Stop for a moment and think about Paradise, its vast fields, sweet rivers, palaces, foods, and drinks. How would you feel being there in the company of those you love most— enjoying pleasures you never knew before— forever?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The Paradise has bricks of gold and silver, and mortar of fragrant musk, pebbles of pearl and sapphire, and soil of saffron. Whoever enters it is filled with joy and will never feel miserable; he will live there forever and never die; their clothes will never wear out and their youth will never fade. (Ahmad)
He also gave us a clear advice, many make themselves miss out on:
If you ask Allah for Paradise, then ask Him for Al-Firdaws al-A‘laa…
How real is the Highest Paradise in your daily life? Without knowing, do you have a defeating mindset, and are you thinking deep down: ‘I’ll never reach that level, I’d be happy if I reach Paradise altogether?’
Let’s find out how to change your attitude and learn five specific deeds that lead you to Jannatul Firdaws, by Allah’s Will!
Paradise is One
Even though Paradise is sometimes mentioned in plural in the Sunnah (jannaat), this does not mean that there are several types of Paradise; there’s only one Paradise and this rather indicates its greatness, its degrees and levels.
Umm al-Rubayyi’ bint al-Bara’, who was the mother of Haarithah ibn Suraaqah, came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said:
“O Prophet of Allah, will you not tell me about Haarithah?” – who had been killed at the battle of Badr by a stray arrow. “If he is in Paradise I will bear it with patience but if it is otherwise then I shall weep long and hard for him.”
He said:
O Umm Haarithah, there are gardens in Paradise – according to another report: many gardens – and your son has attained the highest Firdaws. (Al-Bukhari)
Let this motivate you to supplicate for your children and loved ones to attain nothing but the Highest Paradise!
Being Near the Throne: Its Location
The highest of the degrees of Paradise is Al-Firdaws; the Prophet Muhammad said:
…When you ask of Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaws, for it is in the middle of Paradise and is the highest part of Paradise, and above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful, and from it spring forth the rivers of Paradise. (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
“The purest of all created things, and the most sublime, luminous, noblest and highest in both literal and metaphorical terms is the Throne of the Most Gracious, may He be glorified and exalted. Hence it was fit for Him to rise above it.
Therefore the closer anything is to the Throne, the more luminous, pure and noble it is than that which is further away from it. Hence Jannatul Firdaws is the highest, noblest, most luminous and best part of Paradise; because it is close to the Throne, for the Throne is its roof, and the further away anything is from it, the darker and more constricted it is…” (Al-Fawaa’id, 27)
Change Your Mindset, Enter the Race!
Who are the people of the highest Paradise, Al-Firdaws? They are the ones who hasten to do good as they are commanded. It all starts with your attitude!
Without realizing, many of us don’t feel worthy or even dare to aim for the best of destinations, which many feel is only ‘reserved’ for the Prophets, salaf and other righteous predecessors.
Wrong- you CAN be part of it all; decide today to change your mindset and consciously enter the daily race from now on!
And those foremost ((in Islamic Faith of Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds) in the life of this world on the very first call for to embrace Islam,) will be foremost (in Paradise).These will be those nearest to Allah.In the Gardens of delight (Paradise). (56:10-12)
As-Sa‘di said:
“Those who are nearest to Allah are the elite of mankind.”
Ibn Kathir said:
“Whoever competes in doing righteous deeds in this world and wins the contest, in the hereafter he will be among the first to attain reward and honor.”
Whenever it’s time to pray, rush to it, whenever there’s a chance to give charity, grab it!
Action Point:
Beg Allah to be of the saabiqoon, the first and foremost in doing good deeds, because it means becoming the inhabitants of Al-Firdaws.
5 Specific Deeds that Lead to Al-Firdaws
Here are five deeds directly linked to the Highest Paradise; start with begging Allah, the Most High, to give you ability (tawfeeq) to fulfill them.
1- True belief in Allah and in His Messengers
Verily! Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds, shall have the Gardens of Al-Firdaws (the Paradise) for their entertainment. (Quran 18:107)
The Prophet Muhammad said:
The people of Paradise will see the people of the chambers above them as they see a brilliant star far away on the horizon in the east or in the west, because of the difference in status between them.
They said:
“O Messenger of Allah, will those be the chambers of the Prophets that will be attained by no one else?”
He said:
No, by the One in Whose hand is my soul; they will be men who believed in Allah and believed in the Messengers.
Action Point:
Daily ask Allah to make you live and die upon belief and feel it each time you say ‘ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem’ (Guide us on the Straight Path) in prayer!
2- Increase your Prostrations
Muslim narrated that Rabee‘ah ibn Ka‘b al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“I used to stay overnight with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and bring him water for wudu’ and whatever he needed. He said to me:
Ask.
I said:
“I ask to be with you in Paradise.”
He said:
Is there anything else?
I said:
“That is all.”
He said:
Help me to do that for you by prostrating a great deal.
Action Point:
Revive the Sunnah of Sajdah Ash Shukr, prostrating when being thankful for a certain blessing.
3- Look after an Orphan
Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
The one who sponsors an orphan, whether it is a relative of his or not, he and I will be like these two in Paradise, and Maalik pointed with his forefinger and middle finger. (Muslim)
All the deeds that have as reward to be together with the Prophet, mean earning the Highest Paradise!
Action Point:
Ask Allah to help you sponsor an orphan(s) throughout your life. Set up a monthly sponsorship, seek out orphans in your community and inspire others to.
4. Memorize the Quran
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
It will be said to the companion of the Quran: ‘Recite and rise in status as you used to recite in the world, and your position will be at the last verse you recite.’ (Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi)
The more you memorize the higher you rise towards Al-Firdaws!
Action Point:
Make the sincere intention to memorize one verse a day and become a hafidh. Even if you die, not having completed memorization, you’ll be rewarded for your intention and rise, by Allah’s will!
5. Have Paradise Supplicate for you
Paradise and Hellfire are a reality, and each one of us will meet our destiny in one or the other. Firstly; don’t be satisfied with just asking for Paradise, from now on always ask Allah Al-Aliyy, the Most High, for Jannatul Firdaws bi ghayri hisaab (without having to go through the Reckoning)!
Now, there’s an amazingly simple, five second deed, by which you can have Paradise (and Hell) supplicate for you. The Messenger of Allah said:
Whoever asks Allah for Paradise three times then Paradise will say: ‘Oh Allah! Enter him into Paradise!’ And whoever seeks protection with Allah from the Fire three times , the Fire will say: ‘Oh Allah! Protect him from the Fire! (At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
Make it a habit to ask Allah the Exalted for Paradise and to protect you from the Fire three times each day, use a reminder in the house or on your smart device) and teach others.
You can say: Allahumma innee as’aluka Jannatul Firdaws ul ‘Alaa bi ghayri hisaab (O Allah, verily I ask of You the Highest Paradise, Al-Firdaws without Reckoning) wa qinaa ‘adhaaban-Naar (and protect us from the punishment of the Fire).
If we truly understood the reality of Paradise and Hellfire, we would make these supplications multiple times a day. We ask Allah to help us to wholeheartedly hold onto this Sunnah habit until our last day and enter us into His Firdaws.
(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)