The Delights of the People of Paradise: The Superiority of Paradise Over the Pleasures of This World (continued)
2⃣ The Hereafter is also better from the perspective of quality.
The clothing, food, drink, jewellery and palaces of the people of Paradise will be far superior to their counterparts in this world. There is in fact no room for comparison, as even the smallest space in Paradise is better than this world and all that is in it. The Messenger of Allah (Salallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said, ” The space of a whip in Paradise is better than this world and everything in it” [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/85, no. 5613]
The Prophet (Salallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said, ” The space of the bow of any one of you in Paradise is better than all that the sun rises upon” [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/85, no. 5615]
3⃣ Paradise is free from all the impurities and disappointments of this world.
Eating and drinking in this life results in the need for excretion and its associated unpleasant odours. If a person drinks wine in this world, he loses his mind. Women in this world menstruate and give birth, which are sources of pain and hurt. Paradise is free from all of these discomforts: its people will not urinate, defecate, spit or suffer from catarrh. The wine of Paradise, as described by its Creator, is:
“ Crystal-white, delicious to those who drink [thereof], free from intoxication, nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom” [37:46-47]
The water of Paradise does not become brackish, and its milk never changes in flavour:
“.. rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes..” [47:15]
The women of Paradise are pure and free from menstruation, nifaas [postnatal bleeding] and all the other impurities suffered by women in this world, as Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala) says:
“… and they shall have therein Azwaajun Muttaharatun [Purified mates having no menses, urine, stools, etc]” [2:25]
The hearts of the people of Paradise will be pure, their speech will be good, their deeds righteous. There will be no hurtful, upsetting, offensive or provocative talk there, for Paradise is free of all worthless words and deeds:
“… free from any laghw [dirty, false, evil, vague talk], and free from sin ” [52:23]
Paradise is the abode of purity and peace, ” No laghw will they hear therein, nor any sinful speech [like backbiting, etc], But only the saying of Salaam! Salaam! [greetings with peace]” [56:25]
Allah indeed spoke the truth when He (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala) said,
” And We shall remove from their breasts any lurking sense of injury: [they will be] brothers [joyfully] facing each other on thrones [of dignity]” [15:47]
A “sense of injury” is hatred. It was reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas and ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib that when the people of paradise enter Paradise they will drink from one spring, and Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala) will remove all sense of injury or hatred from their hearts, then they will drink from another spring, and their faces will become pure and bright [al-Qurtubee, at-Tadhkirah, p. 499]. This is probably what is meant by the aayah, ” And their Rabb will give them a pure drink” [76:21]