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Title
On the various degrees and levels of Paradise
Date
5/28/2020 6:17:22 PM

On the various degrees and levels of Paradise

First Sermon

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Earth and the Heavens. He created several levels and degrees in Paradise. I bear witness that there is no deity save Allah, having no associates. I also bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad is the Servant of Allah and His Messenger. He pbuh guided people to all that which is good. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad, his family and all of his companions and those who follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

As to what follows,

I urge you and myself, O Servants of Allah, to be aware that you are asked to obey Him the Most Exalted and High, for His obedience is he path to attain His Paradise. The Almighty says, “indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs, [having been told], ‘Enter it in peace, safe [and secure]’.” (Al-Hijr: 458-46).

O Worshipers,

Paradise is the house of integrity and the place of mercy. This accentuated by the Prophet pubh as he said, “Allah the Most Exalted said to Paradise: ‘you are My Mercy which I bestow on whoever I wish of my servants’.” Allah the Almighty has created various degrees and levels in His Paradise, each of which has a name, including: Jannat Al Maawa (the Garden of Refuge), Jannat Al Firdous (Gardens of Paradise) and Jannat Adn (Gardens of Perpetual Residence). The Messenger of Allah pbuh has further emphasised this as he said, “There are many Paradises”.

While there are many levels for Jannah, yet in each of the levels there are degrees and grades which the believer will have in return for their good deeds and righteousness. Such deeds were mentioned in the holy Quran and highlighted by our Master Muhammad pbuh. For instance, Jannat Al Maawa is near the Sidrat Al Muntaha (Lote of the Utmost Boundary), for Allah the Almighty says, “at the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary. Near it is the Garden of Refuge.” (An-Najm: 14-15). Allah, the Most Wise, has prepared this level in Paradise for those who do plenty of righteous deeds. The Almighty says, “as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, for them will be the Gardens of Refuge as accommodation for what they used to do.” (As-Sajda: 19).

In the Gardens of Refuge, there will reside those who were conscious of Allah, the Most Exalted, and resisted their whims in obedience to their Lord. About such believers, Allah the Almighty says, “but as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.” (An-Naziaat: 40-41).  

For another, Jannat Al Firdaus is the highest amongst the levels of Paradise. About it, the Prophet pbuh said, “Al-Firdaus is the highest level, and from it the four rivers of Paradise are made to flow forth.” Furthermore, the holy Quran has mentioned the qualities of the believers who will attain this degree of Paradise. The Most Exalted says, “certainly will the believers have succeeded: They who are during their prayer humbly submissive, and they who turn away from ill speech, and they who are observant of zakat, and they who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors. And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive, and they who carefully maintain their prayers. Those are the inheritors who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally.” (Al-Mouminoon: 1-11).

In light of its superior status, the Messenger of Allah pbuh urged Muslims to ask for al Firdaus when they invoke their Lord as he said, “If you ask Allah, ask Him for al Firdaus.” Asking for al Firdaus can be done by invoking Allah the Almighty and supplicating to Him humbly and devoutly, as well as by performing acts of righteousness often. Allah, the Most Sublime, says, “indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging.” (Al-Kahf: 107).

O Believers,

Coming to the Jannat Adn, please know that Allah, the Most Merciful, has established pleasant abodes in the Adn level of Paradise, which He has allocated for the believing men and the believing women and has promised them that they will attain such perpetual residences. The Blessed is His Name says, “Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence; but approval from Allah is greater. It is that which is the great attainment.” (At-Tawba: 72).

So, those who seek to secure their place in the Gardens of perpetual residence should strive to be of the pious believers who are obedient to the commands of their Lord; doing what is lawful and avoiding what He has forbidden. The Exalted is He says, “and how excellent is the home of the righteous. Gardens of perpetual residence, which they will enter, beneath which rivers flow. They will have therein whatever they wish. Thus does Allah reward the righteous.” (An-Nahl: 30-31). On the same matter, Allah the Almighty says, “and indeed, for the righteous is a good place of return; Gardens of perpetual residence, whose doors will be opened to them.” (Sad: 49-50).

Jannat Adn is a place for those whom Allah the Almighty has described as being, “those who fulfil the covenant of Allah and do not break the contract, and those who join that which Allah has ordered to be joined and fear their Lord and are afraid of the evil of [their] account. And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good - those will have the good consequence of [this] home - Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their fathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], ‘Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home’.” (Ar-Raad: 20-24).

