Assalaamu alaykum. I have heard so many times of all the gold and other precious things in heaven, but I do not understand what their purpose is. Gold is for the use of buying things, so why would people value gold and other such precious things in heaven? Also, what is life in heaven like? I have many hobbies in life that I enjoy in my spare time, but what fun does one partake in in paradise?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Paradise is the abode that Allaah, The Exalted, prepared for the believers, who will experience eternal bliss and felicity therein. He has included everything that gives them such bliss and happiness in His Paradise. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And therein is whatever the souls desire and (what) delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally.} [Quran 43:71]

It was reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, "Allaah, The Exalted, says, 'I have prepared for My pious servants what no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no human heart has ever perceived.' He then, recited the verse: {And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.} [Quran 32:17]" [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The dwellers of Paradise will enjoy the pleasures of food, drink, sexual intercourse, and gazing at their Lord, which is one of the greatest blessings therein. It was authentically reported that the believer will be given whatever he desires in Paradise. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet was once narrating the following while a Bedouin was sitting with him, "A man from the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allaah to allow him to cultivate the land. Allaah will ask him, 'Are you not living in the pleasures you like?' He will say, 'Yes, but I like to farm the land.'" The Prophet added, "The man will sow the seeds and, in the blink of an eye, the plants will grow and be ripe, ready for reaping, as huge as mountains. Allaah will then say to him, 'O son of Aadam (Adam)! There you are (gather the harvest); nothing satisfies you.'" On that, the Bedouin said, "That man must be either from Quraysh or an Ansaari, for they are farmers, whereas we are not farmers." The Prophet smiled (at this)." [Al-Bukhari]

Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar wrote, "It is deduced from this hadeeth that the inhabitants of Paradise will be granted whatever they desire of the aspects of worldly life, as underlined by Al-Muhallab." [Fat-h Al-Baari]

The most important thing that the Muslim should do is to seek after the means to attain Paradise and be saved from Hellfire. He should devote himself to the pursuit of useful knowledge and good deeds and beware of wasting his time in futile activities that do not benefit him.

With regards to gold, it has uses in the worldly life other than buying things, such as adornment. Similarly, it will be used in Paradise for purposes such as adornment. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means): {Indeed, Allaah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds to gardens beneath which rivers flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearl, and their garments therein will be silk.} [Quran 22:23]

Allaah knows best.