Will We Get Anything in Janna, and Will Debts Prevent Entry?

Question

According to the Quran, people will get anything they want in Janna. However, many hadiths say that if you build a Mosque in this world, you will get a house in Janna or that men will be 33 in Janna. If I wish, could I get a house in Janna even if I don’t build a Mosque, or be a different age in Janna if I desire?

Also, I saw a hadith in Sunan al-Nasa’i that said something like if a person were to be killed for the sake of Allah over and over again, he would not enter Jannah until his debt was paid. Does that mean if someone purposely does not pay off their debts, they will never enter Janna?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

May Allah alleviate our difficulties and guide us to what pleases Him. Amin.

Those who enter Janna (may Allah make us of them) will receive whatever they desire in Janna. Allah (Most High) says: “We are your supporters in this worldly life and the Hereafter. There you will have whatever your souls desire, and there you will have whatever you ask for.” [Quran, 41:31]

Generally, unpaid debts prevent entry into Janna, but Allah could forgive that, and Allah knows best.

Special Rewards in Janna

Specific rewards are mentioned in the hadith for particular actions, encouraging us to strive for those deeds. Those who attain those deeds may receive a unique form of those rewards specific to them, but no one will feel deprived or lacking in Janna, based on the verse above, and Allah knows best.

Debts and Entry to Janna

Several hadiths indicate that entry to Janna will be prohibited or suspended until one’s debts are paid. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The soul of the believer is suspended because of his debt until it is paid off.” [Tirmidhi]

The words “the soul of the believer is suspended” – Imam al-Suyuti said: “it is detained and kept from reaching its noble destination.” Al-‘Iraqi said: “no judgment is passed as to whether it will be saved or doomed until it is determined whether his debt will be paid off or not.” [Mubarakpuri, Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi]

Therefore, the default status quo is that a person will be prevented from entering Janna until their debts are paid. This teaches us the severity of debt and that we should do our best to pay our debts and arrange for their payment should we pass away. However, Allah could still forgive such a person if He chooses.

Allah says: “Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him (in worship), but forgives anything else of whomever He wills. And whoever associates others with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.” [Quran, 4:48]

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.