The key to Paradise is found in the declaration that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (la ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad ar-rasul Allah). This statement is the foundation of Islam, the beginning of faith, the source of virtues, and the means of happiness in the Hereafter for those who actualize its meaning. It is the objective of every Muslim in this world to somehow do all the good deeds possible that ensure going into Paradise. Allah says:
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“There shall be no compulsion in the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. Whoever disbelieves in false gods and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold which will never break, for Allah is hearing and knowing.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:256)
We all want to enter Jannah but are we sincerely striving for it? There are multiple ways to attain the pleasure of Allah SWT and enter His Jannah. Allah SWT has made it easy for us to enter His Jannah but some of us forget this due to an ‘attachment’ to this temporary worldly life. The believers who commit major sins will be punished in Hellfire until they are justly recompensed for their crimes. Allah says:
رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ ۚ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيًّا
“He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, so worship Him and have patience in His worship. Do you know of anything similar to Him?” (Surah Maryam 19:65)
The testimony of faith is the key to Paradise, but every key must have ridges that match the lock on the door or else it will not open. Likewise, the testimony of faith has certain conditions that must be met in order to lead us to Paradise. Faith in Allah must be sincere, without compulsion or coercion, and include two complementary aspects: affirming worship for Allah alone and negating the worship of all other things. Allah says:
وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا ۖ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا
“Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him and be good to parents and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbour, the far neighbour, the companion at your side, the traveller, and those whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like those who are deluding and boastful.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:36)
We must believe that Allah is the only Lord and Creator who alone deserves to be worshipped and who alone possesses divine names and attributes. We should neither ascribe divine characteristics to created beings nor ascribe imperfect characteristics to Allah by comparing Him to the creation. Allah says:
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
“But those who have faith and work righteousness, they are the Companions of the Garden: Therein shall they abide forever.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:82)
A Muslim knows that the life of this world is transient and the eternal life is in the hereafter, that is why his or her objective is to get an eternal life that is in Paradise and not vice versa.
Following are some ways or good deeds to enter the Jannah:
- Achieving concentration and humility
- Maintaining our prayers on time
- Think before giving your word
- Being Good To Parents
- Faith And Good Deeds
- Going To The Mosque
- Seeking Knowledge
- Help An Orphan
- Always make dua
- Lenient With People
- Dua itself is worship
- Confide to Allah
- Honouring our words
- Guarding our chastity
- Turning away from a useless speech
- Make your activities more meaningful
- We need to enter into the world of the Quran
- Engaging in a purification of the self and wealth
We should not take this matter lightly and indulge in sins believing we will eventually enter Paradise, because even a single moment in the Hellfire will be so terrible that all pleasures we enjoyed by sinning will become worthless and a source of intense regret. Allah says:
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا
“And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart – about all those [one] will be questioned.” (Surah Al-Isra` 17:36)
There is no denying the fact that the provision of Paradise to a believer depends totally upon the Will of Allah Almighty, however, this does not undermine or devalue the importance of committing the righteous deeds, as after all these deeds are also instructions. Allah says:
قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَىٰ أَن يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا
“If all mankind and all jinn would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce it’s like even though they were to exert all their strength in aiding one another!” (Surah Al-Isra` 17:88)
Therefore, our ultimate goal should be the full completion and actualization of true faith such that we will enter Paradise without any reckoning in the Hellfire. Our worship of Allah necessarily involves upholding the rights of humanity and creation in general and practising virtues such as charity, justice, mercy, forgiveness, and patience. We will find numerous verses in the Quran in which the worship of Allah is mentioned alongside such good deeds.
In the Quran, Allah Almighty says:
- “They will have whatever they wish therein, and with Us is more.” (Quran: 50:35)
- “Indeed Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.” (Quran:12: 90)
- “O you who believe! keep your duty to Allah and speak straight true words.” (Quran 33:70)
- “O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah, and be with the truthful people.” (Quran 9:119)
- “And Allah is the Best Guardian, and He is the most merciful of the merciful.” (Quran: 12: 64)
- “Be maintainers of justice and bearers of true witness for Allah, even if it (the truth) goes against your own selves or parents or relatives or someone who is rich or poor.” (Quran 4:135)
- “It makes all the difference if we’re truly present while saying to Allah “It is You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path.” (Quran: 1:5-6)
- “Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts…” (Quran: 24:30-31)
- “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter, he will be one of the losers.” (Quran 3:85)
- ”And no soul knows what is kept hidden for them, of joy as a reward for what they used to do.” (Quran: 32: 17)
- “Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light.” (Quran: 2: 257)
No one has true and complete faith until he loves for all people what he loves for himself of goodness. This general goodwill for all humanity is an essential component of sincere faith. The believing monotheists who do not have this quality are still considered believers, but their faith is weak and deficient. Allah says:
وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
“And not [of] any animal in the earth and not a bird (that) flies with its wings – but (are) communities like you. We have not neglected in the Book [of] anything, then to their Lord they will be gathered.” (Surah Al-An`am 6:38)
The believers must continue acquiring, developing, and practising the virtues of faith and purifying their hearts until they reach a state of spiritual excellence (Ihsan) such that they worship Allah as if they can see Him. This is the highest state of righteousness the believers can achieve as all of their deeds will be pleasing to Allah. Allah says:
قَالَ وَمَن يَقْنَطُ مِن رَّحْمَةِ رَبِّهِ إِلَّا الضَّالُّونَ
“And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?” (Surah Al-Hijr 15:56 )
The aforementioned are a few of the many ways of entering Jannah. There are numerous other ways as well, all of which are based around the premise that a Muslim has true intentions of entering Jannah and sticks to the path of righteousness. May Allah The Almighty guide us, forgive all our sins, help us to stay firm on the right path and unite all of us with our family and friends in His Jannat-ul-Firdaus. Ameen.
