Turn to almost every page of the Quran and you'll find mention of
Jannah.
Jannah...have you ever seen it? Have you ever smelt it? Have you ever
touched
it? Have you ever tasted it?

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - taught us that in Jannah
is that

"which no eye has witnessed, no ear has heard, and that which has
never been

imagined by any human."

Recite the verse if you wish: [And no soul knows what has been hidden
for
them of comfort of the eye (satisfaction) as reward for what they
used to
do.] - Surah As Sajdah

Many Muslims tasted the Iman of Jannah. Bilal - Radi Allahu 'anhu -
was one
of them. His slave master Umayyah would drag Bilal out to the
grilling
desert at noontime - the fiercest moments of the day. Umayyah would
press
Bilal to the scalding ground and place a boulder on top of his chest
to
increase the torture. As his back would melt away Bilal would say
nothing
but, "Ahad, Ahad - One, only One".

Later in his life, companions would see Bilals scarred back, tears
would
well in their eyes and they would ask him how he survived the
punishment.
Listen to his answer:

"The pain of punishment mixed with the sweetness of Iman. I tasted
both and
the sweetness of Iman overcame everything until I felt no more pain."

Today, let us sample Jannah, as offered to us in the Qur'an and
Sunnah.....

The Gates of Jannah

Imagine yourself present on the day when the gates of Jannah open
with all
the splendor that lies beyond it. Allah tells us in the Qur'an when
the
Muttaqoon are escorted to the gates of Jannah by the most handsomest
of
Angels: [And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden in
crowds, until - behold - they arrive there. Its gates will be opened,
and
its keepers will say, 'Peace be upon you! You have done well, so
enter
(Jannah) and live in it eternally.']

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alahi wa sallam - spoke to the Sahaabah
about the
gates of Jannah. He mentioned the gate of prayers, the gate of Jihad,
the
gate of Siyam, and the gate of charity.
Abu Bakr asked with the desire that took him to where he reached in
Iman,
"Fidaaka Abee wa Umee, will anyone be called from all gates?" Rasul
Allah -
sal Allahu alahi wa sallam - said, "Yes, and I hope that you will be
one of
them."


The Shade in Jannah

Imagine yourself in Jannah, cooling shade, water springs surrounding
you,
and fruits dipping in hands reach. Allah tells us: [Indeed, the
Muttaqoon
will be amid shades and springs / And fruits from whatever they
desire /
"Eat and drink to your hearts content for what you used to do (in the
Dunya)

/ Such we certainly reward the doers of good.] - Surah al-Mursalaat
77/41-44

The Ambience in Jannah

Imagine yourself - face shining with joy, glad that you woke up for
Fajr all

those days, glad you payed your Zakah, glad you wore Hijaab all those
summer

days. This is what the atmosphere is like in Jannah:

[Faces that day will be joyful (radiant) * Satisfied with the effort
that
put (in the Dunya) * In an elevated garden * Where they shall hear no
unsuitable speech.] Surah Al-Ghaashiyah 88/8-11 Jannah doesn't have
any
gossip, no did you hear about brother so and so - did you see what
sister so

and so is wearing.


Jannah the greatest gift

Truly Jannah is the greatest gift one can get. [(Indeed Jannah) is
the
greatest attainment!]

The inhabitants of Jannah: [You can tell in their faces the radiance
of the
blessing] The inhabitants of Jannah shall be in: [Gardens and rivers]
The
inhabitants of Jannah are: [most pleased with what Allah gave them
from His
bounty.]


Dear brothers and sisters, Jannah is the fruit of a seed planted in
this
Dunya. It is the retirement package that you save up in all your
years
of work.

'There once lived a pious man who was enslaved to a wicked master.
The
rightous slave wanted to teach his master a lesson that he would not
forget,

a lesson that would make him change his ways.

The Master told him one day to plant wheat. The slave took the
opportunity.
He went and collected seeds of barley and planted them. As the
season drew near, the master was enraged to see that after all this
work and

time the slave had planted the wrong seed. In his thrashing rage, he
scolded

the slave saying, "Why did you do this?" The righteous slave said, "I
had
hope that the barley seeds would come out as wheat."

The Master said, "How can you plant barley seeds and expect it to
come out
as wheat?" The slave stopped and said quietly, "How can you disobey
Allah
and expect for His bounteous mercy? How can you openly challenge his
Deen
and hope for Jannah." The Master was stunned and silent. He
understood. "You

have taught me something today that I had never realized. You are
free for
the sake of Allah."

Dear brothers and sisters, do you know what the greatest blessing for
the
inhabitants of Jannah is? Don't let any laziness in Salah block you
from
being here. Don't let anything ANYTHING stand between you and this
blessing:

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alahi wa sallam - told us, "When the
inhabitants of

Jannah enter Jannah, Allah will ask them all, 'Is
there anything that I can give you more?'. They will say, 'Have you
not
illuminated our faces? Have you not entered us into Jannah? Have you
not
saved us from Hellfire?' Then Allah will uncover the veil (and all
shall see

Allah). After that moment there would nothing more beloved to them
than
seeing their Lord." - narrated by Bukhari and Muslim.


O Allah! I beg You for that which incites Your Mercy and the means of
Your
forgiveness, safety from every sin, the benefit from every good deed,
success in attaining Jannah and deliverance from Fire...(ameen)