Fatwa ID: 07761
Answered by Alimah Humairah Badshah
Question:
Assalamu alaykum. I am hoping you can help with this query inshallah.
I am confused as to why we are told jannah is surrounded by hardships and jahannam is surrounded by desires, but, at the same time, Islam is not a hardship. The path to Jannah, Islam, is not hard and it is not a sacrifice. The more you practice, the better your life becomes for this life and the next. There is no sacrifice. So why are we told that we need to sacrifice in order to get to Jannah?
Jazakumullah khairan katheeran!
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Wa’alaykumussalaam,
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The (Hell) Fire is surrounded by all kinds of desires and passions, while Paradise is surrounded by all kinds of disliked undesirable things.”1
The scholars have explained that the hardships described here are striving to perfect acts of worship, repress one’s desires, and avoid all prohibited things. The nafs dislikes such things and finds them difficult, even when they are small and easy, and so one must struggle and suppress one’s nafs through patience and submission to Allah (عز و جل)’s will. Conversely, the nafs desires sinful things, so giving into sinful urges does not require self-control or struggle. Since the things which lead to Jahannam seems more tempting to the nafs, it has been described as surrounded by desires, while Jannah has been described as surrounded by undesirable things as that is from the perception of the nafs.2
This is related to another narration where the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “When Allah created Paradise and the Fire, He sent Jibril to Paradise, saying: ‘Look at it and at what I have prepared in it for its inhabitants.'” He (ﷺ) said: “So he came to it and looked at it, and at what Allah had prepared in it. He (Jibril) said: ‘Indeed, by your Might, none shall hear of it except that he shall enter it.’ Then He gave the order for it to be surrounded with hardships. He said: ‘Return to it and look at it, and at what I have prepared in it for its inhabitants.'” He (ﷺ) said: “So he returned to it and found it surrounded with hardships. He returned to Him and said: ‘Indeed, by your Might, I fear that none shall enter it.’ He (ﷺ) said: ‘Go to the Fire and look at it and at what I have prepared in it for its inhabitants.’ So he found it, one part of it riding the other. So he returned to Him and said: ‘Indeed, by your Might, none shall hear of it and then enter it.’ So He gave the order for it to be surrounded with desires, then He said: ‘Return to it.,’ so he (Jibril) returned to it, then he said: ‘Indeed, by Your Might, I fear that none shall be saved from it except that he shall enter it.'”
Therefore, the desires and hardships mentioned in these narrations are descriptions from an outside, surface-level perspective. This how the nafs feels, and how those who only look at the worldly angle see things. When one cannot comprehend the bigger picture and only considers the apparent world without thinking of the hidden hereafter, the fleeting desires of this world seem all-important and the temporary struggles of this world seem insurmountable. But in the hereafter, when this shallow view is shattered and one comes face-to face with the reality of eternity, all the struggles of this world will feel like a few fleeting moments.
In Surah Mu’minoon, Allah (عز و جل) informs us: “He (Allah) will say (to unbelievers): ‘How long did you stay on the earth by number of years?’ They will say, ‘We remained a day or part of a day; ask those who enumerate.’ He will say, ‘You stayed not but a little – if only you had known.'” [23:112-114]
Even for a devout believer, the human perspective is limited, and therefore the tests of this world inevitably feel difficult. Despite the firm belief that a better reward awaits, giving up desires and striving in worship throughout one’s entire life is still difficult. That is why it has been described as a sacrifice. ‘Sacrifice’ does not mean that one will be worse off in the end; it only means that, in the moment, giving up that which is being sacrificed is difficult.
In Surah Ankaboot, Allah (عز و جل) says: “Do the people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ and they will not be tested? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.”
