Question
Thanky you for your answer. But I really do not understand the concept of paradise and it actually makes me very uncomofortable. Ok fine with Hooris I understand why only men get them. I am agree women like to have only one husband. But with the Friday Market Hadith by Allah that hadith before I heared someone saying this is for men only, my heart yearned for it and desired going there so much. Like you don’t understand it is something that motivated me to do lots of good deeds and something that my heart really graved and it still does, you will never understand the heart break and the deep sarrow and you might even mock me for it, but I understand if you do so, because most likely the person answering this is a male, and males do get everything in paradise and are not deprived, unlike unfortunate us. What is it about a reward being so beautiful only being for men? What is the evidence in thr hadith that this is only for men? By Allah what is mentioned in this hadith it made me and other women grave for it, but if this is only for men, then the whole point of this hadith is to excite men and make women feel bad and deprived. You know now I cry so much when I hear the word paradise because of this, as I find it full of female deprivation. I still don’t understand where in the hadith does it say only men? It says people of paradise go to market place, unless islam only considers men as people and women as animals. Does this mean that wome are locked up at home in paradise and never exist? Honestly, paradise just seems like a jail for a woman. Because I did show this hadith to all my female friends and asked them if this is something the desire without telling them that they will actually be deprived of this beautiful reward, and all of them really liked the hadith.
Answer
In response to your query, it is necessary to outline what Jannah is and understand the purpose for which it has been created. There are numerous verses in the Qur’an which describe Jannah as a place of innumerable reward and eternal bliss.
‘Those who believe and do good deeds, We shall admit them to the gardens beneath which rivers flow. They shall live there forever, it being a real promise from Allah; and who is more truthful than Allah in his word?’ [Al-Nisa’, v.122]
Enter the Paradise, you and your spouses, showered with bliss.” Circulated among them will be the bowls of gold, and glasses. And there will be whatever souls desire and that which eyes enjoy. “And you will be living in it for ever. That is the Paradise you are made to inherit because of what you used to do. For you there are fruits in abundance from which you will eat.” [Al-Zukhruf, v.70-73]
Allah has promised to the believers, male and female, gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they shall live forever, and good homes in gardens of eternity. And Allah’s pleasure is above all. That is the supreme success. [Al-Tawba, v.72]
Enter Paradise; there will be no fear for you, nor shall you grieve. [Al-A’raaf, v.49]
These verses demonstrate Jannah is Allah’s promise of reward to the believers. The purpose of its creation is a place of eternal happiness and bliss for the believers as a recompense for their actions on the earth. Allah assures believers that in paradise they will have whatever their heart desires. Whatever they yearn for, it will be available to them. It is a place free from the obligations and responsibilities they carried in this world. There will be no feelings of sadness or grief, no envy, jealousy, or hatred – everyone will be content and at peace.
Further to these descriptions, the Qur’an and Hadith make mention of some rewards which are described to be specifically for men, for example, the hur al-‘in. This does not in any way indicate men will experience any advantage over women in Jannah. Rather, Paradise is the abode of eternal bliss for whoever enters it, man or woman.
The reason for mentioning the reward of hur al-‘in for men may perhaps be as an incentive for the common trial men have been tested with in this world. In a hadith, it is reported that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said ‘I am not leaving behind me any tribulation that is more harmful to men than women’ [Bukhari]. Our religion has enforced a number of protective measures under gender segregation laws to protect society of this temptation. In recognition of this struggle, the promise of the hur al-‘in, encourages men to curb their worldly desire in return for everlasting rewards in the hereafter.
It is not to say that women will be short-changed in any way. For some women, they too may undergo similar challenges in this world. Where something has not been explicitly mentioned, this does not represent deprivation. As demonstrated by the verses quoted above, both men and women will be entitled to whatever their heart desires and will be entirely satisfied and content in the afterlife.
