the five of them—raising every one of them up to the sky. That is the meaning of His words: “Indeed, We are surely Able to take it away” (Qur’an 23:18). When these things are lifted from the earth, its people will have been deprived of the good of both this world and the Hereafter.”

This ḥadith is extremely strange—indeed, it is classified as munkar—and Maslamah ibn ʿAlī is deemed weak in ḥadith by the leading scholars (1).

Allah, Glorified be He, has depicted the springs of Paradise as abundant in their flow, and He has informed us that the people of Paradise will make them gush forth—meaning they will tap them—wherever they please: in any spot they choose, in whatever quarter they desire, and within whichever dwelling they love. For them, fountains will burst forth with every variety of drink and with the most delightful waters.

Ibn Masʿūd said, “There is no spring in Paradise except that it bursts forth from beneath a mountain [of musk].”

Al-Aʿmash narrated from ʿAmr ibn Murrah, from Masrūq, from Ibn Masʿūd that he said, “The rivers of Paradise gush forth from a mountain of musk.” This same meaning appears in a marfūʿ (prophetic) report related by al-Ḥākim in his al-Mustadrak. He said: “Al-Aṣamm informed us; al-Rabīʿ ibn Sulaymān informed us; Asad ibn Mūsā narrated to us; Ibn Thawbān narrated to us, from ʿAṭāʾ ibn Qurrā, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ḍamrah, from Abū Hurayrah, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

‘Whoever would like Allah to give him wine to drink in the Hereafter, let him forgo it in this world; and whoever would like Allah to clothe him in silk in the Hereafter, let him forgo it in this world. The rivers of Paradise burst forth from beneath hills—or mountains—of musk. Even if the adornment allotted to the least of the people of Paradise were weighed against the adornment of all the people of this world, what Allah will adorn him with in the Hereafter would be better than the adornment of the whole world.’ (2)

Section: On the Trees of Paradise

Allah, Most High, says: “Those who believe and do righteous deeds We shall admit to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein forever. They will have purified spouses therein, and We shall admit them to deepening shade” (Qur’an 4:57).

He also says: “Both of them possess luxuriant branches” (Qur’an 55:48)—al-afnān means the branches.

And His saying: “Dark-green in hue” (Qur’an 55:64), that is because of the abundance of their watering and the interlacing of their trees.

Further, He says: “Reclining on couches lined with brocade, while the fruit of the two gardens hangs low” (Qur’an 55:54)—meaning it is within easy reach for them to take while they recline on their couches, however they wish.

Likewise, He says: “Its clusters of fruit will hang low” (Qur’an 69:23), and: “And its fruit has been brought within easy reach” (Qur’an 76:14).

And He, Exalted, says: “And the Companions of the Right—what are the Companions of the Right? (27) In lotus trees without thorns, (28) and layered banana trees, (29) and extended shade, (30) and water poured forth, (31) and abundant fruit, (32) unfailing and unforbidden, (33) and elevated couches” (Qur’an 56:27-34).