Palace of the World

The best palace I have visited so far in my life (not that I have visited many. But enough to make comparison I suppose) must be the one in Iran. This is just based on the permanent decoration they have for the castle. In Oman on the other hand, the castles and fortresses are a winer based on their defense and protection strategy. Read about Oman Palaces that I wrote HERE.While in Europe must be the sheer size of most castles.

But Iran's palaces must win for its deco, specifically for the palaces in tehran itself - Golestan Palace and Reza Pahlavi Palace (not the recent 70s one but the one which is build ages ago in the era of Qajar empire).

I was truly impressed on their mirror works on the inside wall and heavily patterned tiles on their outside wall. The reflection of the chandelier's light on the mirror is truly mesmerising.







It brought me to thinking if this is what you get in this world being the ruler, what would it be like in jannah. Teh best of palaces for those with taqwa!

Tremendous narration describe that the palaces in jannah being made by hollow pearls. They are sixty miles high and in some narration sixty miles wide (Bukhari). There will be lofty rooms, one above the other, under which river flows (Az Zumar 39:20)

When Jibreel send Allah's salaam and his salam to Khadijah in a hadith by Abu Hurayrah, Jibreel mentioned that Khadeejah will have a house in Paradise made of brocade in which there is no noise and no exhaustion.

Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasalam described the building of jannah as below,

Bricks of gold and silver, the mortar of fragrant musk, pebbles of pearl and sapphire, and soil of saffron. Whoever enters it is filled with joy and will never feel miserable; he will live there forever and will never die; their clothes will never wear out and their youth will never fade. (Hadith by Ahmad, Tirmidhee)

And the decorations of Jannah are describe as thrones woven with gold and precious stones of which is worth more than the whole world and everything in it.

And the palace as grandeur as it will be will be in the midst of beauty and splendour. The gates, the soil, the rivers, the river banks, the springs, the fragrance, the trees and fruits and the inhabitants.

Allah and the Prophet sallahu alaihi wasalam has described Jannah to help us imagine what it would be like. To help us long for it and to help us work for it amdist the difficult life living in this world pleasing Allah.

Of all the description of jannah, the one that engulf me most, that made my heart skipped a beat and made me stop to ponder is from a hadith qudsi reported by Abu Hurayrah that Prophet Muhammad salllahu alaihi wasalam said

Allah said: "I have prepared for My righteous slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart can imagine. Nevermind what Allah has told you; what he has not told you is even greater." Then he (salllahu alaihi wasalam) recited "No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward of what they used to do. (as Sajda As 32: 17)"

May Allah accept our deeds and place us in the highest jannah. Ameen.