Through Force or Faith? — Page 264
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 264 These gardens shall be given to them for being fearful of God and for adopting righteousness; ِ و َ لِمَن ْ خَاف َ مَقَام َ رَبِّه ٖ جَنَّتٰن ‘but for him who fears to stand before his Lord there are two Gardens’ ( S u rah ar-Ra h m ā n, 55:47). Likewise, the Quran tells us that in Heaven there shall be such streams that can be likened to that of honey, milk and wine, but those are not worldly drinks; they are spiritual rewards; for it is said about those drinks that َ هَا غَوْل ٌ وَل َ هُم ْ عَنْهَا يُنزَفُون ی ل َ فِ ‘wherein there will be no intoxication, nor will they be exhausted thereby’ ( S u rah a s - Sā ff ā t, 37:48). The canals of water and milk in Heaven shall be different than that of this world, because ِ ْر ی غَ ٍ مَاء آسِن that water shall never go stale, and َّر ْ طَعْمُه ی لَّبَن ٍ لَّم ْ يَتَغَ the taste of that milk shall never change ( S u rah Mu h ammad, 47:16). Thus, the concept of Heaven presented by Islam is that of a spiritual place, and the rewards of the Heaven should not be confused with things of this world. These are mere similitudes. In the same manner, it is described in the Quran that the heat of sunshine shall not bother those who would be in Heaven ( S u rah ad-Dahr, 76:14). They will have different ranks in Heaven in accordance with their effort, resolve and sincerity ( S u rah al-A h- q ā f, 46:20). They will enjoy the fruit of their good deeds. اْوُلُك َو اْوُبَرْشا اًۢٔـْٓيِنَه ۤاَمِب ْمُتْفَلْسَا يِف ِماَّيَاْلا ِةَيِلاَخْلا Eat and drink joyfully because of the good deeds you did in days gone by ( S u rah al- Ha qqah, 69:25). All feelings of rancour and resentment shall dissipate from the hearts of those who are in Heaven: