A two-column journey through what the Quran reveals about Jannah, the eternal Garden, and Jahannam, the Fire — its gates, descriptions and warnings.
مَّثَلُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ۖ فِيهَآ أَنْهَٰرٌ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيْرِ ءَاسِنٍ وَأَنْهَٰرٌ مِّن لَّبَنٍ لَّمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُۥ وَأَنْهَٰرٌ مِّنْ خَمْرٍ لَّذَّةٍ لِّلشَّٰرِبِينَ وَأَنْهَٰرٌ مِّنْ عَسَلٍ مُّصَفًّى
"The likeness of the Garden promised to the God-fearing: therein are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk whose taste never changes, rivers of wine delicious to the drinkers, and rivers of purified honey."
وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ
"And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens beneath which rivers flow."
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتُ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا
"Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds — for them the Gardens of Firdaws will be a lodging."
مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ ۖ لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا شَمْسًا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًا وَدَانِيَةً عَلَيْهِمْ ظِلَٰلُهَا وَذُلِّلَتْ قُطُوفُهَا تَذْلِيلًا
"Reclining therein on adorned couches, they will see neither scorching sun nor bitter cold. Its shade will be close upon them, and its clusters of fruit hanging low in submission."
عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَّوْضُونَةٍ مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَٰبِلِينَ ۞ يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَٰنٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأْسٍ مِّن مَّعِينٍ
"On thrones woven [with gold], reclining on them, facing one another. Circling among them will be immortal youths with goblets, ewers and a cup from a flowing spring."
The Prophet ﷺ mentioned that Paradise has eight gates (Sahih al-Bukhari). Each admits those known for a particular act of worship:
Ar-Rayyan is reserved for those who fast, and none but them shall enter through it.
وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمَوْعِدُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ لَهَا سَبْعَةُ أَبْوَٰبٍ لِّكُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْهُمْ جُزْءٌ مَّقْسُومٌ
"And indeed, Hell is the promised place for them all. It has seven gates; for every gate is a portion [of them] assigned."
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ
"O you who believe, guard yourselves and your families against a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are angels, stern and severe."
أَذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ نُّزُلًا أَمْ شَجَرَةُ ٱلزَّقُّومِ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَٰهَا فِتْنَةً لِّلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ تَخْرُجُ فِىٓ أَصْلِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ طَلْعُهَا كَأَنَّهُۥ رُءُوسُ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَءَاكِلُونَ مِنْهَا فَمَالِـُٔونَ مِنْهَا ٱلْبُطُونَ
"Is that a better hospitality, or the tree of Zaqqum? Indeed, We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers. It is a tree that grows from the bottom of the Hellfire; its emerging fruit is as if it were the heads of devils. And they will eat from it and fill their bellies with it."
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلْنَٰهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ
"Those who disbelieve in Our verses — We will drive them into a Fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment."
وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِمَن كَذَّبَ بِٱلسَّاعَةِ سَعِيرًا إِذَا رَأَتْهُم مِّن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ سَمِعُوا۟ لَهَا تَغَيُّظًا وَزَفِيرًا
"We have prepared for those who deny the Hour a Blaze. When it sees them from a distant place, they will hear its fury and roaring."
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَٰكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ
"And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds."
Translations are conveyed meanings of the original Arabic. References follow the standard mushaf numbering.