Paradise. Some scholars hold that they are in fact rivers of Paradise, but when they descended to the earth they took on the characteristics of worldly rivers and thus became rivers of this world. They argue that the rivers of the Hereafter are four—the rivers of Paradise: rivers of water that never grows stale, rivers of milk whose taste never changes, rivers of wine delightful to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey. We have no knowledge of the reality or taste of these four heavenly rivers, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), quoting his Lord in a sacred hadith, said: “I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what has never crossed the heart of man.”

By contrast, Sīhān, Jīhān, the Nile, and the Euphrates are well known; their waters can stagnate and change over time. Because of this, the scholars have offered two explanations:

1 – They are genuinely rivers of Paradise, but once they reached the earth they fell under the laws that govern worldly rivers.

2 – They are not literally rivers of Paradise; rather, they are the finest and most blessed of rivers, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) described them in that lofty manner to honor and praise them.

Allah knows best what His Messenger intended.

As for the third hadith—“Allah created the soil on Saturday …,” and so forth—this report was recorded by Imam Muslim (d. 261 AH). The scholars, however, have criticized its attribution; it is not sound and cannot be traced back to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) because it conflicts with the Quran.