Paradise: Introduction

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What do you want most out of life? A nice house, expensive clothes,
money,wealth, opulence? What ifyou were told about a place where you
could geteverything you wanted and keep it forever? Whatwould you say?
Of course you would be very excited and want to see this perfect place
right away. Surely no one would ever object to living in such a
wonderful place.
Now just think. Has anyone ever talked to youabout a place filled with
acountless array of blessings, where beauty isspread out at your feet?
Surely someone must have done so, telling you and all other people
about the existence of a life - the life of Paradise - where
everything that you want will be prepared for you. Everyone knows that
afterdeath there is an endless Paradise. Everyone judgedworthy to
enter it will find everything they desire there; they will receive
their rewards and blessings, and live in a perfect place surrounded by
beauty forever. To those faithful servants who pass the test of this
earthly life, Allah has promised an unprecedented land. The limited
time one spends in this world, on the otherhand, is an opportunity
toattain these beauties.
So what keeps people from being overcome with joy at the good newsof
Paradise? What stops them from longing for it, from expending every
effort to attain it? Why dopeople, knowing that they will receive
these blessings as a divine reward, not prepare for Paradise? Surely
the most important reason is that some people do not have an assured
faith that it exists; others are not convinced. There may be other
reasons why peopledo not believe in or have doubts about it. But the
basic thing that we must consider is that this doubtsometimes arises
from a lack of knowledge.
The only remedy for this lack of knowledge is the Qur'an.
In the Qur'an, Allah describes a wonderful life of perfect and endless
beauty in Paradise. Someone who does not know this beauty's extentor
how the Qur'an describes it may have difficulty envisioning Paradise
and the kind of life there.
This book tells people about Paradise, which Allah offers to them,
describes its great blessings, and proclaims its beauties to everyone.
It informs people that Paradise is one of two ways of life prepared
for them in the afterworld, and that every good thingwill be theirs in
Paradise to a degree that surpassesour present ability to imagine. It
also shows that Paradise, is a place where all blessings have been
created perfectly and where people will be offered everything their
souls and hearts will desire; that people will befar removed from want
and need, anxiety or sadness, sorrow and regret. Every kind of beauty
and blessing existsin Paradise and will be revealed with a
perfectionnever seen or known before. Allah has preparedsuch blessings
there as a gift, and these will be offered only to people with whom He
is pleased.
This book describes everything about Paradisein the light of the
Qur'an'sverses. So, as you read this information and try to envision
that blessed place, remember that the Qur'an is the truth. Based on
this information, consider the perfection of the real land that is
waiting for you, and makeevery effort to be worthy of it. Be aware
that Allah will give you all of these things by His grace, and that
they can be yours forever. Given all of this, ifyou still cannot
decide in favor of eternal beauty, remember that the only choice left
is Hell, a place full of anguish from where you will observe the
comfort of those in Paradise and experience eternal anxiety, sadness,
misery, and sorrow.
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Abdullah ibn Abbas

