Question: Mufti, I was at the Monroe Road Mosque on Friday and I found your lecture very inspirational on Brotherhood in Islam. One part of your lecture concerning a Hadith in which the middle part of Jannah was mentioned, you described that Jannah is not like seven levels of a building, where the middle part would be the greatest part or Jannat-ul-Firdous. Can you shed more light into this area since I used to always think of Jannah as seven levels like one on top the other. I would also like you to clarify the following for me:

There are eight doors of Jannah. These are eight grades of Jannah:
i) Jannatul Mava
ii) Darul Maqaam
iii) Darul Salaam
iv) Darul Khuld
v) Jannat-ul-Adan
vi) Jannat-ul-Naeem
vii) Jannat-ul-Kasif
viii) Jannat-ul-Firdous

Jannatul Mava is in the lowest, Jannat-ul-Adan is the middle and Jannat-ul-Firdous is on the highest.

Answer: With respect to the amount of gates in Jannah, it is evident that there are eight of them. In a tradition, Sahl bin Sa'ad (r.a) reported that the Prophet (s.a.s) said, 'Paradise has eight gates, and one of them is called Ar Rayyan. None will enter it except those who observe fasting.' (Bukhari)

In another tradition, Umar bin Khattab (r.a) narrates that the Prophet (s.a.s) said, 'Anyone of you who performs wudu and says Ash'hadu an la ilaha illallah wahdahu la shareeka lahu wa ash'hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu, all the eight gates of Jannah would be open for him.' (Muslim)

This hadith shows that there are eight gates in Jannah and one who does the above act would be fortunate to gain entry into these gates. The Prophet (s.a.s) has further given details regarding these gates and has mentioned some of their names.

In a tradition narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet (s.a.s) is reported to have said, 'Whoever spends in the path of Allah two things of the same kind would be called to Paradise and it will be said, 'O Servant of Allah.' One who had been offering salaah would be called from the gate of salaah; the man of Jihad would be called from the gate of Jihad; the man of fasting would be called from the gate of Rayyan.' Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr (r.a) said, 'May my parents be sacrificed for you, will there be anyone who would be called from all these gates?' The Prophet (s.a.s) said, 'Yes! and I hope you are one of them.' (Recorded by Tirmizi).

While commenting on this hadith, the great scholar of hadith and commentator of Sahih Al Bukhari, Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani writes, 'This hadith tells of four gates (1) Babus Salaah (the gate of Salaah); (2) Babul Jihad (the gate of Jihad); (3) Babus Sadaqah (the gate of charity; (4) Babur Rayyan (the gate of the fasting people. It seems that one gate is also named Babul Hajj (the gate for those who performed Hajj) and one more for those who suppress their anger. Similarly, one gate Babul Aiman will be fixed for those totally relying on Allah and they will enter the gate without their account being taken. There would also be a gate named Babuz Zikr which has been referred to in a hadith recorded by Tirmizi.'

The above mentioned traditions spoke of the eight different gates in Jannah and also highlighted their names. Along with the different gates in Paradise, it is also evident that there are ranks and storeys in Paradise. The Holy Quran and the traditions tell us that based on the great amount of good deeds of a person, he would be placed in a high and lofty place in Paradise while other believers will be placed in a lower rank or storey.

In this regard, the Holy Quran has stated, 'Those are the ones that will be rewarded with the highest place in Paradise, because of their patience.' (25:76). At another place it states, 'As for those who feared their Lord, for them will be lofty mansions, one above the other, which have been built and beneath them rivers flow.' (39:20).

While explaining about the storeys and ranks in Paradise, the Prophet (s.a.s) is reported to have said, 'Whoever believes in Allah and His apostle, offers salaah perfectly and fasts in the month of Ramadhan, will rightfully be granted Paradise by Allah, whether he fights in the cause of Allah or remains in the land where he is born.' Upon this, the Companions said, 'O Prophet of Allah! Shall we acquaint the people with this good news?' The Prophet (s.a.s) said, 'Paradise has one hundred grades which Allah has reserved for the fighters in His cause, and the distance between each of the two grades is like the distance between the sky and the earth. So when you ask Allah, ask for Al Firdaus, for it is the best and highest part of Paradise.' (Bukhari)

Sahl bin Sa'ad (r.a) reported that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.s) said, 'The people in Paradise will look to the upper apartment of Paradise in the same way as you see the stars in the sky.' (Muslim)

Abu Sa'ed Al Khudri narrated that the Prophet (s.a.s) said , 'The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of the lofty mansions in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star far away in the east or in the west on the horizon. That is because of their superiority over one another in rewards.' Upon hearing this, the Companions said, 'O Apostle of Allah! Are these lofty mansions the Prophet's mansions which nobody can reach?' The Prophet (s.a.s) replied, 'By Allah in whose hands my life is, some men who believe in Allah and testified to the truth of the Prophets will be able to reach there.' (Bukhari, Muslim)

With respect to Al Firdaus, many traditions have indicated to the fact that it is the name of a place/storey in Paradise which is the best of all other places in Paradise. In this regard, Imam Tirmizi has recorded the tradition of Rubai bint An Nadhr who narrates that the Prophet (s.a.s) said, 'Al Firdaus is a hill in Paradise, it is the middle of Paradise and the best and most virtuous of Paradise.' (Tirmizi who said that the hadith is good and sound)

Imam Bukhari has also recorded the tradition in which the Prophet (s.a.s) said, 'When you ask from Allah, ask Him for Al Firdaus, for it is the middle of Paradise and it is the highest place and from it the rivers of Paradise flow.' (Bukhari, Ahmad, Baihaqi) In this tradition, it is evident that Al Firdaus is the highest place in Paradise, yet, it is stated that it is in the middle. While giving an explanation of this description of Al Firdaus, the great scholar, Ibn Hibban states, 'Al Firdaus being in the middle of Paradise means that with respect to the width and breadth of Paradise, Al Firdaus is in the middle. And with respect to being 'the highest place in Paradise', it refers to it being on a height.' This explanation is in agreement to the explanation which has been given by Abu Hurairah (r.a.) who said that 'Al Firdaus is a mountain in Paradise from which the rivers flow.' (Tafseer Al Qurtubi Vol. 12 pg. 100)

With respect to the seven different names that you have asked about, it is not narrated in the traditions that the gates of Paradise are known by these names, except the name of Al Firdaus. In the Holy Quran, Paradise has been described with several names like the words Khuld, Naeem, Mawa, Adn, etc. However, the sound and reliable commentators of the Holy Quran like Hafiz Ibn Katheer and others have not indicated that these are the names of the different gates or storeys in Paradise. Instead, while explaining these names, they have given the literal meaning. For example, in the case of Jannatul Khuld, they have stated that it means Paradise in which one will remain forever. This is on account of the fact that Khuld means to last forever. Na'eem means bliss and pleasure. Hence, Jannatu Na'eem refers to a Paradise of bliss. In this way, the commentators have explained these words which have been mentioned in the Quran as being adjectives which describe the different states of Paradise. They have not identified them as specific names for the ranks, grades or gates of Paradise.


And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan