We believe that Paradise and Hellfire are the abodes of recompense. The dwellers of Paradise and Hellfire are described in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, along with their dwellings, drinks, foods, and clothes.
We believe that both are already created and exist now, and that Adam (peace be upon him) used to live in the Garden of Eternity. Allah Almighty says: {O Adam, dwell in Paradise, you and your wife, and eat from wherever you wish, but do not approach this tree, or else you will both be among the wrongdoers.} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 19] Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Adam and Mūsa debated. Mūsa said to him: 'O Adam, you are our father; you have deprived us and caused us to be expelled from Paradise because of your sin.' Adam said to him: 'O Mūsa, Allah chose you for His speech, and he wrote the Torah for you with His own Hand. Are you blaming me for something which Allah decreed for me forty years before He created me?' Thus, Adam won the argument with Mūsa; thus Adam won the argument with Mūsa; thus Adam won the argument with Mūsa." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (6614), Muslim (2652), Abu Dāwūd (4701), At-Tirmidhi (2134), and Ibn Mājah (80)]
Paradise is the abode of bliss. Allah, the Exalted, says: {Their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens under which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. How excellent is the reward of those who do [righteous] deeds!} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 136] Allah Almighty increases our desire for the bliss of Paradise, saying: {No soul knows what delights are kept hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do.} [Surat as-Sajdah: 17]
We believe that the greatest bliss in Paradise is to see the countenance of Allah Almighty. He, Exalted be He, says: {On that Day some faces will be bright, looking at their Lord.} [Surat al-Qiyāmah: 22-23] He, Glorified be He, also says: {No indeed! On that Day they will be barred from seeing their Lord.} [Surat al-Mutaffifīn: 15] Sohaib ar-Rūmi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the dwellers of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah Almighty will ask: ‘Do you want Me to give you anything more?’ They will say: ‘Have You not brightened our faces? Have You not made us enter Paradise and saved us from Hellfire?’ He will then remove the veil, and of all the things they were given, nothing will be dearer to them than looking at their Lord." [Narrated by Muslim (181)]
We believe that Paradise has different ranks. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed about the lowest and highest ranks of the dwellers of Paradise; he said: "Mūsa asked his Lord: 'Who among the dwellers of Paradise is the lowest in rank?' He said: 'A man who will come after the dwellers of Paradise have been admitted into it. It will be said to him: 'Enter Paradise.' He will say: 'My Lord, how, while the people have settled in their dwellings and taken their shares?' It will be said to him: 'Would you be pleased if there were for you like the kingdom of a king amongst the kings of the world?' He will say: 'I am pleased, my Lord.' He will say: 'For you is that, and the like of it, and the like of it, and the like of it, and the like of it.' Upon the fifth time, he said: 'I am pleased, my Lord.' He will say: 'That is for you and ten times like it; and you will have what your soul desires and your eyes relish.' He will say: 'I am pleased, my Lord.'' He said: 'My Lord, what about those of them who have the highest rank?' He said: 'They are those whom I choose. I establish their honor with my Hand and put a seal on it, (giving them) what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has perceived.'" He said: This is confirmed by the verse that says: {No soul knows what delights are kept hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do.} [Surat as-Sajdah: 17] [Narrated by Muslim (189)]
And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The lowest in rank among you in Paradise will be told: 'Desire (whatever you like)'. He will express his desire and again and again express a desire. He will say to him: 'Have you expressed your desire?' He will say: 'Yes.' Then, He will say: 'You will have what you desire and the like of it along with it.'" [Narrated by Muslim (182)]
We know that Paradise has eight gates. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever says, 'I bear witness that none is worthy of being worshiped except Allah, alone, with no partner, and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger; that ‘Īsa is the servant of Allah and the son of His maidservant and His word which He threw to Mariyam and a spirit from Him; and that Paradise is true and Hellfire is true,' Allah will admit him into Paradise from any of its eight gates he likes." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (3435) and Muslim (28)]
We know that the abode of bliss comprises several gardens. Allah Almighty says: {For those who fear of standing before their Lord will be two Gardens.} [Surat ar-Rahmān: 46] And He Almighty says: {And besides these two there will be two other gardens.} [Surat ar-Rahmān: 62] And the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Two gardens, the utensils and the contents of which are of silver, and two other gardens, the utensils and contents of which are of gold. And nothing will prevent the people who will be in the Garden of Eden from seeing their Lord except the curtain of Majesty over His Face."
We believe that the bliss of Paradise is everlasting and ceaseless. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever enters Paradise will find bliss and will not suffer, his clothes will not wear out, and his youth will not decay."
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A caller will call out: 'You will be healthy and never be ill; you will have life and never die; you will be young and never grow old; and you will live in bliss and never suffer. This is the meaning of the verse that says: {They will be called: 'This is Paradise that you are made to inherit for what you used to do.'} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 43]"
Allah Almighty informs about Hellfire and its different types of punishment and torment. He, Exalted be He, says: {We have prepared for the wrongdoers a Fire which will encompass them like the walls. If they cry for relief, they will be relieved with water like boiling oil that will scald the faces. What a terrible drink, and what a terrible resting place!} [Surat al-Kahf: 29] Allah Almighty also says: {Melting all that is in their bellies and their skins. And for [striking] them there will be maces of iron.} [Surat al-Hajj: 20-21] And He Almighty says: {Those who reject Our verses, We will cast them into the Fire. Whenever their skins are burnt through, We will replace them with fresh skins, so that they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.} [Surat an-Nisā': 56]
We believe that Hellfire has different layers of depth. Our Lord pointed out that the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of Hellfire. He, Exalted be He, says: {Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will never find for them any helper.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 145] It is mentioned in the Qur’an that it has seven gates. Allah, the Exalted, says: {It has seven gates; each gate will have its allotted share of them.} [Surat al-Hijr: 44]. It is the abode of enduring punishment. The Almighty Lord says: {Those who disbelieve and do wrong, Allah will not forgive them nor will He guide them to a way except the way of Hell, abiding therein forever. And that is easy for Allah.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 168-169]