AT THE EDGE OF PARADISE

Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet of Islam said, “When you pass by the gardens of Paradise, then graze in them.” He was asked, “O Prophet of Islam, what are the gardens of Paradise?” He replied, “The mosques and the gatherings of God’s remembrance.” He was then asked, “O Prophet of Islam, what does it mean to graze in them?” The Prophet said, “To say: Subhanallah (Glory be to God), al-hamdu lillah (Praise be to God), la ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but God), and Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest).” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 3509)

As a person moves about in the world, moments arise that awaken their awareness of God. At times, a mosque draws their attention to the worship of the Almighty. At other times, gatherings of remembrance remind them of God’s attributes. Sometimes, signs in nature reflect God’s majesty and greatness.

These moments bring a person to the edge of the gardens of Paradise. They stir the inner feelings that can lead one toward entry into Paradise. It is essential that a person benefits from such opportunities—to draw spiritual nourishment from them and prepare themselves for eternal life in Paradise.

In such moments, a person should feel so deeply moved that their soul connects with the divine reality. Their overflowing emotions should find expression in words like: “Glory be to You, O God. All praise belongs to You. You alone are worthy of worship—there is no god besides You. All greatness is Yours alone—no one else possesses true greatness.” This is because all the beauty and excellence of this world were created by God so that, through them, a person may come to recognize God and His Paradise. One must live in this world with such spiritual awareness that they begin to see glimpses of Paradise in the everyday scenes around them. Only then can they truly partake in the experience of “grazing” in the gardens of Paradise.