# Are the descriptions of paradise in the Quran literal?

*Is the Quran's imagery of paradise literal or symbolic?*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/wce73zqci_i/s/32/
- Date: 2020-07-10 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Shaykh Omar Baloch | Cynicism, Consumerism & the Catch 22 of Riba | Mindtrap with Mufti #30 (2:04:13–2:06:11)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCe73zqCi_I&t=7453s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/wce73zqci_i/

**Topics:** Paradise and hell

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth says he takes the Quran's imagery of paradise as symbolic, a motivation for people, rather than literal.

## Longer summary

The guest says, as a side point, that the Quran's mention of pleasures such as women in paradise answers people who complained, as people did in the time of Malcolm X, that faith meant giving up alcohol and relationships, and that the early Meccan Quran addresses such complaints so that those people have something to hope for. Mufti Abu Layth says he personally does not take the imagery of the Quran as literal but feels it is symbolic, a motivating factor for certain people. The report that what awaits in paradise is something no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has conceived is cited, and Mufti says he totally agrees.

## Sources and names cited

- Shaykh Omar Baloch
- Malcolm X
- jannah
- report: ma la aynun raat wa la udhunun samiat wa la khatara ala qalbi bashar

## Transcript (machine tier, 2:04:13–2:06:11)

[2:03:33] think we feel an urge as human beings that we need to kill as an urge I don't think so generally speaking no I mean no but there are many urges that we have and there's some of them are negative some are positive is the point right so but I'm just saying these are expressed for Shh sure okay so I'm asexual Anarchy or should there be like some code of conduct no there should be rules I feel that they are not promoting an anarchism but I'm just saying that it seems that when it comes to justify one set of rules we'd feel that look

[2:04:13] it's okay it doesn't matter you know it's all it's for a better let's say here because I was saying well you know you're saying I agree with you that much of the banking thing is sometimes very easy by the way just I'm saying this is a side point just shows you just can probably appreciate this and and I'm sure you already know this but when the quote I mentioned of the things that we generally consider enjoyment like women don't take that away from us don't sit just in case you're about to say no there's no worries because people just like they were with Malcolm X they were

[2:04:52] complaining like oh you want me to live Islam and I can't have alcohol you want me to live in them and I can't be with girls you want me to live with this then you know I can't do this and so you find the early Quranic Maki Quran specifically talking about these issues in response to some of the complaints people are like I could believe in God I've had so many people tell me that yeah well I'll believe in God but you know I can't really leave you know such-and-such I can't leave alcohol or I can't leave this so then the response is those people are the people that can appreciate when they read in the Quran okay well I guess I'll just wait right rather than not hear anything about it at all right at least there's some hope from them for them

[2:05:31] I personally should agree with you that I feel that the Quran the imagery in the Quran I don't actually go with the fact it's a literal I mean I feel it's symbolic because of things like this it's full it's just a motivating factor for certain people and that's my point that it's motivation and that's for people Martine Miller says if we could translate some of the verses for non Arabic people but that's a hadith about that look what the afterlife actually is not no eye has ever seen no ears heard neither has any mind ever conceptualized

[2:06:10] not even the concept so yeah I totally agree with you on that I was just saying oh it is interesting that you see when it comes to Islamic things and I'm calling them is but I personally feel that like what is the difference between Islamic finance and just regular finance except in essence it's just wood you know yeah because you've just give it like I feel they just give her a veneer finance but there is a laurel finance moral moral financing and then there's immoral financing and and and I would say that

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment wCe73zqCi_I/s/32. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/wce73zqci_i/s/32/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.