What is heaven? What does it look like? What do you do there? In a monthly series of articles, the Daily News Egypt asks Egyptians from all walks of life what they expect of where they hope to spend eternity.
Basma, 22, a recent graduate of English Literature, believes that everything she has ever wanted awaits her in heaven.
“God already knows what I want so it will be there when I arrive, she says. “But if at any point I change my mind about something – say I want to live on a beach – God will provide me with a beach.
Her friend Rana, 21, a Pharmacy student, is unsure as to what the scenery in heaven will be, but knows that there will be a river of wine, and that the weather will always be like springtime.
Basma agrees but adds that God can change the weather if she so pleases.
In any case both Basma and Rana believe that there are different levels of heaven for people according to how good a life they have led on earth, but are sure that they will be able to visit their loved ones even if they live on different levels.
“If you love someone of course you can meet them, Rana asserts.
“I certainly hope so, says Basma. “I’m sure that if I live somewhere completely different to Rana God will make it possible for me to see her.
Regarding their love lives, both girls are adamant that rather than having husbands in heaven they will each have their dream man – or men.
“If I am faithful to my husband on earth I will get a fantastic man in heaven, Rana says breaking into laughter. “He will be very nice, very beautiful. But he will not be a ‘husband’. If I want to date people in heaven I can. It’s not allowed on earth, but it’s permissible in heaven.
Basma nods her head in agreement: “I don’t want to be committed to one man for eternity. Whoever you want to be with, whoever is your dream man, you will find him in heaven.
“That said, if I love someone on earth enough of course we can be together in heaven. But if I’m married to someone and I hate him, and I go to heaven and I have to be with him there, it’s not heaven it’s hell!
One thing both girls look forward to is being able to eat whatever they want without putting on any weight.
“You have the perfect figure all the time no matter what you eat, Basma says with a smile. “You look your best all the time.
Rana agrees but adds that, “Even if you were fat in heaven you would still be happy all the time.
The concept of how time works in heaven is something the girls are unsure of.
While Rana thinks that time does not exist in heaven and it is constantly daytime, Basma reckons that time is much longer in heaven, and says that a thousand days in heaven is equal to one day on earth.
She is not worried about becoming bored though.
“You feel different in heaven, you feel happy all the time. God controls those feelings.
To give your idea of what heaven is go to the group Heaven Project´ on Facebook.