(128) It is related by Abu Hurairah that the Apostle of God said: “Hell has been surrounded with ease and luxuriousness, and Heaven has been surrounded with toil and suffering.”
-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood and Nissai
Commentary.-Generally, sins i.e., deeds that are to be expected to lead one to Hell are a source of sensuous enjoyment, while duties i.e., deeds that make one deserving of admission to Paradise come hard on the flesh. Thus, the ultimate destination of the bondsman who will yield to his inordinate appetites and perform evil deeds shall be Hell while the bondsman who will observe the commands of God and remain faithful to Him shall make his abode in Heaven.
(129) It is related by Abu Hurairah that the Apostle of God said: “When God created Heaven, He told Gabriel to go and see it [as to how He had made Paradise with its astounding boons and comforts]. Gabriel, thus, went and saw Heaven and the wonderful things the Lord had provided in it. On return, he exclaimed, ‘O Lord ! By Thy Glory and Thy Magnificence, [Thou hast made Heaven so beautiful and got ready such blessings in it that I am sure that] anyone who hears about it will attain it [i.e., he will be fired with the desire to live there permanently and will again his objective by performing the good deeds that are needed to go to Heaven and avoiding the evil things]' God, then, surrounded Heaven with toll and hardship [i.e., He enclosed it on all sides with the injunctions of the Shariat to observe which calls for a great deal of self-denial and earnest endeavour], and, once again, told Gabriel to go and see Heaven [with the new barricade built around it]. So, once more, Gabriel went and saw Paradise, and, on his return, he exclaimed, ‘Our Lord ! By The Glory and Thy Magnificence, now I fear that no one will be able to attain it [i.e., the condition of the observance of the laws of the Shariat Thou hast prescribed is so very hard that, perhaps, no one will be in a position to fulfil it].' Again, when God created Hell, He told Gabriel to go and see it [and the various forms of punishment He had put together there]. Thus, Gabriel went and saw it, and, on coming back, he said, ‘O Lord ! By Thy Glory and Thy Magnificence, [Thou hast made Hell such an infernal place that] whoever hears about it will never enter it [i.e,. he will strictly refrain from acts that are likely to take him to Hell]. God, then surrounded Hell with material comforts and bodily enjoyment and told Gabriel, again, to go and see it. So, once more, Gabriel went and saw Hell [and the ring of sensual pleasures that had been put around it]. On return, he exclaimed, ‘O Lord! By Thy Glory and Thy Magnificence, now I fear that everyone will make his home in it [i.e., the pleasures with which Thou hast encompassed Hell hold such an attraction for man, with all his animal desires and propensities, that, perhaps, everyone will yield to them and end up in the bottomless pit].'”
-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood and Nissai
Commentary.-The special lesson the above Tradition carries is that the sequel of gratifying one's inclinations and desires [which, apparently, is so pleasing] is the fearful chastisement of Hell, a moment of which will make one forget the joys and comforts of a lifetime, while the end of a life, of loyalty and submission to Divine injunctions [which seems so hard and cheerless to our carnal selves] is Paradise, the home of perfect felicity and eternal bliss.
(130) It is related by Abu Hurairah that the Apostle of God said: “I have not seen a fearful calamity like Hell that the one running away from it may have fallen asleep, and I have not seen an attractive thing like Heaven that the one desiring it may have slept.”
-Tirmidhi
Commentary.-It is natural for man that when he runs to save his life from an evil thing like a ferocious beast or a pursuing enemy, he keeps running and does not think of rest or sleep till he has attained safety. Similarly, when a person strives eagerly for a desirable object he forgets about rest and sleep till he has succeeded in his aim. But towards Heaven and Hell our attitude is hard to explain. There is no more alluring thing than Heaven, but instead of trying our utmost to attain it, we are inclined to be negligent while there is no more detestable thing than Hell yet those who should be fleeing from it are fast asleep.