Sunday, 1 February 2026

The Meeting with the Most Merciful

 

Imaam Ibn Qayyim may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If you are asked about the Day of Increase and the visit of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy, and looking at His Face, that is free from likeness and resemblance, the same way you look at the sun during the day time and the moon at its full phase night as numerously related from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and that is found in books of hadeeth from the narration of Jareer, Suhayb, Anas, Aboo Hurayrah, Aboo Moosaa and Aboo Sa‘eed. So listen on the Day when the Caller will call out: “O people of Paradise, your Lord – exalted and blessed be He – requests you to visit Him, so rush to visit Him.”

They will then say, ‘We hear and we obey’ and will immediately take off for the meeting. Behold they will see mounts that have been prepared for them, so they will sit firmly on their backs without delay until they arrive at the wide valley that He has made the appointed place for them. They will all gather there without anyone being disloyal to the Caller. Then the Lord – blessed and exalted be He - shall order that His chair be set up there. Then pulpits of light, as well as pulpits of pearls, pulpits of gemstone, pulpits of gold, and pulpits of silver will be put in place for them.

The lowest of them in rank will sit on sheets of musk – may Allah forbid that there should be lowness in them- and they will not think that those on the chairs are above them in gift. When they settle down in their seats and are comfortable in their positions, a Caller will call out “O People of Paradise! You have an appointment with Allah in which He wishes to reward you!” So they will say, “And what is that reward? Has He not brightened our faces, made our scales heavy, admit us into the Paradise and distanced us from the Fire?” And when they are in that state, behold a light, that encompasses all of the Paradise, will shine at them. Then they will raise their heads and behold, The Compeller – the Mighty and Majestic - will come to them from above them and honor them; He will say: “O People of Paradise! Peace be upon you.”

They will not respond to this greeting with anything better than their saying: “O Allah, You are Peace and from You is peace. Blessed are You, O possessor of Majesty and Honor.” Then the Lord - blessed and exalted be He - will manifest Himself to them and laugh at them saying: “O People of Paradise.” It will be the first thing they will hear from Him:  “Where are My servants who used to obey Me without having ever seen Me? This is the Day of Increase!” So they will be united on one statement: “We are pleased, so be pleased with us.” So He will say: “O People of Paradise, if I was not pleased with you, I would not have made you inhabit My Paradise. So, ask of Me.” So, they will all be united on a single response: “Show us Your Face that we may catch a glimpse of it.”

So, the Lord -Mighty and Majestic- will remove His covering for them. He will reveal Himself to them and will cover them with His light which if Allah the most High had not decreed not to burn them, they would have been burned. And there will be none in this gathering except that his Lord the most High will speak to Him until He will say: “O so and so, do you remember the day that you did this and that?” And He will remind him of some of his disloyalties in the worldly life, so he (the person) will say: “O Lord, will you not forgive me? He will say: “Of course! You have reached this status of yours (in Paradise) by dint of My forgiveness.” 

What a pleasure to the ears are those conversations! What a comfort to the eyes of the pious is glancing at His noble Face in the abode of the Hereafter! And what a depravity to those who returned with poor deal! “Some faces that Day shall be Naadirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allâh); And some faces, that Day, will be Baasirah (dark, gloomy, frowning, and sad). Thinking that some calamity was about to fall on them.” [Soorah al-Qiyaamah: 22-25]

“Come to the Gardens of ‘Adn, for it is your first abodes and therein is camp. However, we are captives of the enemy. Do you think we will return to our homeland and be safe?”

Source: Haadee al-Arwaah ilaa Bilaad al-Afraah by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, transl. by Abdussamee Abdussalam

 

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