Ar: al-janna, "the garden", pl. jannat. The term al-Firdaus has been used to mean a specific region in Paradise. The Qur'an gives eight different names, which Muslim theologians take to be eight different levels or stages of Paradise:
s/no | Name | Reference | Pickthall | Yusuf Ali | Shakir | Sher Ali | Rashad Khilafa |
1 | Jannatu al-Khuld | (al-Furqan 25:15) | The Garden of Immortality | Eternal Garden | Abiding Garden | Garden of Eternity | Eternal Paradise |
2 | Darul as-Salam | al-An`am 6:127 | The Abode of Peace | The Home of Peace | The Abode of Peace | The Abode of Peace | The Abode of Peace |
3 | Darul al-Qarar | al-Mu`min 40:42 | The Garden | The Garden (of Bliss) | The Garden | The Garden | Paradise |
4 | Jannatu al-`Adn | al-Bara`ah 9:72-73 | The Gardens of Eden | The Gardens of Everlasting Bliss | The Gardens of Perpetual Abode | The Gardens of Eternity | The Gardens of Eden |
5 | Jannatu al-Ma`wa | as-Sajdah 32:19 | The Gardens of Retreat | The Gardens as hospitable homes | The Gardens (of) abiding place | The Gardens of Eternal Abode | Eternal Paradise |
6 | Jannatu an-Na`im | al-Ma'idah 5:70 | Paradise | The Garden | The Garden | Heaven | Paradise |
7 | `Illiyin | at-Tatfif 83:18 | `Illiyin | `Illiyin | `Illiyin | `Illiyyin | `Elleyeen |
8 | Jannatu al-Firdaus | al-Kahf 18:107 | The Gardens of Paradise | The Gardens of Paradise | The Gardens of Paradise | The Gardens of Paradise | Blissful Paradise |
The eight stages are spoken of as eight doors in the Mishkat, book 2, ch 1.
In the Qur'an (and the Hadith), Paradise is a very physical place with many physical delights, including food, shade and fair maidens, all of which evoke many fond imageries to the Arab living in the harsh desert, and influenced many a Muslim to fight for Islam. Many Muslims have been adamant about the physical pleasures of Paradise.
The Bible also describe some physical aspects: no more hunger, thirst, scorching heat, tears, death, mourning, crying or pain (Revelation 7:16,17, 21:4). But the overwhelming amount of description focus on :
Narrated Sahl bin Sa'd:
The Prophet said, "Whoever guarantees me (the chastity of) what is between his legs (i.e. his private parts), and what is between his jaws (i.e., his tongue), I guarantee him Paradise." (Sahih Bukhari 8.799)
In Islam, man and women remain married in Paradise. Man also have the privilege of many fair maidens, but there is no mention of an analogous reward for women. In contrast, Jesus said that :
At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30)