38/21. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2560 — Paradise and Desires
What Has Been Related That "Paradise Is Surrounded with Hardships and the Fire Is Surrounded By Desires"
Paradise and Fire Hadith: Hardships and Desires Explained
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2560
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2560
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَمَّا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ أَرْسَلَ جِبْرِيلَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ فَقَالَ انْظُرْ إِلَيْهَا وَإِلَى مَا أَعْدَدْتُ لأَهْلِهَا فِيهَا قَالَ فَجَاءَهَا وَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِلَى مَا أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لأَهْلِهَا فِيهَا قَالَ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ فَوَعِزَّتِكَ لاَ يَسْمَعُ بِهَا أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ دَخَلَهَا . فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَحُفَّتْ بِالْمَكَارِهِ فَقَالَ ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهَا فَانْظُرْ إِلَى مَا أَعْدَدْتُ لأَهْلِهَا فِيهَا قَالَ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ قَدْ حُفَّتْ بِالْمَكَارِهِ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ وَعِزَّتِكَ لَقَدْ خِفْتُ أَنْ لاَ يَدْخُلَهَا أَحَدٌ . قَالَ اذْهَبْ إِلَى النَّارِ فَانْظُرْ إِلَيْهَا وَإِلَى مَا أَعْدَدْتُ لأَهْلِهَا فِيهَا . فَإِذَا هِيَ يَرْكَبُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ وَعِزَّتِكَ لاَ يَسْمَعُ بِهَا أَحَدٌ فَيَدْخُلُهَا . فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَحُفَّتْ بِالشَّهَوَاتِ فَقَالَ ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهَا . فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ وَعِزَّتِكَ لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ لاَ يَنْجُوَ مِنْهَا أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ دَخَلَهَا " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "When Allah Created Paradise And The Fire, He Sent Jibril To Paradise, Saying: 'Look At It And At What I Have Prepared In It For Its Inhabitants.'" He (S.A.W) Said: "So He Came To It And Looked At It, And At What Allah Had Prepared In It.He (Jibril) Said: 'Indeed, By Your Might, None Shall Hear Of It Except That He Shall Enter It.' Then He Gave The Order For It To Be Surrounded With Hardships. He Said: 'Return To It And Look At It, And At What I Have Prepared In It For Its Inhabitants.'" He (S.A.W) Said: "So He Returned To It And Found It Surrounded With Hardships. He Returned To Him And Said: 'Indeed, By Your Might, I Fear That None Shall Enter It.'He (S.A.W) Said: 'Go To The Fire And Look At It And At What I Have Prepared In It For Its Inhabitants.' So He Found It, One Part Of It Riding The Other. So He Returned To Him And Said: 'Indeed, By Your Might, None Shall Hear Of It And Then Enter It.' So He Gave The Order For It To Be Surrounded With Desires, Then He Said: 'Return To It.,' So He (Jibril) Returned To It, Then He Said: 'Indeed, By Your Might, I Fear That None Shall Be Saved From It Except That He Shall Enter It.'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2560In-book reference : Book 38, Hadith 38English translation : Vol. 4, Book 12, Hadith 2560
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2560
This hadith expands the meaning of Paradise being surrounded by hardships and the Fire being surrounded by desires. Allah sent Jibril to look at Paradise and what was prepared in it. Jibril first said that no one would hear of it except that he would enter it. Then Paradise was surrounded with hardships, and Jibril feared that none would enter it. He then saw the Fire and what was prepared in it, and first said no one would hear of it and enter it. Then it was surrounded with desires, and he feared that none would be saved from it. The lesson is clear: what leads to the final home may be hidden behind difficulty or desire.
What we learn from this hadith
- Paradise is described with prepared blessings, then surrounded by hardships.
- The Fire is described as frightening, then surrounded by desires.
- Jibril’s responses show how hardship and desire affect people’s choices.
- The hadith teaches caution before following desire and patience with hard good deeds.
