Will the members of a family all be together in Paradise?

Paradise is
the abode of honour that Allah, may He be exalted, has prepared for His
believing slaves. In it are delight and happiness such as have never entered
the mind of man and no one has ever imagined. Whoever enters it will find
true, eternal happiness and will have attained a great victory. Allah, may
He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“No
person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they
used to do”

[as-Sajdah 32:17]. 

Part of the
happiness that Allah has guaranteed to His believing slaves is that He will
reunite the family, parents and children, after they all enter Paradise by
the mercy of Allah and the intercession of Prophet Muhammad (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him). This promise is mentioned in the holy Book of
Allah, in the verses that will be recited until the Day of Resurrection, in
which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And
those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We
join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in
anything”

[at-Toor
52:21]. 

Ibn ‘Abbaas
said, commenting on this verse: 

Allah will
raise the offspring of the believer to the same degree as him, even if they
are lower than him in terms of good deeds, so as to bring joy to his heart.
Then he recited the words (interpretation of the meaning):

“And
those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We
join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in
anything”

[at-Toor
52:21]. 

Narrated by
Ibn Abi Haatim in at-Tafseer, and by Ibn Abi’d-Dunya in al-‘Iyaal
(no. 357), and by others. For more information see: Tafseer Ibn Jareer
at-Tabari, 22/467 

This promise
is confirmed by what Allah says elsewhere (interpretation of the meaning):

“Adn
(Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens), which they shall enter and (also)
those who acted righteously from among their fathers, and their wives, and
their offspring”

[ar-Ra ‘d
13:23]

“Enter
Paradise, you and your wives, in happiness”

[az-Zukhruf
43:70]. 

Al-Haafiz
Ibn Katheer said in Tasfseer al-Qur’aan al-‘Azeem (4/451): 

The words of
Allah, “and (also) those who acted righteously from among their fathers,
and their wives, and their offspring” mean: they and their loved ones
among their fathers, wives and offspring, of those who were believers and
qualified to enter Paradise, will be reunited so as to bring joy to their
hearts. And they will be raised from a lower degree to a higher degree
without that detracting from the higher degree; rather that is a blessing
and favour from Allah, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And
those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We
join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in
anything. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned”

[at-Toor
52:21].

End quote. 

It says in
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (vol. 2, p. 409): 

Question:
Will we meet our children in the Hereafter, as all of us are hoping for
that? We hope that you will explain this matter for us and tell us of
everything that you think is good. May Allah reward you with the best of
rewards. 

The response
was: 

Allah, may
He be glorified and exalted, has told us that by His grace, blessing and
kindness He will  make the offspring of the believers join their fathers in
the same status, even if they did not reach the same status in good deeds.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“And
those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We
join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in
anything. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned”

[at-Toor
52:21]. 

Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen said in Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb (Aqeedah (belief)/
Belief in the Last Day): 

When a
person enters Paradise, will he recognise his relatives? Yes, he will
recognise his relatives and others, which will bring joy to his heart,
because Allah, may He be exalted, says:

“(there
will be) therein all that the ones inner-selves could desire, all that the
eyes could delight in, and you will abide therein forever”

[az-Zukhruf
43:71].

Indeed a
person will be gathered with his offspring in one status even if his
offspring are of lower status than him, as Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“And
those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We
join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in
anything. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned”

[at-Toor
52:21].

End quote. 

Secondly: 

We should
differentiate between two things here: 

-1-

The people
of Paradise will visit one another, recognise one another and meet one
another in the Gardens of delights. This is part of the perfect delight of
the people of Paradise. There is nothing to prevent someone of a lower
status in Paradise from visiting one who is above him, as also happens in
this world. 

Allah, may
He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Then
they will turn to one another, mutually questioning.

A speaker
of them will say: ‘Verily, I had a companion (in the world),

Who used
to say: ‘Are you among those who believe (in resurrection after death)?

‘(That)
when we die and become dust and bones, shall we indeed (be raised up) to
receive reward or punishment (according to our deeds)?’

(The man)
said: ‘Will you look down?’

So he
looked down and saw him in the midst of the Fire.

He said:
‘By Allah! You have nearly ruined me.

‘Had it
not been for the Grace of my Lord, I would certainly have been among those
brought forth (to Hell).’

(Allah
informs about that true believer that he said): ‘Are we then not to die (any
more)?

‘Except
our first death, and we shall not be punished? (after we have entered
Paradise).’

Truly,
this is the supreme success!

For the
like of this let the workers work”

[as-Saaffaat
:50-61]. 

Ibn Katheer
(may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Here, Allah,
may He be exalted, tells us about the people of Paradise: they will turn to
one another and ask one another about their situation, how they were in the
world and what they used to suffer there? This is an example of their
meeting and conversing over their drinks, whilst they are sitting on
thrones, with servants around them, coming and going with delights such as
food, drink, clothing and other things that no eye has seen, no ear has
heard, nor has it entered the mind of man.

End quote
from Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 7/15. See also Haadi al-Arwaah by
Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/259-263 

With regard
to fathers and sons, or other family members, being gathered in the same
level of Paradise on an eternal basis, what appears to be the case – and
Allah knows best – is that this applies only to those who die in childhood
and their parents; Allah will bless their parents in Paradise and raise the
children to their status, so that they may have the joy of being with their
children there. 

Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, after speaking of the
difference of opinion concerning this matter: 

It seems
most likely that only those children who died in childhood are singled out
in this case. No one of a lower degree could join someone of a higher
degree, and the fact that children will join their parents is something
natural, because a man usually has his children with him. And Allah knows
best.

End quote
from Haadi al-Arwaah, 398 

This is also
the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on
him). See al-Baab al-Maftooh, 4/161 

See also the
answer to question no. 5981 and
10144

And Allah knows best.