The most expensive house

Have you ever tried googling “the world’s most expensive house”?

Well, I did the other day (out of curiosity), and the result was disappointing…

I had imagined a large, grandiose mansion, with wide, spacious gardens and plentiful trees, but what I saw was a tall, narrow and rather odd looking building. “This is the most expensive house in the world??”, I thought to myself.  

But do you know there are houses that are far better and more magnificent than this odd shaped “expensive” building, houses that are made of bricks of gold and silver, with pebbles of pearls and sapphires and soil of saffron… 

Allah says in ayah 72 of Surah at-Tawbah:

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ ۚ وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ – 9:72

Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence; but approval from Allah is greater. It is that which is the great attainment. (Surah at-Tawbah: 72)

In this ayah, Allah describes the dwellings of Jannah as “Tayyibah” i.e. Pleasant. They will be pleasant in their appearance, so they will be pleasing and amazing to look at. And also, living in them will be a pleasant experience! You won’t get tired and weary, it will always be clean, no chores, no loud and unpleasant noises, just pure unending bliss!

You see, the delights of Jannah are such that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no heart has ever imagined! 

The Prophet (ﷺ) said (about the dwellings of Paradise): “Bricks of gold and silver, and 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 away.” [Ahmad]

Just imagine that! Pebbles of pearl and sapphire – and this will be nothing like the pearls and sapphires of this Dunya, in fact it will be waaaay better. 

Soil of saffron! No yucky worms and creepy crawlies! Just pure saffron!

Bricks of gold and silver. Even the most expensive houses on this planet are not made of gold bricks. (Even if they were, their owners would live in fear of someone stealing little bits of it right? Imagine waking up to find part of your wall or ceiling missing!!)

But do you know what is better than all these blessings and bounties of Jannah?  It is the approval from Allah!

In this Dunya, a true Muttaqee, is someone who lives his or her life in the obedience of Allah, abiding by His Commands and staying away from sins and from all those things that brings about Allah’s displeasure! 

Imagine a time when Allah will never be angry with you, ever! This will be in Jannah. 

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Indeed, Allah will say to the people of Paradise: ‘O people of Paradise!‘ They will say: ‘We respond to You, O our Lord,and we are at Your service.’ Then He will say: ‘Are you pleased?’ They will say: ‘Why should we not be pleased when You have given us what you have not given anyone from Your creation.’ So He will say: ‘I shall give you what is greater than that.’ They will say: ‘And what is greater than that?’ He will say: ‘I shall cover you in My Pleasure and I shall not become angry with you ever.” [Tirmidhi]

In this Dunya, sometimes just to know that someone loves you and is not angry with you – whether it’s your parent or spouse or teacher –  gives you a sense of great pleasure and security right? But imagine in Jannah, knowing that Allah – the Lord of the Worlds – Loves you, that he has Accepted you, that He is Pleased with you…this will you give the greatest sense of security and accomplishment! Which is why at the end of the ayah Allah says….

“It is that which is the great attainment.”

The successes of this Dunya that people run after is not real success. It is not the ultimate success. Being admitted into the eternal bliss of Jannah and gaining the pleasure and approval of Allah is the greatest and most magnificent success!

May Allah make us among the people who gain His pleasure. May Allah admit us into the blissful Gardens of Jannah. Ameen.

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