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Abdullah was the son of Abbas, an uncle of the noble Prophet. He was
born just three years before the Hijrah. When the Prophet died,
Abdullah was thus only thirteen years old.
When he was born, his mother took him to the blessed Prophet who put
some of his saliva on the babe's tongue even before he began to
suckle. This was thebeginning of the close and intimate tie between
Abbas and the Prophet that was to be part of a life-long love and
devotion.
When Abdullah reached the age of discretion, he attached himself to
the service of the Prophet. He would run to fetch water for him when
he wanted to make wudu. During Salat, he would stand behind the
Prophetin prayer and when the Prophet went on journeys or expeditions,
he would follow next in line to him. Abdullah thusbecame like the
shadow of the Prophet, constantly in his company.
In all these situations he was attentive and alert to whatever the
Prophet did and said. His heart was enthusiastic and his young mind
was pure and uncluttered, committing the Prophet's words to memory
with the capacity and accuracy of a recording instrument. In this way
and through his constant researches later, as we shall see, Abdullah
became one of the most learned companionsof the Prophet, preserving on
behalf of later generations of Muslims, the priceless words of the
Messenger of God. It is said that he committed to memory about one
thousand, six hundred and sixty sayings of theProphet which are
recorded andauthenticated in the collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The Prophet would often draw Abdullah as a child close to him, pat him
on the shoulder and pray: "O Lord, make him acquire a deep
understanding of the religion of Islam and instruct him in the meaning
and interpretation of things."
There were many occasions thereafter when the blessed Prophet would
repeat this dua or prayer for his cousin and before long Abdullah ibn
Abbas realized that his life was to be devoted to the pursuit of
learning and knowledge.
The Prophet moreover prayed that he be granted not just knowledge and
understanding but wisdom. Abdullah related the following incident
about himself: "Once the Prophet, peace be upon him, was on the point
of performing wudu. I hurried to get water ready for him. He was
pleased with what Iwas doing. As he was about to begin Salat, he
indicated that I should stand at his side. However, I stood behind
him. When the Salat was finished, he turned to me and said: 'What
prevented you from being at my side, O Abdullah?' 'You are too
illustrious and too great in my eyes for me to stand side by sidewith
you,' I replied.
Raising his hands to the heavens, the Prophet then prayed: 'O Lord,
grant him wisdom." The Prophet's prayer undoubtedly was granted for
the young Abdullah was to prove time and again that he possessed a
wisdom beyond hisyears. But it was a wisdom that came only with
devotion and thedogged pursuit of knowledge both during the Prophet's
lifetime and after his death.
During the lifetime of the Prophet, Abdullah would not miss any of his
assemblies and he would commit to memory whatever he said. After the
Prophet passed away, he would take care to go to as many companions as
possible especially those who knew the Prophet longer and learn from
them what the Prophet had taught them. Whenever he heardthat someone
knew a hadith of the Prophet which he did not know he would go quickly
to him and record it. He would subject whatever he heard to close
scrutiny and check it against other reports. He would go to as many as
thirty companions to verify a single matter.
Abdullah described what he once did on hearing that a companion of the
Prophet knewa hadith unknown to him: "I went to him during the time of
the afternoon siesta and spread my cloak in front of his door. The
wind blew dust on me (as I sat waiting for him). If I wished Icould
have sought his permission to enter and he would certainly have given
me permission. But I preferred to wait on him so that he could be
completely refreshed. Coming out of his house and seeing me in that
condition he said: 'O cousin of the Prophet! What's the matter with
you? If you had sent for me I would have come to you.' 'I am the one
who should come to you, for knowledge is sought, it does notjust
come,' I said. I asked him about the hadith and learnt fromhim."
In this way, the dedicated Abdullah would ask, and ask, and go on
asking. And he wouldsift and scrutinize the information he had
collected with his keen and meticulous mind.:->
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a story

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Amina is not feeling very well today. She has caughta cold and she
coughs. Mummy tells her: "What you need is a nice hot drink with
honey. Let's go and buy some honey, and you'll see your cough will get
better insha Allah."
Amina and her mother go out to the supermarket. They stop in front of
the shelf where the honey is.
"Oh, Mummy, there are all sorts of different colours!"Amina says
excitedly. "Look, this honey is almost white, andthis one is golden,
and that one over there is brownish."
"Yes, Amina", her mum answers. "They are different sorts of honey.
There's clover honey, lavender honey, eucalyptus honey… and mixed
wildflower honey."
"But then, does honey come from flowers?"Amina asks.
"Come on, you know it doesn't!" her Mum answers. "You know bees make
honey. The bees fly from flower to flower to collect a fine powder
called pollen and a liquid called nectar. And then they make the honey
with their bodies. Since there are different sorts of flowers with
different colours and smells, this produces different sorts of honey.
If the bees have been only on clover flowers, they make clover honey,
which is almost white, like the one in this jar.
If the bees have been on lavender, as in the South of France, you get
this nicegolden colour. And if the bees go about on all sorts of wild
flowers, they produce mixed wildflower honey."
Amina asks: "And what colour is mixed wildflowerhoney?"
"Well, it depends on the flowers!" Mummy answers,. "Look, the honeyin
this jar is yellow, this one is brownish, and yet they're both mixed
wildflower honey."
Amina thinks for a while and then she asks: "But who has taught the
bees how to make honey?"
"Allah has taught them, darling", Mummy explains. "When the bees make
honey, they obey Allah.
Do you know Allah tells us about bees in the Quran? Listen to what He says."
And then Amina's Mum recites for her the verses from surat an-Nahl, "The bees".
"And your Lord inspired the bees, saying 'Take yourhabitations in the
mountains and in the treesand in what they erect. Then, eat of all
fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord.' There comes forth from
their bellies a drink of varying colours whereinis healing for men."
(Qur'an - Surah Nahl l, 68-69)
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129 Names and Attributes of Almighty Allah

