The State of Women in Paradise

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The State of Women in Paradise

All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings upon the noblest of the Prophets and Messengers, our Prophet, Muhammad; and (also) upon his family, and his companions all.
Thereafter: Verily, I have not seen but that the majority of questions from the women is concerning their state in Paradise and what awaits them therein. I have been endeared to collect a number of rulings evident on this topic, with their authentication, that is, with the correct evidences and sayings of the Scholars. So, I say, with Allah’s assistance:

Point of Benefit 1:

There is no blame on the women at their question, about what will happen to them in Paradise from the rewards and types of delight, because the human soul is infatuated with thoughts of its destiny and its future, and the Prophet didn’t blame the likes of these questions from his Companions concerning Paradise and what’s in it. And from that is their question to him , “Paradise, what is it made of?” So the Prophet said, “The bricks are of gold and silver” until the end of the hadeeth. And once they said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, will we approach our wives in Paradise?” So the Prophe t informed them that that will take place.

Point of Benefit 2:

The human soul is the same, (whether it) was of a man or a woman - excited and jubilant when Paradise is mentioned and what it has of the different types of enjoyments. And that is good with the condition that it does not become hope only, without us following it with righteous actions. Verily, Allah said to the Believers:

This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your deeds which you used to do (in the life of the world). [43:72]

So excite your soul with the (glad) news of Paradise and consolidate that with actions.

[source: http://www.iisca.org/knowledge/women/ahwaal.htm]

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Point of Benefit 3:

That Paradise and its delights is not especially for men only without women. Verily, it has already been “Prepared for the Muttaqeen (men and women of piety and righteousness)” [3:133] The categories will be like how He informed us of. He , said: And whoever does righteous good deeds, male or female, and is a true believer in the Oneness of Allâh (Muslim), such will enter Paradise.[4:124]

The woman should not busy herself with too much questioning and investigation of the particularities of entering Paradise: What should she do? Where will she be going? – and so on with her questioning… It is like she is going towards a destructive desert!

It would suffice her to know that her entrance into Paradise disappears with every unhappiness or wretchedness that passes her by. That will be transformed into constant, eternal and everlasting happiness. Sufficient for her is His saying concerning Paradise:

No sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they (ever) be asked to leave it. [16:48]

And His saying:

(There will be) therein all that the one's inner-selves could desire, all that the eyes could delight in, and you will abide therein forever. And before that, every one of His sayings concerning the people of Paradise should suffice her: Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. [5:119]

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Point of Benefit 5:

When Allah mentions the temptations present in Paradise, like the different varieties of food, beautiful sights, clothing and houses, He mentions this for both men and women – all of them will enjoy what they put forth (for themselves, i.e. the rewards for their good deeds).

And it remains: That verily Allah has enticed men and their desire for Jannah, by mentioning what it has from Al-Hoor Al-‘Ein and beautiful women, and this example is not returned to the women… The women have already asked each other the reason for this!

And the answer is:
1. Verily, Allah will not be asked about what He does, but they will be asked [21:23] But there is no discomfiture (when) we are seeking to benefit from a wisdom from this action from the texts of the Sharee’ah and Islamic fundamentals. So, I say:
2. From the nature of women is modesty – like what is well known – and for this, then Allah is not enticing them by that from which they feel shame from.
3. Verily, the desire of the woman for men is not like the desire of men for women – like what is well known – and for this, then Allah has worked up the men by mentioning the women of Paradise. (This is) confirmed by his saying: “I have not left after me a fitnah more harmful for men, than women.” [al-Bukhaari]
As for the woman, then her desire is for beauty of clothes and ornaments which surpasses her desire for men, because it is from what she is naturally disposed over, as He said: (Do they then like for Allah) a creature who is brought up in adornments… [43:18]
4. Ash-Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: "Allah mentioned only wives for the husbands, because the husband, he is the pursuer, and he is desirous for the woman. So for that, wives were mentioned for the men in Paradise and it was silent concerning partners for the women. But it is not necessarily the case that they have no partners, rather, they will have partners from the children of Adam."

Point of Benefit 6:

The woman will not come out of these conditions (of having partners in the next life), if in the world:
1. She dies before getting married.
2. She dies after her divorce, before getting married to another.
3. She does get married, but her husband doesn’t enter Paradise with her – and the seeking of refuge (from this) is with Allah.
4. She dies after her marriage.
5. Her husband dies, and she remains with no partner after him until she dies.
6. Her husband dies, then she marries another one after him.

These are the states of the woman in the world, and for every state, there is its equivalent in Paradise:

1. So as for the woman who died before getting married – for such, Allah will marry her in Paradise to the men of the people of the world, in accordance to his saying : “There is not in Paradise an unmarried one” [Muslim].
Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “If she is not married – the woman – in the world, then verily Allah will marry her to what will 'cool her eye' (Trans. note: this is an old Arabic idiom signifying delight) in Paradise.” So the delight in Paradise is not confined only to the males, but it is the males and the females. And from the complete delight is marriage.
2. The likeness of a woman who has died is that she is divorced.
3. And the example of a woman whose husband doesn’t enter Paradise, Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: "So the woman, if she was from the people of Paradise and she never married or her husband was not from the people of Paradise – so if she does indeed enter Paradise, then there are from the people of Paradise those who never married from among men. So one of them will marry her.”
4. As for the woman who dies after her marriage, then in Paradise, her husband is he who she died from (i.e her husband in the world).
5. As for the woman whose husband died and she remained after him without getting married until she died, then she will be her husband’s wife in Paradise.
6. As for the woman whose husband died and she got married after him, then she will indeed be with the last of her partners, no matter how many they were, for the Prophet said: “The woman is for the last of her spouses” [Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth As-Saheehah of Al-Albaani]. And indeed, the statement of Huthayfah to his wife, “If you want to be my wife in Jannah, then don’t marry after me, for verily, the woman in Paradise is for the last of her husbands in the world. So because of that, Allah prohibited the spouses of the Prophet to marry after him, so that they would be his spouses in Jannah.”

