Ten steps to Paradise : Imam ibn Hajar summarises the ten protocols towards the straight path to Jannah

(Paradise). [Saheeh Bukhari]

1. Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism)

There are seven types of Tawheed that must be known about Allah and that is to be

certain of Him and discover His ninety-nine Attributes (and uphold the Islamic core

values and beliefs), be submissive to Him (compliance of the Shari’ah- laws of

Allah), complete dependence on Him (love, hope, fear of Allah), accepting the Will of

Allah (Divine Decree) and to accept His religion (the Deen Ul-Islam) whole heartily.

Tawheed is the core requirement of Paradise even if one prays and sacrifices it will

be meaningless if one does not understand the Glory and Might of Allah and

associates partners with Him SWT (Glorified is He and He is Exalted).

2. Love the Messenger of Allah S.A.W.

Paradise calls for self-effacing slaves that are not attached to this world and its

materialism and who follow the example of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W (peace and

mercy of Allah be upon him).

Narrated 'Abd Allah bin Hisham: 'We were with the Prophet S.A.W and he was

holding the hand of 'Umar ibnu Al-Khattab R.D.U.H (may Allah be pleased with him).

'Umar said to him, "O Allah's Messenger (S.A.W) you are dearer to me than

everything except my ownself." Allah's Messenger (S.A.W) said: "No, by Him in

Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) until I am dearer to you

than your ownself." Then 'Umar (R.D.U.H) said: "However, now, by Allah, you are

dearer to me than my ownself." He (S.A.W) then said: "Now, O 'Umar, (now you are

a believer)."

3. Al-Arkan (the five pillars of Islam)

The five pillars of Islam are in fact the interior of a perfect design in which without it,

is dull and lifeless. The greatest joy to the believer, the things that raises one in

elevation (in Paradise) and honours one in the sight of Allah is consistency in

performing the obligations and performing the pillars of Islam. This is part of the

laws of Islam thus a prerequisite for Paradise while everything else is second to it. It

had been mentioned that a man asked the Prophet S.A.W: “if I was to love you more

than anything, perform prayers and give zakat (Islamic tax) and I fasted in the

month of Ramadan and I performed the Hajj. Will I enter Jannah? The Prophet S.A.W

said to him simply: “if your intentions are righteous and the person who promises to

do this and does this will enter Jannah.” [Bukhari]

For the woman who does not wear a hijab (veil) it does not mean she should neglect

her compulsory prayers, zakat, fasting, hajj etc as many may have this idea but it is

incorrect; verily the worshipping of Allah increases one’s obedience to Him S.W.T so

inshallah (Allah Willing) she will appreciate the obligations of veiling as she

increases in knowledge and in faith. And in fact the main obligations (of prayer), in

this case, is greater as a requirement of Paradise because she is only at the

beginning stages of her imaan (faith) and so she will be saved according to the level

of imaan that she reaches.

4. The du’a (supplications to Allah)

To ask Allah is the essence of ibadah as it reinforces the forgiveness and mercy of

Allah which is the most important requirement to enter Paradise. Abu Hurairah

narrated the Prophet (S.A.W) saying: “anyone who does not invoke Allah will cause

Allah to be angry with him.” [Ahmad]

And in a Hadith Qudsi narrated by Abu Dharr, Allah revealed through the Prophet

(S.A.W), “O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you

and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request from Me, and were I

to give everyone what they requested, that would not decrease what I have

anymore than a needle decreases the sea if put into it”[Muslim] This shows the degree

of Allah’s generosity and His ever-lasting bounty.

5. Qur’an Al-Kareem

The Qur’an brings a person closer to the remembrance and gratitude of Allah. The

one who memorises the Qur’an will be asked to recite and rise in elevation (in

Paradise) as the Prophet S.A.W had said: “on the Day of Rising he will be told:

'recite and ascend.' He will recite a verse of the Qur’an and rise a degree until he

finishes what he knows of the Qur'an.” [Tirmidhi]

6. As-Sadaqah (charity)

Charity is a form of purification of the soul as it extinguishes sins like water

extinguishes fire. Charity can be many things, such as a kind word, a smile, a kind

greeting or an intention of love in brotherhood it is not necessarily monetary.

