Glimpses of Jannah by Ibn Al Qayyim

I came across this stunning description of Paradise by Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) from his book "Haadi al-Arwaah ilaa Bilaad il-Afraah" and just had to share it: "Jannah is the home of everlasting calm, a place where joy never fades and bliss never ends. Its floor is made of musk, its pebbles are pearls, its dirt is saffron, its rocks are gems, and its radiance comes from the light of the Most Merciful’s Face. There are rivers of water that never go stale, rivers of milk with a taste that stays perfect, rivers of wine that’s a joy to sip, and rivers of pure, clear honey. These streams flow without beds, bubbling up from the highest spot, and they glide softly beneath the believers’ mansions. Those mansions are built from gold and silver, with bricks of musk and cement of perfume. The lowest-ranked person there will rule a kingdom ten worlds wide, and even the last one to step in will see his home stretching as far as the eye can reach, packed with every treat. Tents of hollow pearls, sixty miles tall, dot the gardens. In every nook are hurs, wide-eyed companions of pure light, untouched by anyone before their spouses, with a glance that would dim the sun. Their beauty is so intense that if one of them showed up among us on earth, the whole planet would glow with light and scent. The humblest believer will have seventy-two wives, each in her own mansion, and he’ll be blessed with the stamina of a hundred men for closeness, with no tiredness or limit. The trees of Jannah are so huge-a rider on the fastest horse could travel for a hundred years in the shade of just one tree and never leave it. Their trunks are of gold, branches of pearl, leaves of green silk, and the fruit droops down low, leaning to the hand of whoever wants to pluck it. Every fruit shines in a different color, yet each tastes uniquely divine, and no fruit ever goes out of season. The birds of Jannah chirp melodies that wipe away every sadness from the heart, calling out, ‘Eat and drink freely for what you used to do!’ The people of Jannah dine and sip just for delight, since there’s no hunger, no thirst, and no waste. Whatever they wish for pops up instantly, served in the finest plates of gold, silver, and crystal. The simplest meal is when a roasted bird appears to a servant, and after he eats it, the bones knit back together and it flies off. Their drink is sealed with musk, and at the end of each gathering, they get a cup from the spring of Salsabil, blended with ginger and camphor, bringing total peace. Their clothes are soft silk and green brocade, with gold bracelets, pearl crowns, and combs of gold-their sweat smells like musk. They never grow old, never get sick, never need sleep, never feel sad, and never die. There’s no hatred, no jealousy, no fights, no gloom. Every soul there is more gorgeous than the most beautiful person on earth, and their beauty grows day by day. Their hearts are one, their talk is praising Allah, and their greeting is ‘Salam, peace.’ But above all this is the greatest joy, the top reward that overshadows everything else: seeing the Face of Allah, the Most High, with no veil, no gap, and no fear of it ever stopping. ‘When those bound for Paradise enter it, the Blessed and Exalted will ask: Do you want Me to give you anything more? They’ll say: Haven’t You brightened our faces? Haven’t You brought us into Paradise and saved us from the Fire? He (the narrator) said: Then He (God) will lift the veil, and nothing given to them will be dearer than gazing at their Lord, the Mighty and Glorious.’ That sight will be a direct vision, with the eyes of the heart and soul-a meeting with the Beloved that will make every tough moment in this life fade like a bad dream. In that instant, all the rivers, palaces, hurs, and fruits will slip from memory, because they’ll be staring at the One who made them, and that joy will last forever. This is the Jannah that the early Muslims used to weep for in their night prayers. This is the home waiting for the one who turns back to Allah sincerely, struggles against his own soul, and dies on Tawhid. And the lowest of its folks will feel like the luckiest, while the highest will have what no eye has spotted, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever pictured."