What is Paradise?

Human beings were sent from Paradise into this world so that Allah may test them.

(Surah Al-Mulk 67:2)

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا

“He who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed.”

When a human enters this world, they are given the form of a small child. All their previous memories are erased. Every person is placed in a unique environment—given parents, circumstances, and conditions.

Some are made orphans, some poor, some wealthy.

Some are given healthy bodies, while others are tested with disabilities.

Some are left without knowledge, while others are blessed with it.

(Surah Al-An’am 6:165)

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ... لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ

“And He made you successors upon the earth… to test you in what He has given you.”

But what is knowledge?

There can be many definitions, but to me, knowledge is when a person gathers their observations, existing realities, their own emotions and the emotions of others—and seeks answers to questions. Whether the answer is pleasing or not, if it is true, then it is knowledge.

Since humans are confined in this world, and their intellect is limited within the body, Allah sent many Prophets for guidance. And now we are in the era of the final Prophet, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Though he is not physically present in this world, his presence can still be felt through his living legacy and spiritual vision, for he is present 

In the Qur’an, Paradise is described in many places—how it will look and how people will feel there.

(Surah At-Tur 52:17)

إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَنَعِيمٍ

“Indeed, the righteous will be in gardens and pleasure.”

(Surah Al-Hijr 15:48)

لَا يَمَسُّهُمْ فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا هُمْ مِنْهَا بِمُخْرَجِينَ

“No fatigue will touch them there, nor will they be removed from it.”

When a person reflects on these descriptions, an image forms in their mind, and they begin to understand what Paradise might feel like.

Today, I will not explain Paradise itself, but rather share a reflection of how it may feel.

This is not rationality, this is emotion. 

So,

If someone asks me, “What is Paradise?”

I would say:

It is the early days of love,

when everything feels beautiful—

the beloved, time, oneself,

the world, dreams, and even thoughts.

And if this feeling were to last forever,

then perhaps that is Paradise.

Because it is a state

where a person does not need to search for blessings to feel grateful.

The heart is already full of joy.

Sorrows lose their importance,

everything feels beautiful,

and gratitude flows naturally.

So perhaps Paradise is another name for love.

And if love is a gift from Allah,

then attaining Allah Himself… is Paradise.

For me, this is Paradise.

What is Paradise for you?

 

There was a kite.

It was very beautiful—its eyes were striking, its colors were captivating, and it was larger than all the other kites.

It used to think that it could fly very high.

But its owner loved it deeply. He would admire it with full affection, yet he never flew it.

The kite would keep waiting for its time, wondering when its moment would come.

Finally, one day its time arrived.

The owner saw the weather was perfect and decided to fly his favorite kite.

He took the kite and went to an open field.

There was a beautiful scene all around—green grass, light clouds in the sky, a pleasant breeze, and a river nearby flowing with a soothing sound.

Seeing all this, the kite became very happy.

As soon as the owner started flying it, the kite rose very quickly into the sky, as if it had been waiting for this moment for centuries—and in truth, it was.

As it kept rising higher, it felt proud. The world below looked very small, and it felt like this was its true destiny.

But then the weather began to change.

The clouds darkened, and the wind became stronger.

The owner tried to pull the kite back by controlling the string.

But the kite resisted, as if it had become angry. Sometimes it went left, sometimes right, trying to break free from control.

The owner kept pulling the string again and again.

The kite then became frustrated and thought:

“I will not go back down.”

So it spoke to the wind:

“Can you free me from this human’s control? I will be very grateful to you.”

The wind showed its strength and broke the string.

The kite became extremely happy, thinking the wind was its true friend.

It completely surrendered itself to the wind, believing it had finally achieved true freedom.

The wind carried it far away.

Then the wind said, “Now I must go somewhere else,” and left the kite alone.

Now the kite had no support.

Slowly, it began to fall.

Eventually, it reached near a village.

Just as it was about to fall, two children saw it.

They thought it was something free to take.

They rushed toward it and tore it apart while fighting over it.

And in this way, the kite lost its life.

Spiritual Meaning

This story is not just about a kite.

It is about human beings.

Humans also love to “fly in the sky” of desires.

This is their deepest wish—to rise, to gain control, to feel freedom.

Allah has addressed this human desire in the Qur’an by mentioning word “. Hawa / Ahwa”  “desires”

Many times, people climb mountains or take extreme risks thinking they are “flying” spiritually or physically, but their end is the same as the kite’s fate.

In trying to fulfill their desires, humans sometimes harm others.

Just like the kite’s string injured a child’s hand, and in anger, the children destroyed it.

In the same way, when a person follows uncontrolled desire, they may harm others—and eventually, those same consequences return to them in the form of curses, hatred, or downfall.

Qur’anic References

1. Following Desires Leads to Misguidance

(Surah Al-Qasas 28:50)

Arabic:

فَإِن لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ

“But if they do not respond to you, then know that they only follow their own desires.”

2. Do Not Follow Desires Away from Truth

(Surah Sad 38:26)

Arabic:

فَاحْكُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

“So judge between people with truth and do not follow desire, lest it lead you away from the path of Allah.”

3. The Self Pushes Toward Desires

(Surah Yusuf 12:53)

Arabic:

وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِي ۚ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ

“And I do not declare myself free from blame; indeed, the soul (nafs, inner ego) is inclined to evil.

