thumb|A [[Kashmiri depiction of Jannah, 1808]]
In Islam, Jannah (, jannāt, ) is the place of the righteous in the afterworld, their final and permanent abode. According to one count, the word appears 147 times in the Qur'an. Belief in the afterlife is one of the six articles of faith in Islam and is a place in which "believers" will enjoy pleasure, while the disbelievers (kafir) will suffer in jahannam (also known as The Fire or Hell). Both jannah and jahannam are believed to have several levels, the higher the more desirable. In the case of jannah, the higher levels are higher in prestige and pleasure, while in the case of jahannam, the lower levels have more severe and excruciating punishments.
Jannah is described with physical pleasures such as gardens, beautiful houris, wine that has no aftereffects, and "divine pleasure". The characteristics of jannah often have direct parallels with those of jahannam. The pleasure and delights of jannah described in the Qu'ran, are matched by the excruciating pain and horror of jahannam.
Jannah is also referred to as the abode of Adam and Eve before their expulsion. Muslims believe jannah and jahannam co-exist with the temporal world, rather than being created after Judgement Day. Humans may not pass the boundaries to the afterlife, but the afterworld may interact with the temporal world of humans.
According to some Islamic teachings, there are two categories of the people of heaven: those who go directly to it and those who enter it after enduring some torment in hell; consequently the people of hell are also of two categories: those who stay there temporarily and those who stay there forever.
Terminology
Jannah is found frequently in the Qur'an (2:30, 78:12) and often translated as "heaven" in the sense of an abode in which believers are rewarded in afterlife. Another word, samāʾ (usually pl. samāwāt) also found frequently in the Quran and translated as "heaven", has the meaning of sky above or the celestial sphere. (It is often used in the phrase as-samawat wal-ard "the heavens and the earth", an example being Qu'ran 38:10.) The Qu'ran describes both samāʾ and jannah as being above this world.
Jannah is also frequently translated as "paradise", but another term with a more direct connection to that term is also found, ' (Arabic: ), the literal term meaning paradise, ' is used in Qu'ran 18:107 and 23:11 and also designates the highest level of heaven. In Persian the word ' (), is the source of the English word "paradise".
In contrast to jannah, the words jahannam|, ', ', ', and other terms are used to refer to the concept of hell. There are many Arabic words for both heaven and hell that also appear in the Qu'ran and in the hadith. Most of them have become part of Islamic beliefs.
Jannah is also used as the name of the Garden of Eden in which Adam and Hawa (Eve) dwelt.
Salvation/inhabitants
alt=|thumb|upright=1.2|Diagram of "Plain of Assembly" (Ard al-Hashr) on the Day of Judgment, from an autograph manuscript of Futuhat al-Makkiyya by [[Sufism|Sufi mystic and Muslim philosopher Ibn Arabi, ca. 1238. Shown are the 'Arsh (Throne of God), pulpits for the righteous (al-Aminun), seven rows of angels, Gabriel (al-Ruh), A'raf (the Barrier), the Pond of Abundance, al-Maqam al-Mahmud (the Praiseworthy Station; where Muhammad will stand to intercede for the faithful), Mizan (the Scale), As-Sirāt (the Bridge), Jahannam (Hell), and Marj al-Jannat (Meadow of Paradise).]]
Scholars do not all agree on who will end up in jannah, and the criteria for whether or not they will. Issues include whether all Muslims, even those who've committed major sins, will end up in jannah; whether any non-Muslims will go there or all go to jahannam.
Inhabitants according to Quran
The Quran specifies the qualities for those allowed to inhabit jannah (according to Smith and Haddad) as: "those who refrain from doing evil, keep their duty, have faith in God's revelations, do good works, are truthful, penitent, heedful, and contrite of heart, those who feed the needy and orphans and who are prisoners for God's sake."
Angels, devils, and jinns
The idea that jinn as well as humans could find salvation was widely accepted, based on the Quran (Q.55:74) where the saved are promised maidens "untouched before by either men or jinn" – suggesting to classical scholars al-Suyūṭī and al-Majlisī that jinn also are provided their own kind of houri maidens in paradise.
