When we talk about travelling the world, or when we come back from the ultimate beach holiday, we describe it like ‘it felt like paradise’ but have we actually seen paradise, do we even wonder what it will be like?
Okay, so my confessions are coming out now. As a child, I was an avid day- dreamer, I would switch off and sometimes even fall asleep during school lessons. I would stare up into the sky and observe the moon and stars daydreaming. I knew there was something more above the skies and heavens.
During my frequent travels, when the aeroplane used to ascend into the first sky, I secretly wished the pilot would take it into the second, third, fourth and the seventh sky and `I could only see Allah swt sitting on his throne on the seventh level with white light and angels around him and him waiting to meet me with a huge smile. But then end up being disappointed when we didn’t go beyond the second sky.
When I see a rocket going into space, I start to envy Neil Armstrong, why him and not me. I knew I was searching for something more, something that cannot be understood or defined. I would wake up from vivid dreams and visions of being surrounded by glistening and warm turquoise waters. I would dream of walking on the sea often leading off a wooden bridge in the middle of this calming beautiful sea.
Often this led me into a state of deep reflection and longing to find this place on the earth one day. Is it in the Maldives? is it in Mauritius? or is it in Mexico on a white sandy beach? I wonder and I want to write it on my bucket list. But then one day it occurs that maybe that place doesn’t exist on this earth and I wonder if it was paradise I saw in my visions? How do I plan to get to this destination, which I keep seeing?
We have heard of the significance of the number seven in our religion. From the seven heavens, to the seven tawafs around the Kaaba. There are also seven levels of hellfire, but lastly the seven levels of paradise or Jannah as we call , the afterlife where each person will be ranked according to their piety, righteousness and good deeds. In this world we are surrounded by so much fear and negativity, especially after so many plane crashes, the upsetting wars across the world and in Gaza.
But as a collective, we all need a dose of positivity and peace to keep the spirit of Ramadan alive as we enter into it in 2025.
The Highest Level – Jannat al-Firdaus but what are the others and what do I need to do to get in?
Read the full feature in our Ramadan Issue of British Muslim Magazine
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Discover more from British Muslim Magazine
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
