Ar-Ra'd 35: The description of the paradise that is promised to the muttaqi (is as such): there are rivers that flow beneath it. Its fruits and shade are never-ending. This is the (joyful) end of those who abstain (from sins). The destination of the deniers, however, is fire.

Yes.

We have come to the 35th verse of Surah Ar-Ra'd.

"The description of the Paradise promised to the God-fearing is this." Who are these God-fearing ones? One who has struggled with his nafs. From the commanding nafs, the reproaching nafs, the inspired nafs, he has risen to the tranquil nafs. Risen. He has become aware of the divine manifestations.

"O tranquil soul! Pleased with your Lord and your Lord pleased with you, enter among My servants, enter My Paradise" — the station of a tranquil nafs, of which He says this. "Promised to the God-fearing, the description of Paradise is this. Rivers flow beneath it." Think. Here, a house, a garden, beside it a sparkling, flowing spring. Groves, shady places, everything all green, well kept. No rubbish, no litter and junk like in the world. Sir, a climate that neither makes you cold nor overwhelms you with heat.

Maidens going around them. Those (?) maidens offering you drink. A drink, it says, that neither makes one's head spin nor makes one drunk, it says.

A sparkling, colourful air. You are seated on thrones, together with the people around you, together with your family members, with your every wish, your every desire at your command, you are within an undying life. The God-fearing one. Yes.

What more? Those mansions, pools inside the mansions. All around it, on all four sides, (?), dining tables beside them. Hodja, have you gone astray? By Allah, I saw it, I know it. Those palaces, made of (?), made of marble (?), palaces, pure white marbles, stairs, green all around, those paths to walk. The sun, you know, the air, the air, you know the fireworks shot into the air, fireworks in the air, like that, constantly turning colourful, colourful like this, as if (?) will hit your face, colourful, but you breathe; I wonder, is it solid? You breathe, yes. Such a changing view. Because the human nafs grows weary of looking at one thing.

So Allah Almighty makes Paradise constantly, briskly change its form.

Yes.

Just be a servant to Allah. What things He promises you.

What does it say? "The description of the Paradise promised to the God-fearing is this," it says. "Rivers flow beneath it. Its fruits and its shade are lasting. That is the happy end of those who guard against evil. And the end of the disbelievers is the Fire," it says.

How beautiful.

Now if I said to you, for example, I went to (?). Man, whoever goes there, they welcome them so beautifully. Food, drink, sightseeing, respect, honour, hospitality, all from them. Man, where is this place? Wouldn't you ask? Wouldn't you ask? You're human, you'd ask. Well, such and such a place. You'd try to go there. Well then, blessed one, your Lord who created you, the Owner of the worlds, offers you something more beautiful than these. He offers it. Why do you not become curious and turn there?

Why do you not become curious and want to be with Him?

See how nicely your nafs and Satan are pulling you into the swamp of the world like this.

In a verse Allah Almighty says, We sent you two garments. The first is the garment that covers your private parts. The second is taqwa. Turn to taqwa, it says.

They ask the Prophet (peace be upon him) about taqwa. Three times he strikes his chest, over the heart. Saying, taqwa. Taqwa is avoiding doubtful things. It is paying attention to the lawful and the forbidden. The garment of taqwa.

When someone offers you something, how is its earning? Is he earning it lawfully or unlawfully? Did he hit someone, make a killing, bring it, steal it and bring it, or with his own money, from lawful means, bring it?

In this way, to people's offerings too you respond, and from the offering the person has given, if you are convinced it is lawful, you eat; if it is not lawful, you offer it to a poor person. You offer it. Yes.

By His saying "turn to taqwa," people adorned with taqwa already observe manners and propriety, willy-nilly. We are trying to explain taqwa in many places. Taqwa is avoiding doubtful things. It is paying attention to whether earnings are lawful or forbidden. It is holding fast to Allah's commands and making no concessions on them. People who know the sharia ruling well and act on it are people adorned with taqwa. They also ask the Prophet (peace be upon him), "Will you define taqwa for us?" And the Prophet (peace be upon him), saying, "taqwa is right here," pointed to his chest three times.

Taqwa is the deeds of those who have given their hearts to Allah, in the works they undertake for Allah, of those who fear Allah. Their deeds. Taqwa is the beautiful conduct of the believer. They are the ones who perform the prayer properly, give zakat, look after relatives and orphans, look after them. They spread Allah's justice on earth. They stand by the oppressed. They meet the needs of those in need. They strive for Allah with their lives and their wealth. These are the people of taqwa. These are also the believers.

So the features of the Paradise promised to the God-fearing are these. In that Paradise rivers flow beneath it, its fruit (?) is lasting. In Paradise (?) everything is luminous. For this reason, when a fruit is taken from the branch of any fruit tree, in place of those fruits a new one comes. For this reason the fruits do not decrease, and the shade is lasting too. (?) it does not oppress a person like summer heat or winter cold. It always stays the same. That is the happiness that people who, in the world, obey Allah and firmly believe in the hereafter, who live as Allah commanded and guard against evil, will reach on passing to the hereafter, at the end of the life of the world.

The end of the world's hardships is the happy beginning of the realm of the hereafter.

As for the disbelievers, compared with the believers, their state is the exact opposite. Even if the life of the world is a dungeon for them, next to the punishment of the realm of the hereafter, the world's punishment is a bed of roses, and for them it is Paradise. If they go to the realm of the hereafter denying Allah, to the realm of the hereafter, if they go denying Allah, their place too is the Fire. Yes.