A Question: A sayer said: It has been mentioned in the supplication for Janaazah (funeral) that we would say: “And exchange her husband for a better husband”, if she was to (re)marry. So how can we supplicate this for her when we know that her husband in the world (will be) her husband in Jannah; and if she was never to marry, then where is her husband?”

And the answer is, as Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said, “If she was not married and she died, then the meaning of “And exchange her husband for a better husband” will be: If she would have lived and married a man who has been ordained for her. If she was married and she died, then the meaning of “And exchange her husband for a better husband” would be: She will have the (same) husband, but, with better qualities. As I tell you for example, if you exchange a female sheep with a camel; it will be an exchange of descriptions (awsaaf), like how I told you that Allah will exchange disbelief (kufr) in a person to belief (Emaan). And like what He has mentioned in His statement, : On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens. [14:48] And the earth here, it is the earth, but it has been expanded, and the sky – it is the sky, but it has been split asunder."

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Point of Benefit 7:

It has been mentioned in an authentic hadeeth, his saying to the women, “Verily, I have seen you (women) are the majority of the people of the Fire.” And in another hadeeth, he said : “Indeed, the least of the inhabitants of Paradise are the women.” [Bukhaari and Muslim]

And it has been mentioned in another authentic hadeeth, that for every man from the people of the world, (there will be) Zowjataan – two wives; that is, from the women of earth. So the ‘Ulamaa have differed on account of reconciliation between the former hadeeths: That is, are the women the majority in Paradise or in Hell?

So some of them said: Even though the women will be the majority of the people of Jannah, likewise, they will also be the majority of the people of the Fire. Al-Qaadhi ‘Iyyaadh said, “Women are most of the children of Adam”.

And some of them said: “Even though women are the majority of the people of the Fire, from the preceeding narrations; they are also the majority of the people of Jannah, together with the Hoori ‘Ein, they will be in total more than the men in Jannah”.

And another group said, “No, they are the majority of the people of the Fire in the beginning of the matter, then they will be the majority of the people of Jannah after they are taken out from the Fire – that is, the Muslim women.

Al-Qurtubi said, commenting on his (the Prophet’s ) saying, “I saw that you (women) are the majority of the people of Fire”, “Supposing that this will be in a time when the women will be in the fire and thereafter, they will come out through the Intercession and Allah ta’aala’s mercy, until nobody will remain therein who said Laa ilaaha illaa Allaah (There is none worthy of worship except Allah): So women will be in Jannah the majority.”

In summary: The woman should try her best to not be from the people of the Fire.

Point of Benefit 8:

When the woman does enter Paradise, then verily, Allah will return her youthfulness to her, and her virginity, as the Prophet said, “Indeed Paradise, no old (one) will enter it… Verily, when Allah ta’aala enters them into Paradise, He will transform (their) virginity.”

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Point of Benefit 9:

It has been mentioned in some of the Aathaar (narrations from the early scholars), that the women of the world will be, in Paradise, more beautiful than Al-Hoor Al-‘Ein, many times over, by reason of their worship to Allah.

Point of Benefit 10:

Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Verily, every one will be prevented from approaching the family (i.e. wives or husbands) of another in it”; that is, in Jannah.

And thereafter: This is the Paradise beautified for you, the women, like what has been beautified for the men (in a sure abode with an able King). By Allah, do not lose the chance, for indeed the lifespan thereof is little. It is departing and nothing remains after it except everlasting sempiternity, then you will be eternalized in Jannah – if Allah wills. And know that verily Jannah – her mahr (dowry) is Emaan and righteous actions and it is not false desires with negligence. And be sure to remember his words : “If a woman prayers her five (daily prayers), fasts her month (of Ramadan), guards her private part and obeys her husband, (it will be) said to her: ‘Enter Paradise from any of the gates of Paradise you wish.’”

And be surely aware – with every precaution – of the callers to temptation (fitnah), and the ruination of the woman is from those who want your trials (fasaad) and your immorality and your disuassion from the (ultimate) success in the delight of Paradise. And do not heed the ornamented phrases of these “liberal” men and women from the male and female writers. Their similitude is of the people of possessions, for verily they are like, as Allah said: They desire that you disbelieve as they have disbelieved so that you will be the same.

I ask Allah to facilitate the women from amongst the Muslims to the supreme triumph with the garden of delight, and that He makes them guiders and guided, and that He turns the Shayaateen of mankind away, from the men and women who call to the devestation of the woman and her mischief; and peace and blessings be on our Prophet Muhammad, and on his family and his Companions.