God created an ideal world that was perfect in all respects. He ordained that this ultimate world be inhabited by impeccable ideal human beings. To achieve this target, God first settled man on Earth giving him complete freedom. The present world is a selection ground for this grand project. Here, it is being observed as to who makes proper use of his freedom and who misuses it. At the end of history, those who have abused their freedom will be rejected, and those who may have exercised it judiciously will be selected and settled in Heaven. Contrary to atheist thinkers who term the concept of Paradise a beautiful idealization of human wishes, it would be more accurate to call it a beautiful interpretation of human history.
The present world is in fact a selection ground of ideal individuals who will be found eligible to inhabit the ideal world of Paradise in the Hereafter. Ideal individuals are being selected from every generation. For instance, in the first generation, Adam’s son Cain was rejected while his other son Abel was accepted. The same process has been going on throughout history. In every age and in every generation, God has been selecting deserving candidates while rejecting the undeserving. It is described in the Quran thus: “…a large group of the earlier people and a large group of those of later times.” (56:39-40)
Once this desired list of accepted and rejected individuals is complete, the Creator of the universe will replace this world with an ideal world, that is, Paradise. Then the individuals who had been selected would be settled in this Paradise to enjoy a life free from fear and sorrow forever, whereas those who had been rejected would be thrown into the universal dustbin to live a life full of intense regret and remorse for all eternity.
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The present world is just an introduction to Paradise. It is not Paradise in itself. The present world is a passageway and not a destination. It is the place for preparation and not for reaping the harvest. The present world is full of limitations. It does not have the means to fulfil the unlimited desires of man. It has all the necessary components for man to prepare himself for Paradise, but it is not a place to achieve fulfillment of his desires.
A paradisiacal person, one fit to inhabit Paradise, is such an ardent seeker of Paradise that he begins to feel like he is living in Paradise while remaining physically in this world. If he has found Paradise in terms of such a feeling in this world; in the next world, he will physically become a resident of Paradise.
We can say that to be held eligible for entry into the perfect world of Paradise in the Hereafter, we must discover God's Creation Plan. According to this Plan, we must spend a period of trial in this imperfect world, and according to our deeds, we will earn the right to inhabit the perfect and eternal world—Paradise. We are, therefore, placed in situations where we face hardships from time to time throughout our lives as part of our test. Our desire for Paradise should make this world seem insignificant to us. We should discover and submit to our Creator while He is unseen and willingly adopt divine ethics. We should develop ourselves intellectually and spiritually so we will be found eligible for the citizenship of the refined world of Paradise by God Almighty.
Source: God’s Creation Plan
Dua of ism e aazam is a prayer that can invoke God’s infinite mercy. By the grace of God, I have frequently had significant experiences. On December 30, 2006, I went to Lodhi Gardens with certain CPS members. It was in the nature of a spiritual outing for us. On this occasion, a dua came out of my lips, which as I understood it was a dua of isme-aazam.
When we reached the Lodhi Gardens I asked one of my team members, “When you entered the garden what was your first impression, or feeling?” People mentioned different experiences, then I said that when I entered this beautiful garden, I felt as if I was looking at Paradise from a distance. This beautiful garden for me became a distant introduction to Paradise.
Then I said with tears in my eyes: “O God, when You have brought me to this imperfect paradise, then by Your grace, help me to enter the perfect Paradise also.” I added “O God, my companions and I are the least deserving candidates for Paradise. If you, in spite of our total lack of merit, give us entry into Paradise, then this event would be akin to a new expression of Your attribute of mercy. The whole earth and the heavens and all the angels will be surprised to know that the ocean of God’s mercy was so vast that even such undeserving people as us could not remain deprived of God’s boundless mercy. How boundless was Your mercy that it enveloped even the most undeserving!”
Source: Discovering God
No, we cannot make a Paradise in this world. This world can only serve as an introduction to Paradise. Paradise will come into existence in the world Hereafter.
On a trip to Switzerland, I had a chance to experience a unique ride on a yacht that had two floors. The yacht moved gently on the lake’s waters; the pace suitable for people to view the beautiful scenery. I took this opportunity to prepare some portions of my travelogue.
It is said that on witnessing the beauty of Kashmir, Babur (who was the first Mughal emperor) exclaimed: “If there is Paradise on Earth, It is this; it is this, it is this!”
However, when I witnessed the lovely natural scenes in Switzerland, my heart said that God had placed these beautiful sights in the world, so that man could obtain an initial introduction to Paradise through them. These world sights engender an intense desire for eternal Paradise in man. Their purpose is not that we should consider them to be Paradise itself and then try to build a dream world of happiness amidst them.
During the trip, a person in our group met with a young Swiss man, a 24-year-old student of engineering. He was a Christian. When he mentioned the concept of another world after death in the Christian religion, he was asked what he thought might happen to him after he died, the young man replied, “Jesus Christ has taken all our sins. So, Paradise is assured for all of us. Then why should we worry about it?”
I explained that Paradise is the name of the ideal world, where man will attain complete fulfilment and the company of those people who make his life highly meaningful. Man is a seeker of Paradise. He seeks Paradise in this world. However, this world is only an introduction to Paradise. Efforts to make a Paradise on Earth are futile. Paradise has been kept in the Hereafter after death. According to the Creation Plan, God created an eternal, perfect world called Paradise. Then God created man as an eternal creature and divided his life into two periods. During the temporary phase of man’s life, he has been placed in this imperfect world to be tested. Paradise is not assured for any group. It has to be earned individually. To be found eligible for entry into eternal Paradise, man in his life before death must realise his Creator while He is the unseen, submit to Him, and develop a Paradisiacal personality in himself. Only then will he be found eligible for inhabiting the perfect world of Paradise.
Source: God’s Creation Plan