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri (ra) said: “I entered upon the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was suffering from a fever, I placed my hand on him and felt heat with my hand from above the blanket. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how hard it is for you!’ He said: ‘We (Prophets) are like that. The trial is multiplied for us and so is the reward.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?’ He said: ‘The Prophets.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, then who?’ He said: ‘Then the righteous, some of whom were tested with poverty until they could not find anything except a cloak to put around themselves. One of them will rejoice at calamity as one of you would rejoice at ease.’”4
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “When Allah wants good for his slave, He hastens his punishment in the world. And when He wants bad for His slave, He withholds his sins from him until he appears before Him on the Day of Judgement.” And with this (same) chain, (it was reported) from the Prophet (ﷺ) who said: “Indeed greater reward comes with greater trial. And indeed, when Allah loves a people He subjects them to trials, so whoever is content, then for him is pleasure, and whoever is discontent, then for him is wrath.”5
In Surah Baqarah, Allah (عز و جل) says: “Allah does not burden any soul with more than it can bear. For him is what he has earned, and on him what he has incurred.” [2:286]
This teaches us that devout and persistent belief does not mean that one will not be tested; rather, one will certainly have to struggle and sacrifice, but faith will put these things into perspective and give the true Muslim the willpower to remain steadfast. The Muslim who is strong in faith will find the same sacrifices much easier than the Muslim who is caught up in the passions of this world. The more one learns and practices in the deen, the stronger one’s faith and willpower becomes. We ask Allah (عز و جل) for this true faith, for safety from difficult trials, for patience to overcome those trials we do face, and for gratitude in every state and circumstance.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Trials will not cease afflicting the believing man and the believing woman in their self, children, and wealth, until they meet Allah without having any sin.”6
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “There is no trouble that comes to a believer except that it obliterates from his sins, even if it is the pricking of a thorn.”7
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Wondrous is the affair of a believer, as there is good for him in every matter; this is not the case for anyone but a believer. If he experiences pleasure, he thanks Allah and it is good for him. If he experiences harm, he shows patience and it is good for him.”8
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Humairah Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
(1)
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” حُجِبَتِ النَّارُ بِالشَّهَوَاتِ، وَحُجِبَتِ الْجَنَّةُ بِالْمَكَارِهِ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari (https://sunnah.com) b.81, ch.28, no.76 (6487)
(2)
وَهَذَا من جَوَامِع كَلمه صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم فِي بديع بلاغته فِي ذمّ الشَّهَوَات وَإِن مَالَتْ إِلَيْهَا النُّفُوس، والحض على الطَّاعَات وَإِن كرهتها النُّفُوس وشق عَلَيْهَا. قَوْله:(حفت)، بِالْحَاء الْمُهْملَة وَتَشْديد الْفَاء من الحفاف وَهُوَ مَا يُحِيط بالشَّيْء حَتَّى لَا يتَوَصَّل إِلَيْهِ إلَاّ بتخطئه، فالجنة لَا يتَوَصَّل إِلَيْهَا إلاّ بِقطع مفاوز المكاره وَالنَّار لَا يُنجى مِنْهَا إلَاّ بترك الشَّهَوَات.
Kitaab Umdat Al-Qaari (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.23 p.78
فَإِنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِالْمَكَارِهِ هُنَا مَا أُمِرَ الْمُكَلَّفُ بِمُجَاهَدَةِ نَفْسِهِ فِيهِ فِعْلًا وَتَرْكًا، كَالْإِتْيَانِ بِالْعِبَادَاتِ عَلَى وَجْهِهَا وَالْمُحَافَظَةِ عَلَيْهَا، وَاجْتِنَابِ الْمَنْهِيَّاتِ قَوْلًا وَفِعْلًا.وَأَطْلَقَ عَلَيْهَا الْمَكَارِهَ لِمَشَقَّتِهَا عَلَى الْعَامِلِ وَصُعُوبَتِهَا عَلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ جُمْلَتِهَا الصَّبْرُ عَلَى الْمُصِيبَةِ، وَالتَّسْلِيمِ لِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ فِيهَا ; وَالْمُرَادُ بِالشَّهَوَاتِ مَا يُسْتَلَذُّ مِنْ أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا مِمَّا مَنَعَ الشَّرْعُ مِنْ تَعَاطِيهِ إِمَّا بِالْأَصَالَةِ، وَإِمَّا لِكَوْنِ فِعْلِهِ يَسْتَلْزِمُ تَرْكَ شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْمَأْمُورَاتِ، وَيُلْتَحَقُ بِذَلِكَ الشُّبُهَاتُ، وَالْإِكْثَارُ مِمَّا أُبِيحَ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يُوقِعَ فِي الْمُحَرَّمِ، فَكَأَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَا يُوصَلُ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ إِلَّا بِارْتِكَابِ الْمَشَقَّاتِ الْمُعَبَّرِ عَنْهَا بِالْمَكْرُوهَاتِ، وَلَا إِلَى النَّارِ إِلَّا بِتَعَاطِي الشَّهَوَاتِ، وَهُمَا مَحْجُوبَتَانِ، فَمَنْ هَتَكَ الْحِجَابَ اقْتَحَمَ، وَيَحْتَمِلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ هَذَا الْخَبَرُ وَإِنْ كَانَ بِلَفْظِ الْخَبَرِ فَالْمُرَادُ بِهِ النَّهْيُ.