In His holy Book, Allah the Almighty has further accentuated that the highest degrees in Paradise are the Gardens of Adn which He has made for the true believers who avoided falling into sins, obeyed their Lord, the Most Exalted, and feared his punishment. About them, the Most High says, “but whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees [in position]: Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself.” (Taha: 75-76).

Bearing this in mind, let us supplicate to Allah, the Most Giving, to grant us Paradise and help us in all deeds and words that may draw us closer to its dwellings.

May Allah guide us all to obey Him and obey His trustworthy Messenger Muhammad and obey those He has commanded us to obey in line with His orders: “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.” (An-Nisaa: 59).

May Allah direct us all to the blessings of the Glorious Quran and the Sunna of His Messenger pbuh.

I say this and ask Allah for forgiveness for me and you, so invoke Him for forgiveness, for He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Sermon

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. He made Paradise as a recompense for the righteous believers. I bear witness that there is no deity save Allah, having no associates. I also bear witness that our Master Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon ou­­r Master Muhammad, his pure family, companions, and all those who follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

I urge you, O Servants of Allah, and myself to be aware that you are asked to obey Him, the Most Exalted and Sublime.

Dear Muslims,

Please be aware that there are various degrees in Paradise as the Prophet pbuh said, “In Paradise, there are a hundred levels, what is between every two levels is like what is between the heavens and the earth.” The degree or level in Paradise varies according to the believers’ efforts in this world in terms of faith, acts of obedience and good manners. The Messenger of Allah pbuh said in this regard, “The dearest and the closest of you to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who are the best in behaviour.”

Amongst the good qualities that are conducive to help the believer attain the highest degrees in Paradise are being true to one’s promise, honouring the ties of kinship, observing prayer at its prescribed time, spending in charity, showing patience and tolerance as well as treating others in kindness. Whoever embraces such good manners, will, by Allah’s favour, attain the highest degrees in Paradise.

You are urged, therefore, to work sincerely towards embracing such merits so as to be admitted to Paradise as your perpetual dwelling.  

 

That is said, please bear in mind that you are instructed to invoke peace and blessings on the Prophet pbuh. Allah, the Most Sublime, says, “indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.” (Al-Ahzab: 56).

On the same matter, the Prophet pbuh said, “For everyone who invokes a blessing on me will receive ten blessings from Allah.”

O Allah, please confer Your blessings and grant peace upon our Prophet Muhammad pbuh, his family and all of the companions.

May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and all of the noble Companions.

O Allah, we seek Your grace to make us amongst those who remember you much and are steadfast on performing acts of worship. O Allah, please forgive us all.

O Allah, we seek refuge in Your perfect words from the evil of that which descend from the sky and from the evil of that which ascends in it, and from the evil of what is created in the earth and the evil of that which comes out of it. O Allah we seek refuge in You from the trials of the night and the day, and from the visitations of the night and day, except for one that knocks with good. Indeed, You are the Most Merciful.

O Lord, we beseech You to bless all of the Muslim countries and the whole world with stability, cure from any illness and peace.

May Allah grant success and continued health and care to all of us, Muslims and all the world.

O Allah, please forgive all of the Muslims, men and women, living and dead.

O Lord, forgive and show mercy on them and bless them with Your kindness and satisfaction. O Lord, forgive and show mercy on our parents, relatives and whoever has done a favour to us.

We pray to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, to continue blessing our country with stability and welfare and bless its provisions. O Allah, please continue blessing our country with safety and security.

O Allah, relieve us! O Allah, relieve us! O Allah, relieve us! O Allah, give us from the blessings of the sky and grow for us from the blessings of the earth.

O Allah: we turn to Your name through which nothing is harmed in the earth and the heavens. That we not be afflicted through disease or calamity. Or that disease or epidemic may befall us, O Allah: hear this supplication. We ask you Allah for constancy of wellbeing. For ourselves and for all of the people around us. Save us from the evil of epidemics and diseases.

 

Remember Allah and He will remember you. Be grateful of His benevolence and He will increase His blessings to you.

O Allah, please confer Your blessings and grant peace upon our Prophet Muhammad pbuh, his family and all of the companions.

 

 

 


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