Meeting family and friends in Jannah

[Naushaba]

Salam Mv.  Does the Quran say that we will meet our close family and friends in Jannah?  I have a large family and a large circle of friends, all of whom have brought a lot of happiness into my life.  While I am not upset of leaving this dunya for my final journey when Allah ordains it, the thought of leaving all of them and not knowing whether or not Allah will allow us to meet in Jannah makes me sad and I sometimes cry to myself.  Please give me some detailed information only from the Quran.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Walaikum Salaam.  Please don't get upset and tearful.  No need for that.  However, one needs to be honest with oneself and grasp the issue head-on instead of comforting one's heart and mind with fantasies as non-Muslims do.  Divine Justice is flawless and perfect and no one will be wronged.  Everyone will be compensated with whatever they worked for in this temporary duniya. "Everyone will be responsible for his own actions."  At-Tur 52:21.

Allah has informed us in His Final Message that believers admitted to Jannah will meet.  Allah Almighty says, "Gardens of Eden which they enter, along with all who do right of their fathers and their helpmeets and their seed." 13:23 Ar-Ra'd.  Another Verse confirming the same "And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith - We will join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds."  52:21  At-Tur.  Allah has also confirmed that both Jannah and Jahanum will have different grades of reward and reprobation, "And for all there are degrees [of reward and punishment] for what they have done, and [it is] so that He may fully compensate them for their deeds, and they will not be wronged." 46:19 Al-Ahqaf.   It is very possible that one believer may get a higher degree of Jannah than another believer (whether family member or friend), depending on the level of their piety. Yet, very, very likely they will still be given Divine permission to meet in Jannah, InshAllah.

"Rabbana-ghfirlee wa liwaalidayya wa lil-mu’mineena yawma yaqoomul-hisaab"— Translation: Our Rabb, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established"  Verse 14:41 Ibrahim.  In this Verse Allah again assures us that He will bring the believers, their believing families and other believing, righteous people together on the Day of Decision when the Account is cast.   Beautiful Verse, never to be forgotten.  I recite it every day.

Of course needless to say, to meet family, relatives and friends in Jannah, a great deal depends on their deeds.  It's mandatory that they must be Monotheistic believers (followers of Tawheed) who had done at least some good deeds in their life in this dunya in order to acquire maghfirah.  Otherwise, without maghfirah, they cannot enter Jannah.  So, if a person is a Monotheistic believer who led a righteous life in dunya but some of his close loved ones among family and friends were not believers and followed their own desires, then those believers will not be able to meet such loved ones in Jannah, whoever those loved ones might be .. parents, siblings, spouses, offspring, aunts, uncles, cousins, close friends, neighbors or colleagues or whoever.  This highlights the importance still more of being a believer and doing Halal deeds because meeting loved ones in Jannah is one of the loveliest rewards from Allah to His slaves.  This can only be achieved if the believers' families / relatives/ friends were also believers.  A good believer may have some family members and friends who are believers, but some not. In this case the believer cannot hope to meet the disbelieving ones.  Therefore help your disbelieving loved ones, with affection and reason, to come to the path of Truth, the right path, before it's too late.  Dying in a state of disbelief is the ultimate loss.  Nothing can be done to redeem their souls at that point onward.

But if you're unable to convince them, please don't lose sleep over it.  It is very unfortunate but it is not your fault.  Be thoroughly focused on the guidance of Allah that you have grasped.  Maybe at some point, if Allah wills, some of those others might get inspired by you.

[Naushaba]

Thank you sister for all the logic and honesty I read in your works.  Saving loved ones from dying in a state of disbelief is first priority which I keep trying. But very few listen, and now I feel I am getting a little tired of them, I continue to be focused on my own iman as you said and not lose sleep over something I am helpless about. 

[Lyla hates hypocrisy]

Some Quran interpretarors have said  "even if the believers family and friends did not perform deeds of the same merit, they shall share with them their stations in Paradise as an honouring for them." 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

This is Jalalayn tafsir, and its compatibility can be viewed with Verse 46:19 Al-Ahqaf on degrees or grades of reward and reprobation.  Sister Ruhi has already quoted this Verse in her response above.  This Verse clearly infers that every righteous person does not have the same level of virtues, some maybe more virtuous, some less.  Similarly every wrong doer is not transgressive to the same extent, some might be more misguided than others.  So, in the case of the righteous ones who have acquired maghfirah where one righteous person did more righteous deeds than another, both will be admitted to Paradise at different levels, yet both may be granted the privilege to meet in Paradise, InshAllah.  Alhumdulilah.    

Do please remember that those believers who acquire a lower level of reward in Jannah still must be believers in One Allah and have done some good deeds in earthly life to get maghfirah on the Day of Judgement.  Thus Allah will InshAllah grant them the privilege to meet other believers who have achieved a higher level of reward.  It is not about one believer with a smaller reward “honouring” another believer with a greater reward by meeting them in Paradise.  I don’t know why this tafsir says that, when Allah has made it clear that everyone will be rewarded or punished according to the ranks of their righteousness or violations.  I don’t see any connotations of honoring anyone.  These formalities will not be there in the Hereafter because Allah’s system of  dispensing justice is too perfect.  Alhumdulilah.

[Naushaba]

Yes I agree. 

And what is Jalajeyn tafsir?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Jalalayn tafsir is a Sunni commentary of Verses of the Noble Quran.  The first of such interpretations came from Jalaladdin al Maḥalli in 1450s and then completed after his death by Jalaladdin Suyuti in early 1500s. Therefore the Jalalayn tafsir indicates "tafsir of the two Jalals".

[Naushaba]

Is Jalalyn tafsir complete of entire Quran like Maudud’s tafsir?   If yes, can I get some info where to find it ?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Yes, from what I know Jalalayn commentaries on the Noble Quran are complete, explanations are of all Verses.  It is in one volume, supposed to be concise and in simple language.  It is  translated in English by Feras Hamza.  Can be found in various bookstores mostly online.   We also have the English translation here @ MV in PDF format for readers. 
Direct access to the same PDF format Al Jalalyn.   
I haven’t read it fully, only partly in various articles and websites. So I cannot confirm much on its overall accuracy and to what extent it runs after the Ahadith for explanations.  But from whatever I have read, it can be helpful to some extent for those studying the contents of the Noble Quran. 

[Naushaba]

Lots of thanks dear sister.  May Allah reward you.

[Nasir]

I lost my parents to COVID in 2020 and my grief is immeasurable.  Only my iman in Allah and my hope that He will In'shAllah unite us keeps me sane.  My parents were everything for me, my rock.  I can hardly wait to see them again.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

I am truly sorry brother.  I understand so well.  InshAllah, I am sure Allah is taking very good care of them and on the Day of Judgement they will be in Jannah.  InshAllah you will meet them too, and for that you have to work a little hard in this dunya by adhering to Halal.  Just continue to be conscious of leading a Halal life, spiritually as well as practically, and InshAllah you will meet your goal on the Day of Decision.

[Nasir]

Thank u from the bottom of my heart for your very kind & wise words sister.

[Cherry Khanoom]

A family friend told me that people residing in higher level of Jannah can meet those in the lower levels of Jannah, but those in lower levels cannot meet those in higher levels. Does the Quran confirm this? 

[Zainab_M]

No the Noble Quran does not mention anything about that.  It only confirms that there are different ranks of reward and punishment, that is, everyone will not be in the same level of Jannah nor will everyone be in the same level of Jahanum.  But since Allah has mentioned so many times about families reuniting in Jannah that meeting of believers of different levels of Jannah is very likely. Allah knows best.  But InshAllah, it’s possible they may meet.