Deserving of Paradise

DESERVING OF PARADISE Paradise is a perfect, evil-free world of the hereafter, reserved for those who recognize God in the unseen, live by His principles, and develop positive personalities. Looking at the industrialised and planned cities of Japan, I often think of Paradise—the ideal world of the Hereafter. Paradise is a vast, zero-defect, evil-free universe, complete in itself. For thousands of years, man has sought Paradise on Earth due to his natural urges. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the age of consumerism, man thought that he could build a Paradise on Earth, believing that the Industrial Age would culminate in the perfect world—Paradise—that he longed for. However, these hopes were dashed with the arrival of pollution, acid rain, and global warming. Moreover, global warming has made it abundantly clear that man cannot build a Paradise on Earth. Paradise will only be found in a state of perfection in the Hereafter. In Paradise, man will experience a life of eternal joy, peace, and happiness. There will be no need for physical labour; pleasant intellectual activities will suffice to achieve all desired goals. Man must realize that he stands on the threshold of Paradise. The present Earth is a Paradise-in-the-making, not Paradise itself. So, how can man achieve the Paradise of his dreams?