In regard to your query on the hadith about the Friday marketplace, the apparent wording of narration informs us that people will return home to their families having increased in beauty and splendour. This seems to indicate that men will return to their wives, both benefitting from the experience of visiting the market (Mirqat al-Masabih). One interpretation provided for this narration is that on Fridays, men will attend the market as they would attend Friday prayers (jumu‘a) and the women will pray in their homes as was the custom in their worldly life (Majmu‘ al-Fatawa). But there is nothing to say women will not get the opportunity for a similar experience in paradise – especially since it is a place people will be entitled to have whatever their heart desires.
Furthermore, one version of this narration reports that in this Friday market, people will be blessed with the majestic opportunity to see Allah, the Almighty. The mainstream opinion of the scholars is that the gift of seeing Allah is not exclusive to men and thus this grand blessing will also be available for the believing women. (Mirqat al-Masabih)
This hadith is here to demonstrate an inkling of what is on offer for believers in Jannah, a place of everlasting satisfaction and bliss for all its dwellers, and in no way does it limit the rewards of paradise to specific genders. In the Qur’an, Allah clearly outlines rewards in paradise are not based on genders. Rather, one’s entitlement to heavenly blessings is in accordance with their level of faith and piety.
For each (of these two groups) there are (different) ranks because of what they did, and so that He may repay them in full for their deeds; and they will not be wronged. [Al-Ahqaf, v.19]
O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into races and tribes, so that you may identify one another. Surely the noblest of you, in Allah’s sight, is the one who is most pious of you. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. [Al-Hujurat, v.13]
I do not allow the labour of any worker from among you, male or female, to go to waste. You are similar to one another. [Aal-e-Imran, v.195]
Lastly, one should bear in mind there are many rewards of Paradise that have not been disclosed to us. In the hadith collections of Bukhari and Muslim, a hadith from Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Allah has said: ‘I have prepared for My righteous servants that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what no human heart has conceived. Recite the verse if you wish: No soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort’.”
We cannot come close to imagining the rewards which lie in wait for us in the hereafter. However, if this topic of the details of the rewards of Jannah is something which is of personal interest and motivation for you, we highly recommend you watch the series ‘Paradise and its Delights’ on the Zamzam Academy YouTube channel.
تفسير ابن كثير (8/ 293) {وَسَقَاهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ شَرَابًا طَهُورًا} أَيْ: طَهَّرَ بَوَاطِنَهُمْ مِنَ الحَسَد وَالْحِقْدِ وَالْغِلِّ وَالْأَذَى وَسَائِرِ الْأَخْلَاقِ الرّديَّة، كَمَا رَوَيْنَا عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: إِذَا انْتَهَى أهلُ الْجَنَّةِ إِلَى بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ وَجَدوا هُنَالِكَ عَيْنَيْنِ فَكَأَنَّمَا أُلْهِمُوا ذَلِكَ فَشَرِبُوا مِنْ إِحْدَاهُمَا [فَأَذْهَبَ اللَّهُ] (5) مَا فِي بُطُونِهِمْ مِنْ أَذًى، ثُمَّ اغْتَسَلُوا مِنَ الْأُخْرَى فَجَرت عَلَيْهِمْ نضرةُ النَّعِيمِ.