The eschatological destiny of these creatures is summarized in the prophetic tradition: "One kind of beings will dwell in Paradise, and they are the angels; one kind will dwell in Hell, and they are the demons; and another kind will dwell some in Paradise and some in Hell, and those are the jinn and the humans."
Salvation of non-Muslims
Muslim scholars disagree about exact criteria for salvation of Muslim and non-Muslim. Although most agree that Muslims will be finally saved – shahids (martyrs) who die in battle, are expected to enter paradise immediately after death
Historically, the Ash'ari school of theology was known for having an optimistic perspective on salvation for Muslims, but a very pessimistic view of those who heard about Muhammad and his character, yet rejected him. The Maturidi school also generally agreed that even sinners among Muslims would eventually enter paradise, or if non-Muslims who understood and obeyed "God's universal law" would be saved also. and like the Ash'ari school, believe heedless and stubborn unbelievers will go to hell, while those ignorant of the truth of Islam but "truthful to their own religion", will not. Modernist scholars Muhammad Abduh and Rashid Rida rejected the notion that the People of the Book are excluded from jannah, referring to another verse.
- ˹Divine grace is˺ neither by your wishes nor those of the People of the Book! Whoever commits evil will be rewarded accordingly, and they will find no protector or helper besides Allah. But those who do good—whether male or female—and have faith will enter Paradise and will never be wronged ˹even as much as˺ the speck on a date stone. (Q.4:123–124)
"Third Islamic century traditionalists amplified the eschatological material enormously particularly in areas on where "the Quran is relatively silent" about the nature of Jannah. Some of the more popular Sunni manuals of eschatology are Kitāb al-rūḥ of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzīya and al-Durra al-fākhira ft kashf 'ulūm al-ākhira of Abǖ Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī. Other verses give more specific descriptions of the delights of paradise:
<blockquote>
'And whoever is in awe of standing before their Lord will have two Gardens<br>
... ˹Both will be˺ with lush branches.<br>
... In each ˹Garden˺ will be two flowing springs.<br>
... In each will be two types of every fruit.<br>
... Those ˹believers˺ will recline on furnishings lined with rich brocade. And the fruit of both Gardens will hang within reach.<br>
... In both ˹Gardens˺ will be maidens of modest gaze, who no human or jinn has ever touched before.<br>
... Those ˹maidens˺ will be ˹as elegant˺ as rubies and coral.<br>
... Is there any reward for goodness except goodness?<br>
... And below these two ˹Gardens˺ will be two others.<br>
... Both will be dark green.<br>
... In each will be two gushing springs.<br>
... In them are fruits, palm trees, and pomegranates.<br>
... In all Gardens will be noble, pleasant mates<br>
...˹They will be˺ maidens [houris] with gorgeous eyes, reserved in pavilions.<br>
.... No human or jinn has ever touched these ˹maidens˺ before.<br>
... All ˹believers˺ will be reclining on green cushions and splendid carpets.<br>
Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny? (Q.55:46–76, Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran)
</blockquote>
Smith and Haddad summarize some of the Quranic pleasures:
<blockquote>Choirs of angels will sing in Arabic (the only language used in paradise), the streets will be as familiar as those of the dwellers' own countries, inhabitants will eat and drink 100 times more than earthly bodies could hold and will enjoy it 100 times more, their rooms will have thick carpets and brocade sofas, on Fridays they will go to a market to receive new clothing to enhance their beauty, they will not suffer bodily ailments or be subject to functions such as sleeping, spitting, or excreting; they will be forever young.
Inside there will be neither too much heat nor bitter cold; there will be fountains (Q.88:10), abundant shade from spreading tree branches green with foliage (Q.53:14–16, also Q.36:56–57). and "which leads to no idle talk or sinfulness" (Q.52:23),
and every meat (Q.52:22) and trees from which an unceasing supply of fruits grow (Q.36:56–57),|group=Note
Inhabitants will rejoice in the company of any parents, spouses, and children who were admitted to paradise (Q52:21) —conversing and recalling the past.
