One Paradise, as wide as the heavens and earth, for all persons

7-3-2012 | IslamWeb

Question:

In the Quran it is mentioned that there is a Paradise as wide as the heavens and earth. Will there be only one Paradise for all grace-endowed persons, or one Paradise for each?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

 

According to the apparent meaning of the texts, it seems that there will be only one Paradise for all persons. The evidence behind this view is what was reported in terms of during the battle of Badr, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, urged the Companions may Allaah be pleased with them while they were many, to engage in Jihaad and to seek a Paradise as wide as the heavens and earth. [Muslim]

This Paradise, which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, encouraged his Companions to seek, will be for them and all righteous people. It is the same Paradise that Allaah the Exalted, has prepared for all the righteous people and urged them to race towards. In this context, Allaah Says (what means):

•        {And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise  as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous} [Quran 3: 133]

•        {Race toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allaah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allaah which He gives to whom He wills, and Allaah is the possessor of great bounty.} [Quran 57: 21]

This is the view of the Shaafi‘i scholar At-Tabari, and the Maaliki scholar Al-Qurtubi may Allaah have mercy upon them. On the other hand, the Shaafi‘i scholar Al-Fakhr Ar-Raazi may Allaah have mercy upon him mentioned that Paradise, whose width is like the width of the heavens and the earth, will be for each person.

Allaah Knows best.

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