صحيح البخاري (7/ 8) حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِيَّ، عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِي فِتْنَةً أَضَرَّ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ»
مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح (9/ 3580) (فَيَرْجِعُونَ) أَيْ: مِنَ السُّوقِ (إِلَى أَهْلِيهِمْ وَقَدِ ازْدَادُوا حُسْنًا وَجَمَالًا) ، قِيلَ: يَكُونُ زِيَادَةُ حُسْنِهِمْ بِقَدْرِ حَسَنَاتِهِمْ، (فَيَقُولُ لَهُمْ أَهْلُوهُمْ: وَاللَّهِ لَقَدِ ازْدَدْتُمْ) أَيْ: أَنْتُمْ أَيْضًا، وَفِيهِ تَغْلِيبٌ؛ لِكَوْنِ الْأَهْلِ أَعَمَّ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ، أَوْ أُرِيدَ بِهِ التَّعْظِيمُ وَالتَّكْرِيمُ، أَوْ رُوعِيَ الْمُشَاكَلَةُ وَالْمُقَابَلَةُ
مجموع الفتاوى (6/ 408) قَدْ جَاءَ فِي أَحَادِيثَ أُخَرَ أَنَّ ” السُّوقَ ” يَكُونُ بَعْدَ ” رُؤْيَةِ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ ” كَمَا أَنَّ الْعَادَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا أَنَّهُمْ يَنْتَشِرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَبْتَغُونَ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ بَعْدَ زِيَارَةِ اللَّهِ وَالتَّوَجُّهِ إلَيْهِ فِي الْجُمُعَةِ. وَمَا فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ مِنْ ” ازْدِيَادِ وُجُوهِهِمْ حُسْنًا وَجَمَالًا ” لَا يَقْتَضِي انْحِصَارَ ذَلِكَ فِي الرِّيحِ فَإِنَّ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ قَدْ ازْدَادُوا حُسْنًا وَجَمَالًا وَلَمْ يَشْرَكُوهُمْ فِي الرِّيحِ؛ بَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ حَصَلَ فِي الرِّيحِ زِيَادَةٌ عَلَى مَا حَصَلَ لَهُمْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ وَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ مُخْتَصَرًا مِنْ بَقِيَّةِ الْأَحَادِيثِ بِأَنَّ سَبَبَ الِازْدِيَادِ ” رُؤْيَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ” مَعَ مَا اقْتَرَنَ بِهَا. وَعَلَى هَذَا فَيُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ” نِسَاؤُهُمْ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ ” رَأَيْنَ اللَّهَ فِي مَنَازِلِهِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ ” رُؤْيَةً ” اقْتَضَتْ زِيَادَةَ الْحُسْنِ وَالْجَمَالِ – إذَا كَانَ السَّبَبُ هُوَ الرُّؤْيَةَ كَمَا جَاءَ مُفَسَّرًا فِي أَحَادِيثَ أُخَرَ – كَمَا أَنَّهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَانَ الرِّجَالُ يَرُوحُونَ إلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ فَيَتَوَجَّهُونَ إلَى اللَّهِ هُنَالِكَ وَالنِّسَاءُ فِي بُيُوتِهِنَّ يَتَوَجَّهْنَ إلَى اللَّهِ بِصَلَاةِ الظُّهْرِ؛ وَالرِّجَالُ يَزْدَادُونَ نُورًا فِي الدُّنْيَا بِهَذِهِ الصَّلَاةِ وَكَذَلِكَ النِّسَاءُ يَزْدَدْنَ نُورًا بِصَلَاتِهِنَّ كَلٌّ بِحَسَبِهِ؛ وَاَللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ لَا يَشْغَلُهُ شَأْنٌ عَنْ شَأْنٍ بَلْ كُلُّ عَبْدٍ
مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح (8/ 3548) (وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ «أَنَّ نَاسًا قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! هَلْ نَرَى رَبَّنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ؟ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: نَعَمْ» ) أَيْ: تَرَوْنَ رَبَّنَا. ذَكَرَ السُّيُوطِيُّ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – فِي بَعْضِ تَعَالِيقِهِ أَنَّ رُؤْيَةَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ حَاصِلَةٌ لِكُلِّ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ،
صحيح البخاري (4/ 118) – حَدَّثَنَا الحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: قَالَ اللَّهُ «أَعْدَدْتُ لِعِبَادِي الصَّالِحِينَ مَا لاَ عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ، وَلاَ أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ، وَلاَ خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ، فَاقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ فَلاَ تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ» صحيح مسلم (4/ 2174) حدثنا سعيد بن عمرو الأشعثي، وزهير بن حرب – قال زهير: حدثنا، وقال سعيد: أخبرنا – سفيان، عن أبي الزناد، عن الأعرج، عن أبي هريرة، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: ” قال الله عز وجل: أعددت لعبادي الصالحين ما لا عين رأت، ولا أذن سمعت، ولا خطر على قلب بشر، مصداق ذلك في كتاب الله: {فلا تعلم نفس ما أخفي لهم من قرة أعين جزاء بما كانوا يعملون} [السجدة: 17] “
Answered by:
Bint Saeed
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel