The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 443
Heaven and Hell 443 ness and glory. In this world they are perceived as if in a dream, but in the other world they will be felt and observed as realities. That is why it is said that when the dwellers of heaven are bestowed these bounties, they will say: هذا الذي رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَأتُوا بِهِ مُتَشَابِها 218. This does not mean that we will be bestowed in heaven the milk, or honey, or grapes, or pomegranates, etc. , that we consume here. They will be entirely different except in name. They are described physically but we are informed that they illumine the soul and create understanding of God. Their source is the soul and righteousness. It does not mean that in this world what we partake of milk, honey, grapes, pomegranates, etc. , will also be provided in the hereafter. Not at all. Those things in their kind and condition will be totally different except those that have common names. Although all these blessings are exemplified in concrete terms, it has been pointed out at the same time that all these blessings illumine the soul and lead to the knowledge of Divine. Their source is soul and truth. 'What was given to us before', does not mean that they are material bounties of this world. No, absolutely not. What God means to say in this verse is that the believers who act righteously make with their own hands a heaven the fruit of which they will enjoy in the other world also. As they will have tasted that fruit spiritually in this world, they will recognize it in the other world and will exclaim: 'These appear to be the same fruits and spiritual exaltations that we had enjoyed in the world'. In 218 This is what was given us before, and gifts mutually resembling shall be brought to them. '-Al-Baqarah, 2:26 [Publisher]