Meaning of "Ridvan"

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cfgeog
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Meaning of "Ridvan"

Postby cfgeog » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:55 am

Baha'is all "know" that Ridvan means Paradise. But an Arab student of mine says that's wrong. So I have searched Arabic and Muslim glossaries and tried to find proof of the link between these terms--to no avail. Do we have any Arabic etymologists who can shed light on the question?

Charles

Allah Is The Truth
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Re: Meaning of "Ridvan"

Postby Allah Is The Truth » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:08 am

cfgeog wrote:Baha'is all "know" that Ridvan means Paradise. But an Arab student of mine says that's wrong. So I have searched Arabic and Muslim glossaries and tried to find proof of the link between these terms--to no avail. Do we have any Arabic etymologists who can shed light on the question?

Charles


Allah-u-Abha

Ridvan may mean a different kind of Paradise. For instance, the Paradise of the After-Life is known as "Jannah" in the Qur'an. Perhaps Ridvan is the Paradise of recognizing the Manifestation, and Jannah is the Paradise of the After-Life?
Say: He is Allah, the One!
Allah, the ternally Besought of all!
He begetteth not nor was begotten.
And there is none comparable unto him.

Sura 112 (al-ikhlas) of the Noble Qur'an.

Guest

Postby Guest » Mon Apr 25, 2005 6:26 am

I did find these two terms (see below). It seems there is an indirect connection: Ridwan (Rezwan, Ridvan) is an angel associated with Jannah (Paradise), but not Paradise itself.

Ridwan - Angel in charge of al-Janna. At the last Judgement it will be his task to adorn Paradise and set out robes of honor for the Prophet Muhammad. On the same occasion Ridwan will also feed the blessed fasters as they are resurrected from their graves. (See al-Hisab; Yawm al-Qiyama.)

al-Janna - Meaning literally 'The Garden' and is the most common name by which Paradise is referred to in the Qur'an. Paradise, like Hell, are described in the Qur'an in very physical terms, however some scholars have instead interpreted these descriptions allegorically or metaphorically. The Qur'an also refers to Paradise as 'Adn (Eden) and the Persian term Firdaws. Based on the Qur'an some scholars have identified seven Heavenly gardens, which contrasts neatly with the seven Qur'anic divisions of Hell. God promises Paradise to those who do good, avoid evil, exhibit true repentance and believe in the Qur'an. (See Hawd; Kafur; al-Kawthar; al-Nar; Salsabil; Sidrat al-Muntaha; Tasnim.)

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Postby Allah Is The Truth » Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:57 am

That's so cool. I didn't know Ridvan was an Angel of Jannah.

One of my friends told me that Ridvan is a Turkish word, not an Arabic word. I asked my Arabic teacher why he never referred to Paradise as Ridvan, but always Jannah. And he told me that he had never heard the word Ridwan in his life.
Say: He is Allah, the One!

Allah, the ternally Besought of all!

He begetteth not nor was begotten.

And there is none comparable unto him.



Sura 112 (al-ikhlas) of the Noble Qur'an.

Guest

Postby Guest » Sat May 07, 2005 3:56 am

The word Ridwan/Rizwan is most certainly Arabic and it is a derivative of the word Rida/Riza (the Holy Imam Riza who was the eighth Imam of the household of Prophet Mohammad, salutation be upon Him and His household) which means pleasure, to be pleased with.
That is why we say in Arabic, 'Ridwan/Rizwan Ullah alayhi,' which means May God be pleased with him!

Baha be upon the people of Baha.

Keyvan

Postby Keyvan » Fri Jun 03, 2005 3:02 am

From my understanding...long ago, it was that the name came from a garden bestowed to him. Baha'u'llah had to name the garden. He could have named it after the wealthy donor, but instead named it after the gardener himself who was named Ridvan. For the gardener was truely the carer of the land and and the jeweler of natural beauty.
Such is God to His people. its very symbolic


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