Usually it's translate as soul but it's inner ego and nafs that is evil 

So,

The kite represents the human ego—

which thinks freedom means breaking every limit.

But real freedom is not in breaking the string…

Real freedom is in understanding who is holding it.

Human beings have always carried curiosity within them. They constantly try to uncover the secrets and wisdom behind everything. Even if not everything, they at least want to understand the purpose of their own existence.
Whenever a person does something wrong, something good, or something that repeatedly harms them, they begin to question themselves: “Why am I like this? Did Allah create me this way?”

When they fail to find answers, they often attribute their habits and actions directly to Allah.
The answer to this was beautifully expressed by Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib A.S:

(Arabic)

 مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ

“Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord.”

Now the question arises: 

How does a person know themselves?

A human being has many faces:
One with parents
One with relatives
One with siblings
One with friends
One in professional life 

And one when standing before Allah

You might think that the real self is the one shown in front of Allah.

But in reality, the true self appears when a person forgets Allah, when they feel: “I am alone. No one is watching me.”

At that moment, their true nature comes out.
When a person recognizes this reality within themselves, they begin to understand who they truly are. Then another question arises:
If I know myself, does that mean my Lord is like me?

The answer is no.

Instead, it means asking yourself: “Am I worthy of standing before my Lord?”

Because truth is always present before Him. If a person gains the courage to face that truth, they begin to correct themselves. And in that process, they find their Lord.

Then, wherever they are—among friends, family, or society—their personality becomes connected to Allah. Because even in solitude, they know: “I am not alone.”
This awareness makes them truthful and keeps them away from falsehood.

How Are the Secrets of the Universe Revealed?

The answer is simple but powerful:
Truthfulness opens the doors.
A person who cannot be truthful with themselves cannot be truthful with Allah.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

— Qur'an 2:186

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me.”

 The Hidden Condition

 (Secret Within the Secret)

Not everyone receives the answer.
Only the one who calls upon Allah with a true and sincere heart, not just as a ritual.
When a person becomes sincere:
The universe begins to reveal its hidden realities
Their inner restlessness turns into peace
But there is a price.
These truths come with responsibility:
Not everything is revealed
Only what a person can تحمل (bear)
Secrets are given to those who can protect them
And reveal them only at the right time

What is worldly may turn into a curse,

but what is real remains forever a blessing.

(Raast)

 مجازی بد دعا بھی ہو سکتا ہے

حقیقی دعا ہی رہتا ہے۔

(راست)

 

Human existence runs on desire. It is desire that pushes a person to struggle and work hard—perhaps you may not fully agree.

For example, if a person feels hungry and works to get food, that seems like survival. The human body is designed this way. So where does desire come into it?

Up to this point, I agree with you.

But let me ask: Have you ever asked that person if they would eat the same food for their entire life, even if it were the best food in the world?

Surely, they would refuse.

Just like the Children of Israel once complained that they could not keep eating the same food every day—they wanted variety.

Quranic Reference – Bani Israel

(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:61)

Arabic:

لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ

“We cannot endure one kind of food.” 

Now reverse the question:

If someone is told: “You can eat anything you want, except one specific food for your entire life,”

Many people would agree immediately. Others would think deeply and question why.

Does this remind you of something?

If not, let me remind you.

Quranic Reference – Adam (AS)

(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:35)

Arabic:

وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ

“O Adam, dwell you and your wife in Paradise and eat freely from wherever you wish, but do not approach this tree…” 

According to tafsir, Adam (AS) was drawn toward that very thing which was restricted. Then Shaytan deceived him, and he slipped, leading to his descent to Earth.

Core Question

What kind of force exists within desire that made Adam (AS) risk disobedience?

Possible answers:

• It was part of Allah’s divine plan.
• A sense of curiosity.
• The attraction toward the forbidden.
• Or something deeply embedded in human nature.

Quranic Psychology Insight

Even if a human has everything…  they still want more.

So why are we here?

• Just for a test?
• To see who does good deeds?
• Or something deeper?

Quranic Answer

Arabic:

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا

“He tests you to see which of you is best in deeds.” 

But what is a good deed?

Is it simply following Shariah?

Look at your own life:

Is there something you know is wrong, yet you still do it—and when you try to stop, you feel cravings?

For example: backbiting.

At the same time, you desire things like a new car.

Comparison with Adam (AS)

Adam (AS) had Paradise, yet one restriction.

You have blessings, yet certain limits.

Now imagine:

If Allah said: “Leave backbiting, and I will give you a new car.”

What would you do?

• Some would quit instantly.
• Some would doubt.
• Some would say: “I only want Allah.”

Final Insight

Everything comes back to desire.

What you truly want defines your path.

• If you desire the world → you chase it
• If you desire Allah → you move toward Him

The path is open.

If Adam (AS) had raised his hands in dua instead of reaching for the tree…

Would Allah have refused?

Perhaps not.

We may still not fully understand what desire truly is…

But we have come close:

Desire is not just a need—it is a test of direction, loyalty, and priority.

 Rejection is not only disrespectful or immoral 

It's is a matter of dignity and quality as well 

(Raast) 

 انکار فقط بے عزتی یا بد تمیزی نہیں 

انکار معیار اور عزت نفس بھی ہے 

(راست)

 What should I do with your satire?

My own words prick me.

(Raast)