and the soul is given glad tidings of Paradise. Allah Most High says: “Those whose souls the angels take while they are virtuous, saying, ‘Peace be upon you’” [al-Nahl: 32].
They say this when taking their souls: “Enter Paradise because of what you used to do.” Thus, the believer is given glad tidings of Paradise, and his soul departs contentedly, readily, and with ease. For this reason, when the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—spoke of this, he said: “Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him; and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet him.” (1) Ā'ishah said, “O Messenger of Allah, all of us dislike death.” He explained to her that this was not what was meant. Rather, when the believer receives the glad tidings given to him at death, he loves to meet Allah—he comes to love death, and it becomes easy for him.
By contrast, when the disbeliever is given tidings—we seek refuge in Allah—of what will distress him at death, he hates to meet Allah. His soul flees and disperses throughout his body until it is wrenched out of him as a hooked skewer is pulled through wet wool. When a hooked skewer is dragged through wet wool—something well known to wool-spinners—it almost tears the wool apart because of the force with which it is pulled through it. Such is the disbeliever’s soul—we seek refuge in Allah: it disperses throughout his body because it is given tidings of punishment and becomes afraid. (2)
Paradise therefore contains what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what has never occurred to a human heart. A person may perceive it before he dies through the glad tidings he receives. Anas ibn al-Nadr—may Allah be pleased with him—said to Sa'd ibn Mu'ādh: “O Sa'd, by Allah, I can smell the fragrance of Paradise on this side of Uhud.” (3) This was not a matter of subjective intuition; it was a genuine perception. Ibn al-Qayyim—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “Some people may perceive the Hereafter while still in this world.” Anas then went forth, fought, and was killed—may Allah be pleased with him. The point is that Paradise contains what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what has never occurred to a human heart.