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ‏
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Ya-Allaho [66]
If recited 66 times at the time of Asar (Afternoon prayer time) or at
the time of setting sun, or in that last part of the night, prayer
will be granted and legitimate desires willbe fullfilled. For a very
busy man it is permissibleto recite 66 times. This is the self name of
God. This name has been repeated 2,607times in the Quran. If recited
200 times on a Firday with ablution for any legitimate desire it will
be fullfiled by Almighty God.If this nameis pasted on the wall in the
house there will be blessings of Almighty Allah. If this name is
recited 11,000 times on pills of flour and those pills are thrown in
the river or sea, difficulties of the person will be sloved by
Almighty God. There are many merits of this name. Due to lack of space
these few have been written, If recited 1,000 times daily the person
will become pious and wordly love will be vanished form the heart of
the person and cognizance of Almighty God will be achieved Mostof the
ulema have recommended that this inone of the Isme Azam i.e Great Name
of Almighty Allah.
Al-Ahado [Unique] [13]
If recited 1,000 times in solitude it will be felt thatAngels are with
the reciter. If recited 100 times it is useful for snakebite and the
patient will be cured.
Al-Avvalo [Foremost] [Alfa] [37]
If recited this name beforestarting any job/work, it will be completed
nicely with the blessings of Almighty God. If recited regularly a
great deal people will be kind to the person, and will meet with
departed and separated persons and reliatives in their dreams.
Al-Akhiro [Everlasting] [801]
If recited regularly there will be everlasting sucess in all works
taken in hand.The person will be loved by all and respected in all
aspects of life.
Al-Aliyyo [The Highest] [110]
If recited a great deal, the person will be respected and will be
honoured by all and will be promoted in rank if recited regularly.If
written name is kept ona person, one will becomeprosperous.
Al-Alimo [All knowing] [150]
If recited 10 times after every Wajib (obligatory) Prayer the person
will be aware of secrets of nature. If recited a great deal the person
will recognise Almighty God. Ifrecited 21 times daily, theperson will
become a learned man, If this name is written on a piece of bread and
eaten for 40 days the person will neverhave to starve.
AL-AZIZO[Predominant][117][AL-MIOZZO]
If recited 40 times every day the person will acquire great wealth. If
recited 99 times it will be useful to gain the knowledge of alchemy.
If recited unlimited number regularly the person will gain such
spiritual powersthat all will be afraid of him/her.
AL-Aadilo[EQUITABLE][105]
If recited regularly the person will do justice in all cases. Also
secrets are revealed by reciting this name. If written on a piece of
bread and eaten, the person wil have light in his/her heart. If
recited regularly with unlimited number Almighty God willjustify
his/her cases amicably.
Al-A'fvo [All forgiver] [156]
For removing of sins and achieving blessings of Almighty God this name
isvery effective. This name can be recited at any timeand at any
number, specially reciting this name 70 times after everyWajib prayer
is very effective.
Al-Akramo [The Gracious] [261]
This name is very effectivefor obtaining grandeur. It should be
recited after every Wajib prayers and at the time of sleeping.If
recited a for a great number of time at the time of sleeping angels
will be detailed by Almighty God, who will ask forgiveness for the
person throughout the night.
Al-Azimo [The Grand, The Magnificent] [1020]
Practice of this recitation of this Holy Name is beneficial for
gaining respect with influential personatlities as well as for the
attainment of an imposing and dominant personality. If recited
regularly for any disease the patient will be cured.
Al-Ba'eedo [The Farthest] [92]
If recited regularly worldly passions and desires will be removed from
the heart of the person and he will become pious.
Al-Basito [ Uncloser] [72]
If after reciting this Holy Name ten times daily at dawn with one's
arms raised, one rubs hand on ones face he will for ever be free from
asking anbody for anything. It is also recommended to be recited 72
times after Wajib Prayer, specially after morning prayer.
Al-Barro [The Good] [202]
This Holy Name should beregularly recited to gain inspiration to do
good deeds, for removal of troubles and for the long life of children.
Also it creates love of Almighty Allah. If recited 202 times on a
child, the child will become fortunate and lucky one
AL- Bareeo [The Artificer][213]
If recited daily the body ofthe person will not be decayed in the
grave. A barren woman should recite this Holy Name a great deal to
have conception
Al-Baseero [All Seeing] :->

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