Assalaamu alaykum. {Circulated among them will be plates and vessels of gold. And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally.} [Quran 43:71] Does it mean that what we desire in this world is only available in Paradise, that what we desire in the hereafter is available in Paradise, or that what we desire in both places is available in Paradise? Please reply without giving a link to any fatwas, Allah willing.

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

The favor of Allah on the people of Paradise is not limited to what they desire; rather, Allah, the Most Generous, gives them more than that. Allah says (what means): {They will have whatever they wish therein, and with Us is more.} [Quran 50:35]

Allah also informed us that they will have whatever they ask for; Allah says (what means): {...And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish].} [Quran 41:31]; which means whatever you desire and request of bliss which you had never seen in this world.

At-Tahreer wat-Tanweer, reads, “It means that you will get whatever you desire of the things that can be felt by the senses (i.e. which you know of) and whatever you desire which you can imagine in your mind…” 

Shaykh As-Sa’di said: “{you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]}; means which you ask for and which you desire of the kinds of desires and pleasure, which no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard of, and which has never crossed your hearts or minds.” 

Hence, you should know that the saying of Allah {therein whatever your souls desire...} includes what they desire for of the bliss which they saw in this worldly life, and it also includes the bliss of Paradise which they have never seen in this worldly life and which they have never thought of or heard of.

At-Tahreer wat-Tanweer, reads, “The saying of Allah {whatever your souls desire} includes all the desires a person may hope to attain; and Allah will create in the people of Paradise the desires that are suitable for the world of eternity and sublimity… ”

Shaykh As-Sa’di said:

“{And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes.} [Quran 43:71]: this is a comprehensive wording that includes every bliss, joy, comfort of the eye, delight of the heart, and everything that the souls desire of food, drink, clothing, sexual pleasures, beautiful scenery, lush greenery, and adorned buildings; all this exists in Paradise and is prepared for the people of Paradise in the best and most perfect manner, as Allah says (what means): {For them therein is fruit, and for them is whatever they request [or wish].} [Quran 36:57]”

There are also some ahaadeeth which clarify that the people of Paradise wish for some of the bliss which they saw in this worldly life, and Allah will grant it to them in the best and most complete form, far better than that which was in this worldly life.

Among these ahaadeeth is the hadeeth of a man from the people of Paradise who wishes to plant in Paradise in the same manner that he used to plant in this world.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet said, “One of the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allah to allow him to cultivate the land. Allah will ask him, ‘Are you not living in the pleasures you like?’ He will say, ‘Yes, but I like to cultivate the land.’ When the man (will be permitted, he) will sow the seeds, and the plants will grow up and get ripe, ready for reaping and so on, till they will be as huge as mountains within the wink of an eye…” [Al-Bukhaari]

This man wished for a work that he used to do in the worldly life, and Allah granted it to him in the best and most complete form.

Also, there is a hadeeth which reads, “When the believer desires a child in Paradise, it shall be carried (in pregnancy), born, and reach the age that he desires in one hour." [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi]

At-Taahir ibn 'Aashoor said:

“Allah promised the believers that in Paradise they will have the bliss that they know in this worldly life. And they know that the luxury of Paradise can never be described in words; all this is included in the general description in the saying of Allah {And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes.} [Quran 43:71] However, the souls find comfort in what they are familiar with, so they will be given it. So the bliss of the souls of the people in every age and in every country will be in the highest and best form of what they were familiar with, especially what is familiar to all the people of civilization which they desired in this worldly life. And then, on top of that, they will be given more pleasure and bliss {What eyes have never seen, what ears have never heard of, and what has never crossed the imagination of people}.”

Allah knows best.