Despite the details given in the Quran about jannah/garden, "nowhere" is there found "an ordered picture of the structure" of the abode. "For the most part Islamic theology has not concerned itself with questions about the location and structure of the Garden and the Fire on the understanding that only God knows these particulars."
Layers/levels
On the basis of "several scriptural suggestions", scholars have created "a very detailed structure" of paradise,|group=Note
Some descriptions of jannah/the garden indicate that the most spacious and highest part of the Garden, firdaws, which is directly under the throne and the place from which the four rivers of paradise flow. Others say the uppermost portion is either the garden of Eden or 'Iliyi and that is the second level from the top.
Still others have proposed that the seven levels suggested by the Qur'an are the seven heavens, above which is the Garden or final abode of felicity, while many see paradise as only one entity with many names.
One version of the layered garden conceptualization describes
the highest level of heaven (al-firdaws) as being said to be so close that its inhabitants could hear the sound of God's throne above.</small>
! <small>Sources: Doors of Jannah<br>Islam KaZir</small>
|}
Gates/doors
Two verses of the Quran (Qu'ran 7:40, 39:73) mention "gates" or "doors" (using the plural form) as the entrance of paradise, but say nothing about their number, names or any other characteristics.
- "To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven ..." (Qu'ran 7:40)
- "And those who kept their duty to their Lord (Al-Muttaqoon – the pious) will be led to Paradise in groups till when they reach it, and its gates will be opened" (Qu'ran 39:73)
As in the case of the levels of Jannah, later sources elaborate, giving names and functions but don't agree on all details (see table to right).|group=Note
In traditions, each level of the eight principal gates of Paradise is described as generally being divided into a hundred degrees guarded by angels (in some traditions Ridwan). The highest level is known as ' (sometimes called Eden) or Illiyin. Entrants will be greeted by angels with salutations of peace or As-Salamu Alaykum.
Jannah is accessible vertically through its gates (Qu'ran 7:40), by ladders (ma'arij) (Qu'ran 70:3), or sky-ropes (asbab). However, only select beings such as angels and prophets can enter. Iblis (Satan) and devils are kept at bay by angels who throw stars at them, whenever they try to climb back to heaven (Q.37:6–10).
|group=Note
Rivers
A few hadiths name four rivers in paradise, or coming from paradise, as: Saihan (Syr Darya), Jaihan (Amu Darya), Furat (Euphrates) and Nil (Nile). Salsabil is the name of a spring that is the source of the rivers of Rahma (mercy) and Al-Kawthar (abundance). Sidrat al-Muntaha is a Lote tree that marks the end of the seventh heaven, the boundary where no angel or human can pass. Muhammad is supposed to have taken a pomegranate from jannah, and shared it with Ali, as recorded by Nasir al-Din al-Tusi. However, some scholars, like Ghazali, reject that Muhammad took the fruit, argued he had only a vision instead. although this view "has generally not insisted that the realities of the next world will be identical with those of this world". Although early Sufis, such as Hallaj, took the descriptions of Paradise literally, later Sufi traditions usually stressed the allegorical meaning.
Eternal, not temporal
While some Quranic verses suggest hellfire is eternal and some that its punishment will not necessarily be forever for Muslims who committed grave sins, verses on Jannah are less ambiguous. Eternality assured in verses about paradise such as Qu'ran 3:198, 4:57, and 57:12, which say that the righteous will be khālidūn fīhā (eternally in it), and Qu'ran 35:35, which describes the reward of dār al-maqāma [the abode of everlastingness]. Consequently, neither "theologians nor the traditionalists" have had any doubts about the eternal nature of paradise or the residence of the righteous in it.
Other characteristics
To classical scholars on the afterlife al-Suyūṭī and al-Majlisī, one of the characteristics of Jannah (like hellfire) is that events are not "frozen in one eternal moment", but form cycles of "endless repetition" and "unceasing self renewing clockwork".
Islamic exegesis regards Adam and Eve's expulsion from paradise not as punishment for disobedience or a result from abused free will on their part, since man has no choice but to comply to God's will. However, that does not mean that complying is not a "sin" and that humans should not blame themselves for it.