7. Silat-ur-rahim and keeping family ties

The foundations of Islam are based on the family bond and keeping good relations

which is why relationships are valued in Islam. The Prophet S.A.W said: “whoever

dies and is free from three: arrogance, grudges and debt will enter Jannah

[Paradise],”[Tirmidhi] therefore those who are proud, arrogant, conceited or they have a

grudge or debt it will prevent them from entering Paradise

8. Honesty

Honesty is part of righteousness and there is a definite place in Paradise for the

truthful believers so be truthful to oneself and others and one will attain Paradise

near the Prophets and Messengers who are the truthful believers of Allah. The

Prophet S.A.W said: “whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his

two jaw-bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private

parts), I guarantee Jannah for him.”[Bukhari]

9. At-Taubah (repentance)

Allah granted to the nation of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W something in which He had

not given a nation before him and that is the ability to succeed (enter Paradise)

through direct repentance to Allah Alone at any time and any place which prevents

shirk (associating partners with Allah such as monks, priests, rabbis, sheiks,

statutes etc) an unforgiveable offence to Allah.

10. To pardon others

To pardon others is to forgive those who oppress the one in a position of superiority.

This includes holding grudges and constantly finding faults in others. The Prophet

S.A.W said that none will enter Paradise until he/she forgives others whereupon

Allah will forgive them.

Paradise readily welcomes the righteous ones and so those who do desire an

incredibly blessed end in Paradise they will do well to adhere to the above

requirements of entering Paradise and to constantly purify themselves from their

transgressions and sins to avoid a bad end in Hell-Fire. Abu Umammah R.D.U.H

narrated the Messenger of Allah S.A.W said: “I guarantee a home in Paradise for a

person who gives up arguments and disputes even if he is on the truth and I

guarantee a home in the middle of Paradise for a person who gives up lying even

while joking and I also guarantee a home in the highest part of Paradise for a person

who has a high standard of character.”[Abu Dawood]

  

And those foremost (In Tawheed and obedience to Allah and His Messenger in this

life) will be foremost (in Paradise). They will be those nearest to Allah in the

Gardens of Delight. A multitude of those (the foremost) will be from the first

generation (who embraced Islam) and a few of those (the foremost) will be from the

later (generations). They will be reclining, face to face, on thrones woven with gold

and precious stones. They will be served by immortal boys, with cups and jugs, and

a glass from the flowing wine, from which they will have neither any headache, nor

any intoxication. They will have fruit from which they may choose, and the flesh of

fowls that they desire. There will be Hur (fair females) with wide, lovely eyes (as

wives for the muttaqeen), like preserved pearls, are ward for deeds that they used

to do. They will hear no vain or sinful speech (like backbiting, etc.) but only the

saying of: ‘Salam, Salam’ (greetings of peace).And those on the Right Hand. Who

will be those on the Right Hand? They will be among thorn-less lote-trees among

Talh (banana trees) with fruits piled one above another, in long-extended shade, by

constantly flowing water, and fruit in plenty, whose season is not limited, and their

supply will not be cut off. They will be on couches or thrones raised high. Verily, We

have created for them (maidens) of equal age, loving (their husbands only) for

those on the RightHand."Qur’an 56: 10-38

The description of Paradise is that it is what pair of eyes hasn’t seen, what ears

haven’t heard and what has not crossed the heart of a human. Its ground and its

soil are musk and saffron and its roof is with-thrown with the Most Merciful, its rocks

are pearls and jewels, its buildings are made with bricks of gold and silver, it doesn’t

contain a single tree except that its trunk is of gold and silver, its fruits are softer

then butter and sweeter then honey, its leaves are softer then the softest cloth, the

rivers are milk whose taste doesn’t change, and wine that is delicious for the one

who drinks it, rivers of honey that is pure and rivers of water that is fresh, its fruits

are from wherever one will chose and meat of whatever bird you desire, the

drinking cups are crystal clear, made from gold and silver laid out on the highest of

its levels, the faces of its inhabitants are like of the moon and they are young [33

years old] in the image of Adam, the father of humanity. There are rivers of water

the taste and smell of which are not changed, rivers of milk of which the taste never

changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of clarified honey

[clear and pure] therein for them is every kind of fruit, and forgiveness from their

Lord. [Are these] like those who shall dwell forever in the Fire and be given to drink

boiling water so that it cuts up their bowels.”Qur’an 47: 15