainty you would surely see the Hell.”

The hidden Paradise can be likened to the hidden rose in the earth. It is true that rose too is an earthly material but there is no reason for it to be hidden and remain unseen by human eyes.

We can give an example to clarify this statement as we have done earlier and that is:

“There are many things in this material world that are not understandable by us normally and many of them remain undiscovered e.g. the radio and TV. Stations emit waves simultaneously and at times the help of satellites are taken for world wide coverage. These waves penetrate every home but no one feels them. The stations may be broadcasting sweet melodies and horrific shrieks at the same time. One TV station may be showing a very beautiful story while the other may be showing scenes of bloodshed, fires, and crime. These scenes are spread all over the world and have created a Paradise and Hell in it.

Some people tune their radios to stations broadcasting sweet melodies and some people of their own choice tune them to where they are broadcasting horrific scenes. The first group enters a cocooned world of bliss while the second enters a turbulent and terrifying world of horror. This is possible despite this being a material world for all these things are hidden here only.

Should not think that we mean to say that this is how Paradise and Hell will be but we only want to stress that it is not impossible that there may be many worlds within this one though we cannot see them because of the screens between us and them but those who can remove the screens observe that world while they live here. (Reflect)

In the days of the Messenger the tumult in this world was less and there were fewer distractions that could keep people engaged. God’s glory was all over and he removed all the screens. The Messenger saw the hidden parts of Paradise and Hell that are hidden or screened from us in this world.

This does not mean that the Messengers or the saints cannot see the Paradise and Hell in this world. As we find in the hadiths it has happened in this world. Rawandi has mentioned this hadith in his book “Kharaij”:

“On the eve Ashura when the friends of Imam Hussein declared their unconditional loyalty and refused to retract their sworn allegiance to him the Imam prayed for them. He removed the screens from in front of their eyes and they saw the bounties that God had stored for them in Paradise. The Imam identified their houses there.(4)

The author of “Maqtali Hussein” after describing the above hadith adds:

“This does not seem unique when we consider the powers of God and this does not strange when we consider the Imam’s power of doing extra ordinary things because when the sorcerers of the Pharaoh believed in Moses and his God he showed them their abodes in Paradise.”(5)

Some hadiths also tell us that Imam Sadiq showed the Well of Kawthar to his companions. (6)

The ideas discussed on the issue of where the Paradise is situated solves the issue of its vastness and also dispels the objections raised by the orators.

Whatever we have said about the paradise and Hell existing in this world only is just an idea and to really believe it needs a lot of proofs and confirmations.

 


 

1. The verses 15 of Surah Najm and 22 of Zariyaat have been explained by Late Tabrisi in Majmaul Bayan, Fakhr Razi in Tafsir Kabeer, Allama Tabatabai in Al Mizan and another author in Tafsir Ruhul Bayan.
2. The verses 15 of Surah Najm and 22 of Zariyaat have been explained by Late Tabrisi in Majmaul Bayan, Fakhr Razi in Tafsir Kabeer, Allama Tabatabai in Al Mizan and another author in Tafsir Ruhul Bayan.
3. Asfaar vol.9 page 176 chapter two.
4. Al Kharaij of Rawandi, Maqtali Hussein page 261 and Behar-ol-Anwar vol.44 page 298
5. Akhbaruzzaman of Masoodi page 247 quoted by Maqatile Hussein.
6. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.6 page 287 hadith 9

 

IntroductionTwo objections and their answers
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Lotus
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