Q251 :Many a Qur’anic statement describes the life
of men in heaven, but there is nothing to describe the status of women
there. Men are said to live in heaven with their wives and sons, but
how will women live?
A251 : The Prophet describes heaven in the
following terms :”there is in it what no eye has even seen, things of
which no ear has ever heard and what no one has ever imagined.” If we
try to relate this Hadith to the description of heaven in the Qur’an we
conclude that although the Qur’anic descrpition is true and accurate,
it is given in terms which are familiar to us. The reality is far
happier and much more enjoyable than we can imagine. The Prophet says:
“Women are the sisters of men.” This Hadith means that women have equal
status with men and, with regard to religious duties and rights, they
enjoy the same treatment. What this means in effect is that every type
of enjoyment which is promised in the Qur’an to believers applies both
to men and women in equal measure. Women do not have any lower status,
nor are they neglected nor treated in an inferior way. Read if you will
Verse 35 of Surah 33, entitled “The Confederates,” or “Al-Ahzab”. It
may be rendered in translation as follows: “For all men and women who
have surrendered themselves to Allah, and all believing men and
believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and
all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who
are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves
before Allah, and all men and women who give in charity, and all men
and women who fast, and all men and women who are mindful of their
chastity, and all men and women who remember Allah unceasingly: for all
of them Allah has indeed readied forgiveness of sins and a great
reward.” It is well known that with regard to religious duties, men
and women are alike. Hence, their reward must be alike in order to
maintain justice between them. Likewise, what they may receive in
heaven must be the same. When the Qur’an speaks of wives for
believers in heaven, this need not be understood in terms of marriage
in this world. If a married couple are good believers and both of them
are admitted to heaven, they will be together in heaven. The woman’s
happiness will not be jeopardized by her husband having wives from
among the women of heaven. That sort of marriage is only for
netpanionship. The women will also have netpanions and will live in
endless bliss.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )