From breathtaking mountain views to fascinating creatures lurking below the sea, the Earth is quite gorgeous. Such beauty can only be explained through the Mercy of Al-Jamil (The Beautiful). Take a moment to think about the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen; how did it make you feel? Was it a sense of peace? Or perhaps an undeniable feeling of wonder? For me, it’s when I’m out in the woods in the Midwest; the trees provide a pleasant shade and a sense of calm. These views are already an invaluable gift, but do you know the best part about them? Jannah (paradise) is even better. The Qur’an and Sunnah- practices and sayings of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- offer glimpses of fantastical beauty. I could highlight a nearly endless number of narrations and ayahs, but for brevity, I’ll focus on three points to help you connect to the reward waiting for the righteous.

You Will Have Your Own Home

لَـٰكِنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ غُرَفٌۭ مِّن فَوْقِهَا غُرَفٌۭ مَّبْنِيَّةٌۭ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ

“But those mindful of their Lord will have [elevated] mansions, built one above the other, under which rivers flow. [That is] the promise of Allah. [And] Allah never fails in [His] promise.”- 39:20.

In this world, this type of luxury is only for the richest of the rich; however, the Day of Judgement is an equalizer; what determines wealth isn’t the money handed to you; it’s the deeds you procured through your effort and iman (belief). Thus, for the successful, our reward will be a level of opulence we can’t even fathom: our own mansion.

The Haram will Be Purified

يُسْقَوْنَ مِن رَّحِيقٍۢ مَّخْتُومٍ ٢٥ خِتَـٰمُهُۥ مِسْكٌۭ ۚ وَفِى ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلْمُتَنَـٰفِسُونَ

“They will be given a drink of sealed, pure wine, whose last sip will smell like musk. So let whoever aspires to this strive [diligently].” – 83:25-26

In this world, some things are forbidden because they’re bad for us; however, the above ayah shows that even wine, one of the most toxic substances for us, will be made safe and taste far better than the rot within this world’s wine.  

You’ll Enjoy the Company of Angels

نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَآؤُكُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِىٓ أَنفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ

“We are your supporters in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. There you will have whatever your souls desire, and there you will have whatever you ask for.” – 41:31

As a gift from our Lord, we’ll have angels by our side, willing to give us whatever we want, solely because we were faithful to Al-Jamil.

So, how do we obtain this blessed end?

A common misconception is that the straight path is narrow, that if we don’t fit that mold, there is no point in trying, as we would fail. Holding such a belief not only holds us back from experiencing the beauty of tazkiya but also misses the diversity among the companions. Each person was needed to make the Ummah what it is today; this applies to those who played a role that most of us would consider small. For example, a woman who would clean the Prophet’s mosque; when she passed away, and the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) found out about it, he offered her the funeral prayer. Muhammad’s actions show that it’s our actions that will count towards our fate on the Day of Judgement, not our worldly status. Thus, we should make that extra prayer and put on the hijab regardless of whether we feel worthy of it or not. These smaller steps will eventually snowball towards real improvement that could make all the difference for our fate.