Fat’h Al-Baari (Al-Salafiyyah ed., Daar Al-Ma’rifah, https://shamela.ws) v.11 p.320-321
(3)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” لَمَّا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ أَرْسَلَ جِبْرِيلَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ فَقَالَ انْظُرْ إِلَيْهَا وَإِلَى مَا أَعْدَدْتُ لأَهْلِهَا فِيهَا قَالَ فَجَاءَهَا وَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِلَى مَا أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لأَهْلِهَا فِيهَا قَالَ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ فَوَعِزَّتِكَ لاَ يَسْمَعُ بِهَا أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ دَخَلَهَا . فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَحُفَّتْ بِالْمَكَارِهِ فَقَالَ ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهَا فَانْظُرْ إِلَى مَا أَعْدَدْتُ لأَهْلِهَا فِيهَا قَالَ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ قَدْ حُفَّتْ بِالْمَكَارِهِ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ وَعِزَّتِكَ لَقَدْ خِفْتُ أَنْ لاَ يَدْخُلَهَا أَحَدٌ . قَالَ اذْهَبْ إِلَى النَّارِ فَانْظُرْ إِلَيْهَا وَإِلَى مَا أَعْدَدْتُ لأَهْلِهَا فِيهَا . فَإِذَا هِيَ يَرْكَبُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ وَعِزَّتِكَ لاَ يَسْمَعُ بِهَا أَحَدٌ فَيَدْخُلُهَا . فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَحُفَّتْ بِالشَّهَوَاتِ فَقَالَ ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهَا . فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ وَعِزَّتِكَ لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ لاَ يَنْجُوَ مِنْهَا أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ دَخَلَهَا ” . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Jami` at-Tirmidhi (https://sunnah.com) b.38, ch.21, no.38 (2559)
(4)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي فُدَيْكٍ، حَدَّثَنِي هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَهُوَ يُوعَكُ فَوَضَعْتُ يَدِي عَلَيْهِ فَوَجَدْتُ حَرَّهُ بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ فَوْقَ اللِّحَافِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَشَدَّهَا عَلَيْكَ قَالَ ” إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ يُضَعَّفُ لَنَا الْبَلاَءُ وَيُضَعَّفُ لَنَا الأَجْرُ ” . قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَشَدُّ بَلاَءً قَالَ ” الأَنْبِيَاءُ ” . قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ” ثُمَّ الصَّالِحُونَ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ لَيُبْتَلَى بِالْفَقْرِ حَتَّى مَا يَجِدُ أَحَدُهُمْ إِلاَّ الْعَبَاءَةَ يُحَوِّيهَا وَإِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ لَيَفْرَحُ بِالْبَلاَءِ كَمَا يَفْرَحُ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالرَّخَاءِ ” .
Sunan Ibn Majah (https://sunnah.com) b.36, ch.23, no.99 (4024)
(5)
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدِهِ الْخَيْرَ عَجَّلَ لَهُ الْعُقُوبَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدِهِ الشَّرَّ أَمْسَكَ عَنْهُ بِذَنْبِهِ حَتَّى يُوَفَّى بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ” . وَبِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” إِنَّ عِظَمَ الْجَزَاءِ مَعَ عِظَمِ الْبَلاَءِ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا ابْتَلاَهُمْ فَمَنْ رَضِيَ فَلَهُ الرِّضَا وَمَنْ سَخِطَ فَلَهُ السَّخَطُ ” . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ .
Jami` at-Tirmidhi (https://sunnah.com) b.36, ch.56, no.94 (2396)
(6)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” مَا يَزَالُ الْبَلاَءُ بِالْمُؤْمِنِ وَالْمُؤْمِنَةِ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَمَالِهِ حَتَّى يَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَمَا عَلَيْهِ خَطِيئَةٌ ” . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
Jami` at-Tirmidhi (https://sunnah.com) b.36, ch.56, no.97 (2399)
(7)
حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، وَيُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” مَا مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ يُصَابُ بِهَا الْمُسْلِمُ إِلاَّ كُفِّرَ بِهَا عَنْهُ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا ” .
Sahih Muslim (https://sunnah.com) b.45, ch.14, no.63 (2572e)
(8)
حَدَّثَنَا هَدَّابُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الأَزْدِيُّ، وَشَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ، – وَاللَّفْظُ لِشَيْبَانَ – حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، عَنْ صُهَيْبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ ” .
Sahih Muslim (https://sunnah.com) b.55, ch.13, no.823 (2999)
