Those promised paradise – Stories of the Sahabah pdf

Those promised paradise – Stories of the Sahabah by Noura Darkee

THOSE PROMISED PARADISE

Book introduction

Introduction

‘”The dwellers of Paradise are three: One who wields authority and is just and fair, one who is truthful and has been endowed with the power to do good deeds, and the person who is merciful and kind-hearted towards his relatives and to every pious Muslim, one who does not withhold his hand in spite of having a large family to support.”

The Prophet said at various times that ·he could not guarantee anyone’s future, since Paradise, the Jannah, was from the grace of Allah only.

Even so, from time to time he would mention that he had seen in a vision or a dream some­one, or a house built for someone, in Paradise. On other occasions, he told one or another of his sahabah that they were promised the Jannah.

Those who received this good news were held in deep respect by others, and their actions and worship became known as exemplary. They are models for us all both men and women, young and old.

In this book, the first of our Sahabah series, we have chosen to present the life stories of those blessed few who were promised the Jannah in their lifetime.

There may even have been others. For example, the martyrs, women who died in childbirth, and couples who could raise two or more righteous daughters were gener­ally promised paradise also. However, those discussed in this book have come down to us clearly. They include many of Rasulullah’s closest sahabah and loved ones.

These are people who have been praised so highly that words like ‘noble,’ ‘honorable,’ ‘brave,’ righteous,’ and so forth take on new meaning when applied to them. So, we have chosen to tell their stories simply, without too many adjectives, hoping and trusting that some of their beauty and grandeur will touch your hearts. All of them are, as Rasulullah ? said, like stars, each worthy to be followed.

They are examples of the best of human­ity, the true superheroes without magical powers or space-age technology.

We will meet few people like them in our lifetime, but we may refer to these Sahabah as living examples of the Light of Islam. As Rasulullah said,