The Owner Of Paradise And This World صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ

Matchless Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

The owner of Paradise and this world صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Kashif Shahzad Attari

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was bestowed with many special authorities by Almighty Allah, and one of them is that he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was made the owner of Paradise (Jannah) and the entire world. He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم can give Paradise to whoever he wants, and he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم can gift any worldly land to whomsoever he wills.

The owner of Jannah and the entire earth

The Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘Allah Almighty has made the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم the owner of the entire land of this world and Paradise. He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has the authority to give any part of Paradise to whoever he wants. (If this is his authority in the property and land of Jannah,) then what can be said about his authority in the land of the earth!’. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 14, p. 667; Fayd-ul-Qadeer, vol. 3, p. 226) In another passage, he رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘With the bestowment of Allah Almighty, The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the owner of Paradise, the bestower of Paradise, he can give it to whoever he wants.’ (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 14, p. 667)

Sadr-us-Shari’ah Mufti Amjad Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes while stating Islamic beliefs regarding the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: ‘The entire earth is his property; the entire paradise is his estate’. (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, p. 81)

Hakeem-ul-Ummah Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘The illuminated Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the owner of Paradise, and with the permission of Allah Almighty, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم can give it to whoever he wants.’ (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 4, p. 347)

The owner of Jannah

Allah Almighty has stated:

تِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِیْ نُوْرِثُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا مَنْ كَانَ تَقِیًّا(۶۳)

This is that Garden, whose heir We shall appoint from Our bondsmen who is pious.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 16, Surah Maryam, Verse 63)

The research scholar, Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlavi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه has narrated that Shaykh Abdul Wahhab Bukhari رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه has mentioned one meaning of this verse to be ‘اَیْ نُوْرِثُ تِلْکَ الْجَنَّةَ مُحَمَّدًا صلَّی الله علیه وسلَّم فَیُعْطِیْ مَن یَّشَاءُ وَیَمْنَعُ عَمَّن یَّشَاءُ’ ‘We make Muhammad (صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم) the inheritor of Paradise! So, he can give Paradise to whoever he wants and deprive whoever he wants.’ (Akhbar-ul-Akhyar, p. 216)

He can give Paradise to whoever he wants

The Beloved of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, on many occasions, gave glad tidings of Paradise to various people, or he took the guarantee of Paradise for them in exchange of something. In this regard, three narrations are mentioned below:

1.   Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states: ‘Sayyiduna Usman Ghani رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ bought Paradise twice from the generous Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; once by donating a well named ‘Roomah’ and then by presenting his wealth for the expedition of Tabook.’ (Kanz-ul-Ummal, juzz 13, vol. 7, p. 20, Hadees 36197)

2.   On one occasion, the owner of Jannah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to Sayyiduna Talhah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ: ‘لَكَ الْجَنَّةُ عَلَیَّ يَاطَلْحَةَ غَدًا’ ‘Tomorrow (on the Day of Judgement), admitting you into Paradise is my responsibility.’(Mu’jam Awsat, vol. 2, p. 249, Hadees 3172)

3.   The Chosen One صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: ‘مَن یَّضْمَنْ لِیْ مَابَیْنَ لَحْیَیْهِ وَمَا بَیْنَ رِجْلَیْهِ اَضْمَنْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةَ’ ‘Whoever guarantees his tongue and private parts for me (i.e., does not use them to disobey me), I will guarantee Paradise for him.’ (Bukhari, vol. 4, p. 240, Hadees 6474; Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 30, p. 632)

Woh to nihayat sasta soda baych rahay hayn Jannat ka

Ham muflis kiya mol chuka`ayn apna hath hi khaali hay

(Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish, p. 186)

