In Surah Taha, in an address to Prophet Adam `alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send His peace and blessings on him), Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He) describes Jannah (Paradise) in the following words:

“Indeed, it is [promised] for you neither to hunger therein, nor to go naked;

 And that you neither thirst therein, nor suffer the heat (of the sun).” (Qur’an, 20:118-119)

Some of the exegetical scholars ((For example, see Ruh al-Ma’ani by al-Aloosee.)) of the past remarked on the poignancy of this description of Paradise, and the link between hunger and nakedness made in the first verse, and thirst and exposure to the sun in the second.  Hunger, they explained, is an inner need, while clothing one’s nakedness is an outer one; and by coupling them together, the verse implies that both one’s inner and outward needs will be completely and fully taken care of in Paradise.

In the same way, thirst is an inner burning, while exposure to the sun leads to a burning of the outer form.  By mentioning them together, Allah’s words emphasize that He will protect and shield the one in Paradise from any type of suffering, be it internal or external.

In this succinct and beautiful way, Allah (swt) describes Paradise as the place where all of one’s needs are fulfilled, perfectly and completely, and where one will never feel the sting of any suffering.

May Allah make us of its people, Ameen!

From a class with Imam Suhaib Webb