Jannah

Jannah, the Islamic paradise, is the final and permanent abode of the righteous in the afterlife, a core belief forming one of the six articles of faith in Islam. The term appears 147 times in the Qur'an, where it is described as offering physical, psychic, and spiritual pleasures.

Terminology

These delights include lush gardens, beautiful companions known as houris, and wine that causes no ill effects, all culminating in "divine pleasure." The reward a person receives varies according to their righteousness, and the characteristics of Jannah are often directly paralleled by the torments of Jahannam (hell). Jannah is also identified as the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve (Hawa) dwelt before their expulsion. Muslims believe Jannah coexists with the temporal world rather than being created solely after Judgement Day, and while humans cannot cross into the afterlife, the afterworld may interact with the temporal world.

The Qur'an specifies that those who inhabit Jannah are those who refrain from evil, keep their duty, have faith in God’s revelations, do good works, are truthful, penitent, heedful, and contrite of heart, and who feed the needy and orphans. Basic criteria for salvation also include belief in the oneness of God, angels, revealed books, and messengers, along with repentance and good deeds, though ultimate salvation depends on God’s judgment. Jannah is believed to have several levels, with the higher levels being more desirable and prestigious. The highest level is designated by the term firdaws (paradise), used in the Qur'an.

Inhabitants according to Quran

Angels serve the blessed in paradise, guiding them and officiating marriages, while devils cannot return. Jinn, like humans, may also find salvation based on their acceptance of God’s guidance. Scholars disagree on whether non-Muslims can enter Jannah, with some citing a Qur'anic verse suggesting that righteous people of any faith may be saved, while others argue this was abrogated after Muhammad’s arrival.