After relating many Ahadees like this, the Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah, Maulana Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘By Allah Almighty making him the owner, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the owner of Paradise, the authority in the creation of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the one who guarantees Paradise, the one who makes it his own responsibility (to give people entry into paradise), the one who bestows Paradise, and the one who sells Paradise. Every sane individual understands that only he can sell something who has complete ownership of the item or who has permission and authority from the owner to sell on his behalf. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه, by the grace of Allah Almighty, according to the adherers of the truth, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has been bestowed with both types of authorities to make decisions (i.e., being the owner himself and having permission from the real Owner, Allah Almighty). In terms of Haqiqah ‘Ataaiyyah, he is certainly the owner of Paradise, in fact owner of the universe; and in terms of Zaatiyyah, he is unrestrictedly authorised by the Ultimate Owner and is His perfect vicegerent. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 30, p. 633)

The distribution of Paradise

The patronymic (Kunyah) of the Prophet of mercy صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is ‘Abul Qasim’. One of the reasons mentioned for this is that ‘لِاَنَّهٗ يُقْسِمُ الْجَنَّةَ بَيْنَ الْخَلْقِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ’ - Translation: He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will distribute Paradise between the creation on the Day of Judgement. (‘Umda-tul-Qaari, vol. 11, p. 287)

Chaho jisay Firdaus mayn jaa do, chaho jisay dozakh mayn bhayjo

Jannat-o-naar hayn milk tumhari, ho mukhtaar Rasoolullah

(Qabalah-e-Bakhshish, p. 224)

Owner of the earth

Two Prophetic statements regarding him being the owner of the entire land of the world:

1.   ‘مَوْتَانُ الْاَرْضِ لِـلّٰـهِ وَلِرَسُولِهٖ’. Translation: ‘The land that does not belong to anyone, belongs to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم’. (Jam’-ul-Jawami’, vol. 7, p. 310, Hadees 23389)

2.   ‘عَادِیُّ الْاَرْضِ لِـلّٰـهِ وَلِرَسُوْلِهٖ’. Translation: ‘All ancient lands belong to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم’. (Kanz-ul-Ummal, juzz 3, vol. 2, p. 362, Hadees 9088)

O devotees of the Prophet, barren lands that do not belong to anyone are called ‘عَادِیُّ الْاَرْض’ in Shari’ah, and in the current era, it is known as ‘the government owned land’. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 17, p. 168. with amendments)

The Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘I say that unowned lands in forests, jungles, mountains and cities have been specified (in the above Hadees) because there is no one else who has apparent ownership over these lands, they are under the sole ownership of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Otherwise, towns, villages, houses, buildings are also the properties of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, even though we may have our names assigned to them. This geographical specification is like the specification of time in the verse:

وَ الْاَمْرُ یَوْمَىٕذٍ لِّلّٰهِ۠(۱۹)

(Part 30, Surah Al-Infitaar, Verse 19)

As the command on that day (the Day of Judgement) is solely for Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ (i.e., only of Allah Almighty), whereas it (the command) is always of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, but the Day of Judgement is the day when realities will become apparent and people’s claims will come to an end. No doubt, the Hadees of Sahih Bukhari has unconditionally mentioned the entire earth is for Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, where is that? In the following Hadees: He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم states: ‘اِعْلَمُوْا اَنَّ الْاَرْضَ لِلهِ وَلِرَسُوْلِهٖ’ Know for sure that the owners of the entire earth are Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.’ (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 30, p. 445; Bukhari, vol. 2, p. 365, Hadees 3167)

Bestowed the village of Bayt-ul-Lahm

Sayyiduna Tameem Daari رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ requested in the court of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: ‘Oh Messenger of Allah! No doubt, Allah Almighty will give you dominion over the entire world. Please grant me my paternal village, Bayt-ul-Lahm’. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: هِیَ لَك. Meaning, ‘It is yours’. And then he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also gave this in writing.

When Syria was conquered during the reign of the caliphate of Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, Sayyiduna Tameem Daari رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ presented the written confirmation of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Upon seeing it, Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said: ‘I am a witness to this.’ Then he handed over the village to him. (Kitab-ul-Amwaal, p. 288, Hadees 682)

Tu hi hay mulk-e-khuda milk-e-khuda ka maalik

Raaj tayra hay zamanah mayn hukumat tayri

(Zauq-e-Na’t, p. 247)